Trash dumping on national forest escalates

By: Jo Baeza, The Independent

04/07/2006

Andy Towle - The Independent
This dump site in Linden is typical of the types of things people dump on forest land, including a dead sheep, refrigerator and computers.

PINETOP-LAKESIDE - Illegal trash dumping on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests is on the rise. These illegal dump sites are more than just unsightly. They harm forest plants and wildlife, and can pose a threat to forest visitors as well.
      Lorna McNeil-Cox, the outdoor recreation planner at Lakeside Ranger District, said, "It's worse than it's ever been. There are more construction dumps, and more household dumps ...These people are taking their trash and making it everybody else's problem."

      Illegal dump sites are showing up throughout the forest and contain many kinds of trash, from vehicles and large appliances to green waste, dead animals and manure.
      While the Forest Service does not have the resources to clean up the enormous amount of material that is being dumped in the forest, the agency does have the ability to investigate illegal dumping and pursue legal action.
      McNeil-Cox said, "The people who dump know they are doing something illegal. Many of them are doing it at night. We have a new forest officer that will be out there at any time, day or night."
      She said, "We are actively patrolling the forest for this and pursuing legal action. If we can make the charges stick, we make the dumper clean it up, or pay at least $1,000 to have it cleaned up."
      Lakeside Ranger Station gets complaints about illegal dumping on a daily basis from people who want to enjoy the forest, and find an illegal dump in the middle of it.
      Some people think it's all right to dump pine needles, branches or trees thinned from their property on the forest, as it is "biodegradable." It may be biodegradable, but it is also illegal. This increases the fire hazard on the forest close to communities," McNeil-Cox said.

      There are also a large number of dead animals dumped in the forest. In one recent case, someone had hauled a dead emu to a trailhead and left it. In another instance, a year's worth of horse manure was left by a trail. Dead animals are considered a bio-hazard and are subject to quadruple fines. Carcasses attract predators such as coyotes and bears to areas used by hikers, mountain bikers, horseback and ATV riders, posing a possible safety threat to people.
      It isn't just a matter of unsightliness. Much of the material being dumped is dangerous. McNeil-Cox said, "They are leaving things like batteries, refrigerators and freezers that are considered hazardous materials. They'll take them out and dump them, then use them for target practice. When they fill them full of bullet holes it releases Freon and other toxic substances into the atmosphere, which is a crime with a possible jail sentence."
      Most of the illegal dumping is considered a Class B misdemeanor which can carry a maximum sentence of six months in jail and/or a $5,000 fine.
      The Forest Service is asking the public to help by reporting illegal dumping. McNeil-Cox said, "We do have success tracking down and prosecuting. If a person sees somebody dumping trash on public lands, they should get a license number and vehicle description if it's safe to do it. Do not confront them. Safety is more important."
      She said chemical dumps are increasing. If anyone sees something that looks like a chemical dump, they should stay away. Take the information to a local ranger station if it's on the national forest, or call the Show Low Fire Department. They have a Hazardous Materials unit that can go out and identify the substance.
      There are many areas on the national forest where people come for target practice and leave their targets. It's not illegal to shoot on the forest as long as it's done within the regulations, but it's illegal to bring targets out to a site and leave them. Targets can include cans, bottles, refrigerators and water heaters.
      On March 25 the Practical Shooters went out to clean an area used for shooting practice on the Lone Pine Dam Road. The organization has an annual cleanup day with the Forest Service and Waste Management. "They did a beautiful job. They filled up a dumpster the size of a railroad car," McNeil-Cox said. "They finished about 1 p.m. I went out there at 4 p.m. and there were already fresh targets and trash someone had left that afternoon."
      Another major problem is caused by people partying in the forest. "They often leave as much trash as a dump site," she said. One day last year McNeil -Cox saw a smoke while she was patrolling the forest. It was an abandoned party fire, so she stopped to extinguish it. Just then two young men drove up in a car and told her they had come to see if the fire was out and pick up the trash. "They were to be commended," she said. "I wish everyone would care that much."
      The Forest Service is compiling a list of volunteers who are willing to help with forest cleanup. It also counts as community service. McNeil-Cox said, "People are welcome to clean up new sites on their own, but they need to report it to the Forest Service first so we can investigate it and pursue the guilty party.
      "We do appreciate the volunteers who have helped and who care. Dumping trash on the forest is illegal, it's harmful, and the problem is increasing."