By Chris Lehman, NW News Network
Redwood burl poaching has long been an issue in the Redwood National Park in California. But now a conservation group says it’s spotted evidence of this type of tree damage in a national forest in Oregon.
Burls are the knobby growths sometimes found at the base of towering redwood trees.
They’re highly valued for their intricate designs. Cross-sections are used to make furniture or artwork.
There’s been an uptick in the theft of redwood burls from public lands in northern California’s redwood region.
Now Oregon Wild says it’s spotted a burl theft in one of Oregon’s redwood groves in the far southwest part of the state.
The group’s Steve Pedery said that a redwood usually survives having its burl removed.
“When you hack these chunks out of the tree, you’re leaving the tree open to disease, to insects,” Pedery said. “You’re weakening it structurally in case there’s a storm or a wind event in the future. And if there’s a drought, you’re making it very unlikely that that tree will survive.”
Forest Service spokesman Tom Knappenberger said the agency is taking the report seriously. He said theft of redwood burls is potentially a felony violation.
This was first reported for the Northwest News Network.