KDRV 12 News – by Hannah Everman
NEAR CRESCENT CITY, Ca. — A suspect has been arrested in the Redwood poaching case that has been a year-long investigation. National Park Service and California State Parks Law Enforcement Park Rangers and Investigators working cooperatively have arrested and charged felony Grand Theft, Vandalism, and Receiving Stolen Property against Danny E. Garcia of Orick, California for the poaching of old growth redwood burls from the park. Charges are pending against another individual who is currently serving time for unassociated charges.
On April 19, 2013, a researcher in the park discovered cuts on an old growth redwood tree within Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) in the Redwood Creek drainage. Park rangers responded and discovered a 10-foot diameter, old-growth redwood tree that had been badly damaged by the removal of several large burls. The burls cut from the tree were massive, the largest cut measuring approximately 8.3 feet at the base, 8.2 feet in height, and 1.7 feet deep (approximately 115 cubic feet).
An anonymous tip led to the discovery of the burls at a local shop. Park Rangers matched the size and shape of the cut burls in the shop with those taken from the old-growth redwood tree at the poaching site. Investigation by NPS Law Enforcement Rangers indicated that Garcia had been in possession of the burls taken from the site, and then sold them to the shop in Del Norte County. The burl shop is not currently under investigation in this matter.
The case is being prosecuted in California District Court in Eureka, California.
What a sorry POS.