This is a midly edited version of the original document. I removed a large number of peoples' names and added in formatting commands. 
The item originally came from <code>CANNABIS CULTURE MAGAZINE</code>. It is curretly un clear if this magaxine is still in businness.<p>

<center><h5>Updated: 10:29 AM 7/22/2023</h5></center>

<pre>
      US CA: OPED: Busting Pot Operations In The Forest 
      by Tina Terrell, (22 Aug 2008) Visalia Times-Delta California
            Thought I'd take a few moments and share with you some startling 
            statistics about marijuana sites in the Sequoia National Forest.  
            Most readers have likely heard about Operation LOCCUST ( Locating 
            Organized Cannabis Cultivators Using Saturation Tactics ), where 14 
            agencies teamed up to remove marijuana plants, investigate and 
            apprehend drug trafficking individuals, and remove marijuana-growing 
            infrastructure on public land in Tulare County.  In just two weeks, 
            they put a phenomenal dent in the marijuana cultivation activity in 
            Tulare County.  

            Public safety is the Forest Service's impetus for addressing the 
            marijuana growing aggressively in the Sequoia National Forest and we 
            are partnering with others to vigilantly police these public lands.  

            Of the startling 482,158 plants eradicated, 312,994 were taken from 
            public land managed by the Sequoia National Forest.  Additionally, 
            law enforcement confiscated 380.2 pounds of processed marijuana, 17 
            ounces of cocaine, 42.5 ounces of "ice" methamphetamine; made 28 
            drug related arrests; seized 26 firearms, a vehicle and $6,900 in 
            cash.  They have seven ongoing warrants; most from marijuana growing 
            operations conducted by armed drug trafficking organizations.  These 
            organizations are primarily undocumented foreigners that pose a 
            significant threat to the public, Forest Service employees and to 
            the environment.  

            In past efforts, when marijuana was eradicated in Tulare County, 
            personnel and funding were not adequate to clean up the mess created 
            by growers.  Thanks to volunteers from the High Sierra Volunteer 
            Trail Crew, supported by the Forest Service, more than 30 percent of 
            the 51 grow sites located on the Forest were reclaimed.  

            In less than two weeks, these volunteers removed 245 bags ( 35,540 
            pounds ) of trash which held 20 propane tanks, 4,195 pounds of 
            fertilizer, 22 pounds of pesticide, 33.5 gallons of chemical, and 
            165,556 feet ( 31 miles ) of irrigation line.  These volunteers 
            destroyed multiple make-shift structures that were built by the 
            growers, including benches, tables, two dams and 11 reservoirs.  
            Removal of this material will help restore the land to its natural 
            state and will remove the infrastructure which is imperative to 
            deter drug trafficking organizations from re-establishing their 
            operations.  

            These drug trafficking organizations occupy public land for months 
            at a time, threaten public safety, cause fires, cut trees, build 
            illegal structures, illegally kill wildlife, pollute the watershed, 
            create massive trash problems and illegally use herbicides and 
            pesticides.  These large sites strip the soil of its nutrients and 
            stress local indigenous species.  Forest Service law enforcement and 
            partner agencies will continue to focus their efforts to disrupt and 
            dismantle drug trafficking organizations that are primarily 
            responsible for the marijuana cultivation occurring on the Sequoia 
            National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument.  

            We continue to address resource degradation issues and the effects 
            of marijuana growing that affect the watershed when chemicals and 
            materials and equipment are left on the landscape.  We will be 
            diligent in our law enforcement operations and management 
            restoration efforts to reduce damage where marijuana growing occurs. 
             Even though Operation LOCCUST is over, we will continue to partner 
            with law enforcement agencies to manage and curtail marijuana 
            cultivation and work with volunteers and others to restore areas 
            that have been degraded.  

            MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom

            Pubdate: Fri, 22 Aug 2008
            Source: Visalia Times-Delta, The (CA)
            Copyright: 2008 The Visalia Times-Delta
            Contact: 
            http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/customerservice/contactus.html
            Website: http://www.visaliatimesdelta.com/
            Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2759
            Author: Tina Terrell
            Note: Tina Terrell is forest supervisor of the Sequoia National 
            Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument.
            Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?115 (Cannabis - California)
            Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/LOCCUST (Operation LOCCUST)
            Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?208 (Environmental Issues)
</pre>


<pre>
      CANNABIS CULTURE MAGAZINE
      www.cannabisculture.com
      Box 15, 199 West Hastings, Vancouver BC
      Canada V6B 1H4
</pre>