Illegal Marijuana Grows Left 6,000 Pounds Of Waste In California State Parks, Helicopters Were Needed To Clean It Up
About 6,000 lbs of trash left behind by illicit marijuana grow operations were removed from four state parks in California. This effort was part of a cleanup operation by California State Parks’ Cannabis Watershed Protection Program (CWPP).
The Golden State has struggled with illegal cannabis cultivation for years, and the dangers associated with these activities are significant. John Nores, a retired lieutenant with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), highlights several risks: toxic fumes, attacks by trained dogs, and even the threat of being shot. Nores warns that these dangers are more common than many realize, with thousands of illegal grow sites on public lands and parks across the nation, cultivating millions of cannabis plants.
This spring, the operation was carried out at the following locations:
Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (SP), where about 1,800 lbs of waste were removed from the Sweetwater Watershed.
Henry W. Coe SP, where around 2,200 lbs of waste were removed from the Coyote Creek and Pajaro Watersheds.
Malibu Creek SP, where some 1,000 lbs of waste were removed from the Malibu Creek Watershed.
Topanga SP, where about 1,000 lbs of waste was removed from the Topanga Creek Watershed.
These illegal operations are usually hidden in remote locations and the ruggedness of the terrain required for the waste to be lifted with helicopters out of the parks. That’s why …