Illegal marijuana plantations in Orange County show how toxic danger spreads through national forests

Don Huang stood on the slope of a bushy hill in the Cleveland National Forest where in September officers uprooted about 1,300 illegal marijuana plants that could have brought farmers a profit of $4 million.

Huang was more interested in what he saw scattered about in a valley near the Ortega Highway in Orange County: pesticides so toxic that they are banned in the United States, as well as fertilizers, beer cans, watering cans, clothing, and trash.

“For us, it is not about marijuana. It is about protecting the environment, protecting wildlife, and protecting the water supply for communities.” That’s what they do on public lands. They come and destroy it for an illegal purpose.”

Read the rest of this story at ocregister.com.