Abandoned illegal marijuana grow-sites on public lands have caused major devastation to the environment. When a grow-site is discovered by law enforcement, they remove the marijuana and any weapons, but the sites are left primarily intact because of a lack of manpower to do a full clean-up.
These sites often include miles of irrigation tubing, pesticides, piles of trash, water diversions, temporary living quarters, erosion, etc.
These illegal grow-sites can be a major impediment in developing safe trails and the public”s unrestricted use of our natural resources and public lands. In order to fill this void and help restore public lands back to their natural state, the Mendocino National Forest Grow-site Reclamation Project (MNFGRP), coordinated by Bruce Hilbach, has been organizing cleanups in Mendocino County.
The MNFGRP recently announced planned operation dates for cleaning up marijuana grow-sites in the Upper Lake District of the Mendocino National Forest. Please note, all volunteer groups are escorted and assisted by at least one law enforcement official at all times. Volunteer safety is of the highest priority. Volunteers will clean-up and bag trash and debris from the grow-sites and leave it onsite.
The Mendocino National Forest Rangers will coordinate pick-up of the bags at a later time, often by helicopter.
Weather permitting, work will begin on Jan. 5 with most of the action taking place from Jan. 6 through 8; if necessary, mop-up will take place on Jan. 9. They are looking for willing volunteers. Some hiking off of main roads may be required, but volunteers of varied physical strength and ability are encouraged. If you can spend some time, please contact coordinator Bruce Hilbach ASAP to indicate availability for any or all of those dates: call him at 983-6169, or send an email to behilbachb@yahoo.com, including your phone number so he can contact you with further details.
The Mendocino National Forest Grow-site Reclamation Project is supported, in part, by county funding granted at the recommendation of the Lake County Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee and in cooperation with the High Sierra Volunteer Trail Crew.
Konocti Regional Trail Team
info@KonoctiTrails.com
