Marijuana Crops in California Threaten Forests and Wildlife

[alcibiades_mystery]

Source: New York Times

ARCATA, Calif. — It took the death of a small, rare member of the weasel family to focus the attention of Northern California’s marijuana growers on the impact that their huge and expanding activities were having on the environment.

The animal, a Pacific fisher, had been poisoned by an anticoagulant in rat poisons like d-Con. Since then, six other poisoned fishers have been found. Two endangered spotted owls tested positive. Mourad W. Gabriel, a scientist at the University of California, Davis, concluded that the contamination began when marijuana growers in deep forests spread d-Con to protect their plants from wood rats.

That news has helped growers acknowledge, reluctantly, what their antagonists in law enforcement have long maintained: like industrial logging before it, the booming business of marijuana is a threat to forests whose looming dark redwoods preside over vibrant ecosystems.

Hilltops have been leveled to make room for the crop. Bulldozers start landslides on erosion-prone mountainsides. Road and dam construction clogs some streams with dislodged soil. Others are bled dry by diversions. Little water is left for salmon whose populations have been decimated by logging.



Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/21/us/marijuana-crops-in-california-threaten-forests-and-wildlife.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20130621&_r=0

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No real comment here. I'm pro-cannibis and pro-legalization across the board (not merely "medical&quot , but this is an interesting article on ecosystems and sustainability.

Also, I'll bet the bud growing on that farm is nice, sticky, Humboldt County awesome...

[AllyCat]

1. One of the arguments for marijauna is that pesticides and herbicides are not needed.

Leave it to the corporate farmers to figure out how to turn it into that. If they expanded the area in which it could be grown, this kind of thing would be less common.

Sad.

[CreekDog]

23. there are a lot of growers that aren't corporate that use not only pesticides

but illegal ones.

your meme need to include the other bad guys that do this stuff.

[CokeMachine]

39. You are correct!

I've seen first hand the damage these illegal grows do to nature. A lot, if not most of the large grows are cartel controlled.

[pipoman]

2. It's long past time

to legalize and legitimize the pot business. This is how controls can be placed on production. Growers requirements similar to requirements currently on other types of crop production for use of chemicals. There is plenty of suitable crop land available without clearing forests...the only way to regulate growing is if it is legal to grow.

[alcibiades_mystery]

4. The point of the article is that it's now semi-legal to grow, which has its own problems

There's no doubt that many people just want a Humboldt County brand on their product.

Certainly, regulation is needed, particularly on these water diversion schemes that are destroying the watershed.

[Bluenorthwest]

10. 'Semi Legal' by which you mean it is a Felony for which the DOJ has an obsession

It is not legal, all of these problems stem from the illegal nature of the business. Think it through. We do lots of agriculture of all sorts with many water needs issues, why do you think those growing this crop are diverting streams without permits or cooperation?

[Eleanors38]

25. You can't regulate until you legislate.

[bemildred]

3. Legailize it and all this will go away.

Deep in the national forest is not really the best place to grow cannabis.

[alcibiades_mystery]

5. Perhaps...the article is actually addressing consequences of semi-legalization

[bemildred]

7. It is addressing the consequences of the fact that it is still illegal for some LEOs.

There is no reason to hide it otherwise, and the reason they grow it up there in the first place is because you can hide from LEOs up there in those forests and mountains. It's not a great pot growing climate, they rely on genetics and expertise, not the great growing environment.

Outside you can only do one crop a year, it's too cold and dark the rest of the time. Inside you can run a crop every couple months.

[bemildred]

8. If you legalize, there will be nothing but industrial indoor grows and private plots

for cannabis grown for consumption, and it will get very cheap, so you can tax the heck out of it, which is why the states are liking the idea now.

[Mr.Bill]

30. I agree with your posts.

The reason people grow on government land and in forests is that if you get busted growing pot, they confiscate the property. That's why people don't grow on their own property.

Around here, they grow on government land or in rented houses dedicated exclusively to pot growing. That eliminates the risk of having your own property confiscated by the government.

As you said, legalize it and this problem goes away. Why would I grow in a remote forest location when I could grow it legally right where I live.

[bemildred]

32. Thank you. The fellow down below talking about the lumber business knows whereof he speaks too.

I was there, I worked in those mills in the 60s and 70s.

It does piss me off about those fisher martins, that is a rare and beautiful critter.

[WovenGems]

6. No threat

from pot but a big one from morons.

[randr]

9. Greed has no conscience

To think that stoners are going to protect the Earth because they are "cool" is a terrible mistake. We need to be as vigilant about where we get our herb as where we get our food and other resources.
I hope the stoner community addresses this situation in an evolved manner that set an example for others.

[Eleanors38]

26. See #25.

[Sunlei]

11. so all the other thousands of homes with roads/driveways don't use rat poison or water?

[dbackjon]

13. What the hell does that have to do with anything?

Are these homes deep in a protected national forest?

[Sunlei]

17. our Federal gov spreads rat and mouse poison because they have had plague & hanta from rats and mice

It has to do with the pogrom against pot growers (the ones NOT not crop growers in national forests) blaming them for rat and mouse poison our own Federal Gov spreads around to contain the hanta virus (from mouse droppings in state parks) and plague, from rats overrunning our west coast parks and forests.

Mainly because they have killed off the animals that eat a lot of rats and mice.

anyway won't matter soon because consumers will not be able to get common household poisons soon.

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/mice-and-rats/cancellation-process.html

[dbackjon]

21. So that makes the illegal pot growers poisoning ok?

Or are you saying the poor innocent pot growers are being framed?

[Sunlei]

33. I'm saying they blame growers for a rare species problem caused by others.

probably to help demonise growers to get more funding approved to find and place them in prison. That's big federal money for private 'for profit' drone survey businesses and all the private 'for profit' prisons.

It starts with demonising them, getting regular Americans to 'dislike' persons who grow a plant. Those Americans would be more likely to believe a google map picture, a federal department can tell who exactly places out rat poison in an entire county in California. oh it's the pot grower with plants in his driveway instead of the other 20,000++ private homes.

I'm totally against Americas 'war on drugs' as far as marijuana goes. I think it is a total failure because of their focus on the low hanging fruit, a plant. Cost America a couple trillion in federal funds we stuffed right into private 'for profit' entrepreneur pockets.

[dbackjon]

35. It can be both

The industrial marijuana growers aren't nice old hippies.

They are as ruthless as any, and do very bad things to protect their crops. I am for legalization.

You don't seem to be willing to understand THIS particular issue.

[Sunlei]

37. There is no talk about crime or 'ruthless' persons in that county. here is their"stakeholders' meet

Stakeholders talk marijuana before outdoor grow season starts

”One of the biggest concerns is what to do with the environment, what to do with the watersheds, how that impacts communities,” said Tom LaNiver, a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program representative.

I think we're going to continue to see an increase in cultivation based upon our overall lack of economic health in Humboldt County and the state of California,” Downey said.

The stakeholders included sheriff's office personnel, District Attorney Paul Gallegos, federal representatives with the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, Cal Fire representatives, Arcata Councilman Mark Wheetley, 4th District Supervisor Virginia Bass, a representative from Jared Huffman's office, biologists and environmental researchers.

In a PowerPoint presentation, Downey identified increased enforcement, federal assistance, increased prosecution and seizure, financial commitment from local agencies for eradication and arrest efforts as solutions to the problem. more at link http://www.times-standard.com/news/ci_23509342/stakeholders-talk-marijuana-before-outdoor-grow-season-starts

no talk about ruthless people, these are American citizens, growing a plant.

[Eddie Haskell]

12. Seriously?

[dbackjon]

14. What is so damn funny?

Do you not give a fuck about the environment?

[CreekDog]

24. ask the people trying to protect the rivers up there, ask them

ask them if it's funny, ask they if it's real.

have you?

[HERVEPA]

29. You're about as sensitive as your namesake on the TV show.

[JoeyT]

15. Make it fully legal to grow and the problem goes away.

I can't remember the last time I hid corn or tomato plants in the woods, because the woods are a shitty place to grow pretty much anything. Were it legal, it would be being grown in back yards by whoever wanted it instead of in commercial grows. It's too easy to grow to do otherwise.

This is really another problem caused by the illegality of marijuana being blamed on the substance itself.

[Sunlei]

16. So in March 2013 EPA- D-Con Mouse and Rat Poison Products Subject to Cancellation

D-Con Mouse and Rat Poison Products Subject to Cancellation

EPA believes the 12 D-Con products in the table below cause unreasonable adverse effects on the environment and the agency is canceling these products to remove them from the consumer market. Until EPA completes the administrative cancellation procedures required by law (FIFRA section 6(b)), these products may be legally sold and used according to the terms, conditions, and instructions of their most recent agency approved labels. However, we encourage retailers to stock and consumers to use only those products that meet EPA’s safety standard.

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/mice-and-rats/cancellation-process.html

[Hell Hath No Fury]

18. One more reason to legalize that shit -

and get it out of our forests.

[Gregorian]

19. Oh bullshit. All of those forests were clearcut several times before they ever grew their gardens.

What we've done to those forests compared to the pot farmers is several magnitudes in difference.

I'm not talking about the weasel, which may or may not be related to the pot growing.

The tractors that rolled over those hills deforesting and burning everything in sight; the silt that flowed into the Van Duzen, and the other rivers there. I've spoken to OLD locals who describe before and after the big periods of logging. And how the fish disappeared. You could walk across those rivers for the fish that was in them. I've seen the brown dirt filled rivers and the clearcuts with my own eyes. Pot farmers my ass.

[Downtown Hound]

31. Bingo!

I lived in that area for five years and graduated from Humboldt State. You never even see the pot farms, but what you do see ALL OVER THE PLACE is patches of forest here and there that have been clear cut and decimated by logging.

I actually would like to see the farms moved out of the forests. It would be better for the environment but also, it actually makes hiking in them somewhat dangerous. Some of those farms are owned by some not so nice people (mafia and cartels) and legalizing it would put them out of business and free up the forests once again.

But this article is more anti-pot bullshit by a movement that has become more and more desperate as knowledge of pot has increased. When it comes to the environment, pot farms are not the big problem. They're a problem, but not a huge one. Logging and global warming are. There's a lot less fog in Humboldt County than there used to be and there's liable to be even less as the planet gets warmer. Redwood trees depend on fog for water. They're too tall to absorb water from the ground all the way to the top. They absorb it from the fog.

No fog, no redwood trees. Simple as that.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

20. Here's an idea, why don't we send our military, including the National Guard, to foreign countries?

That way, those growing unauthorized crops in governmental forests can remain unmolested.

[DreamSmoker]

22. Just more Bullspin

This is a piece to demonize those growers..
This is written as if at every corner of the Forest.. Illegal cannabis grows have taken over and are the Danger of us all in one way or another..

Like the pic in this piece... It most likely is on private property and very hidden to the Public... Like many who grow there in California and have for many years now..

Ever wonder why not one arrest is ever made?? Or how about the Mexican Cartels growing Cannabis in California Forests when only a campsite is found with a package of Tortillas laying on the ground..

Its all Bullspin here in California...

Fact is the last wave of DEA Raids here have given the opposition to any legalization new life recently... FACT...
Then to add salt on that wound... the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that Cities and Counties have the right to ban the Dispensaries.. Successfully cutting any legal access for Patients..

[bunnies]

27. Its the D-com thats the problem. Not the cannabis.

How bout we take D-con off the market and legalize the growing of a friggin plant? Problem solved.

[on point]

28. Legalize it already. Problem gone

[olddad56]

34. In the big scheme of ruining the enviornment, what about corporate america? .....

[olddad56]

36. This would make too much sense....

Just decriminalize it. Let anyone who is 21 or take out a permit and pay a fee to grow 6 plants. Then let them do whatever they want with the pot they grow. Eat it, smoke it, sell it, etc.

Let the inspector come out and check on your plants to ensure compliance.

Boost the economy, wipe out the black market, and put a smile of a lot of people's faces.

And no, I don't use it or grow it. Haven't for over 25 years.

Stop the insanity.

[YOHABLO]

38. Let everyone grow their own pot .. in their basements and backyards .. pesticide free.