Last week a friend and I explored a remote and rugged part of Long Ridge Open Space Preserve called Devils Canyon. The way into this canyon is steep and treacherous. Deep in the canyon we stumbled across a marijuana garden that was probably abandoned last Fall.
To make the marijuana difficult to identify from the air, the forest was cleared in several small sections. Plastic hose delivered water from Peters Creek. A pickax, saw, backpack, pesticides, and a sack of fertilizer were nearby.
Illegal marijuana cultivation is a real environmental and public safety issue in our local parks. Anyone who stumbles across one of these clandestine plots can be in real danger. This is most likely to happen if you hike cross-country, especially from Spring to Fall.
Illegal marijuana plots result in damage to native vegetation, terracing of hillsides, impounding of streams, and garbage accumulation. It can take years for the land to heal. If you come across one of these plots, leave as quickly as possible and then contact the appropriate public land agency.
