On Sept. 16, 2026, law enforcement from the U.S. Forest Service, the Glenn County Major Crimes Task Force, and Forest Service helicopter Falcon 1 eradicated an illegal marijuana grow site in a remote area of Mendocino National Forest. Officers eradicated approximately 700 plants from the cultivation site.
In national forests, marijuana grow sites tend to be planted in areas where visitors are unlikely. Southern or western slopes are preferred, but sites can be found in any type of terrain. Sometimes grow sites are planted along roads or freeways on steep hillsides where brush and trees hide the marijuana plants.
Cultivation sites can cause extreme damage to ecosystems and pose safety concerns for the public. The public should take precautions if they come across a marijuana grow site on national forest lands: Leave the area immediately and cautiously exit the same way you entered. Once in a safe location, you can report details to local law enforcement by calling 911.
Law enforcement agencies remind visitors to know the signs of a grow site.
- Human activity in an isolated area.
- Informal, unmarked, hiking trails.
- PVC (plastic) pipes, hose lines, drip irrigation lines, cisterns, gardening supplies, or gardening tools.
- Containers for fertilizers, insecticides, and animal poisons.
- Signs of established camping, cooking, and sleeping areas.
- Structures in remote locations.
- Trash or garbage in remote locations, especially if the trash contains canned goods or other heavy items not common in the backcountry.
