Federal rangers and Bureau of Land Management agents dismantled an illegal marijuana cultivation spanning 13 acres deep within Sequoia National Park—highlighting the enduring environmental threats of clandestine grows even in a post-legalization era.
The Rangers removed approximately 2,377 marijuana plants that were mature, as well as 2,000 pounds worth of debris and infrastructure. Due to the remoteness of the terrain, manual cleaning and helicopter sling loads were used.
The delayed rehabilitation—the site was first raided in 2024—was due to hazardous conditions, including a gallon of Methamidophos, a toxic insecticide banned since 2009, and the presence of a semi-automatic pistol.
There was serious environmental damage: there was a lot of clearing, diverting water from the creek to storage pits or irrigation lines, carving terraces into hillsides, building campsites, cooking areas and almost two miles worth of illegal trails, along with poaching signposts.
The NPS emphasized that each marijuana plant consumes 6–8 gallons of water daily—resources vital to local wildlife and downstream Central Valley communities—and pesticide runoff further jeopardizes ecosystems.
Over the past two decades, nearly 300,000 illicit cannabis plants—estimated at $850 million—have been eradicated in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, underscoring the scale of ongoing illegal agricultural operations.
Despite California’s legalization of cannabis in 2016, federal lands remain off-limits—and the persistent black market continues to degrade protected environments via widespread grows, as seen in impacted areas like Siskiyou County, where rampant cultivation has decimated wildlife