Point Reyes National Seashore to Remove Debris From Marijuana Grow Sites

Date: December 11, 2006
Contact: John Dell'Osso, 415-464-5135

As a follow-up to the removal of over 43,000 marijuana plants from in and around Point Reyes National Seashore, the National Park Service (NPS) will be using helicopters to remove 20 loads from the steep hillsides in West Marin County.  A helicopter from the Air National Guard will fly over these remote areas and sling-load out the debris leftover from the marijuana grow sites which includes plastic garbage bags used to line make-shift reservoirs, hundreds of yards of plastic irrigation lines, numerous bags of dangerous fertilizers and pesticides, and other debris left behind.

During July and August of this year, NPS Rangers, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office and Major Crimes Task Force, U.S. Park Police, and Marin Municipal Water District staff cut and removed over 43,000 marijuana plants being grown in the remote hillsides of West Marin.

With the onset of winter rains, NPS did some preliminary damage assessment of the areas documenting the effects of the illegal operations to vegetation and plant and animal species. Then, Marin Conservation Corps crews and NPS staff cleaned the sites and piled the debris for removal.

“We are now at a point where we can safely say we have removed all of the debris left behind from the various grow sites. We hope this will discourage these individuals from coming back,” stated Colin Smith, Chief Law Enforcement Ranger of the Seashore.

-NPS-

Additional Information to Media:
There will be an opportunity to photograph the helicopter operations as they bring the loads in for hauling. The location will be at the Pacific Coast Science and LearningCenter off of Hwy One, approximately 7 miles south of Olema. Please contact John Dell’Osso at 415-464-5135 for additional information. This operation is weather dependent.