News » Save the Trees: Legalize Marijuana NOW





The Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office has announced the location and seizure of a sizable, illegal marijuana cultivation on a far corner of the Korbel Winery’s property. The marijuana garden contained 103 plants planted in 50-gallon plastic bags full of potting soil. A nearby creek had been dammed to divert water through a water line to the plants.

The plants were grown in a 2,000 square foot area, made possible by cutting down at least fifteen protected redwood trees, some of which were as tall as 60 feet – all old growth trees. The growers then enclosed the garden with an eight foot high fence made by elaborately weaving fishing line like a spider web. This kept animals out, but kept the fence nearly invisible until standing close to it.

An unoccupied campground contained a sleeping bag, food, an air mattress, and a tent. Discarded bags of fertilizer were dumped near the creek.

This kind of destruction, lack of respect for nature and the area, and elaborate scheming to hide their efforts is only possible because marijuana remains a profitable, underground drug rather than being a profitable, legal one. Legalize marijuana and then the need to hide it – destroying old growth trees and a natural setting in the process – goes away.

[source Sonoma County Sheriff]

Tags: California, legalization, Sonoma County