Poachers Put California Redwoods At Even Greater Risk

A black market band of tree poachers intensify extinction risks to the already endangered California Redwoods. Enormous pieces of the world’s tallest trees are being cut away by poachers, officials at the Redwood National and State Parks in California said in a press release. Some of the trees being hacked are up to 2,000 years old. “We’ve seen a peaked increase (of theft and damage),” Candace Tinkler, chief of interpretation and education at the park, told CNN . Poachers who have been caught usually cite drug abuse and lack of employment opportunities as the reason for their poaching, according to the Daily Mail .

The California redwood poachers aren’t after the trees themselves, but the burl from the old-growth redwoods. The burl of a California redwood tree can be sold for thousands of dollars on a black market. The redwood’s burl is the lumpy feature at the base of the tree. The burls are crucial to the survival of the redwoods, because it’s how they reproduce. When an ancient redwood finally dies, a new clone of the older tree grows from the burl. “We’re one of those places that we have around the world that everyone thinks is precious enough, important enough, rare enough, that we need to protect it for the future,” Tinkler said. “It’s not just a crime against us as Americans… it’s a crime to everyone.”

While inhibiting the reproduction of the redwood is devastating for the future of the majestic species, the poaching practice also poses more immediate risks. Tinkler said that when poachers cut away the burl, a significant amount of bark is removed. A redwood with removed bark is vulnerable to pest infestation and forest fires. “When you take away the burl and leave an open scar, it’s similar to me having a major cut on my leg and I left it exposed,” she explained. “Now I’m exposed to other infections.”

To combat the poachers, officials at Redwood National and State Parks in northern California have closed an eight-mile drive through the forests known as Newton B. Drury Parkway during the night. Officials hope the closure will prohibit drivers intending to haul the wooden contraband from entering the forest by roadway. Most of the redwood poaching occurs at night the park’s press release said. The road will be open for tourists and travelers during the day. Officials also hope that closing the road will also raise awareness about the redwood poaching, causing the public to cease purchasing items made from illegally acquired redwood burls.