6,000 MARIJUANA PLANTS FOUND IN NATIONAL FOREST

Authorities are searching for the marijuana farmers who grew 6,000 plants
after removing all the trees and bushes and using toxic chemicals in an
endangered species habitat of the Angeles National Forest.

No arrests have been made, but the plants, worth about $16 million, have
been seized, said Randi Jorgensen, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Forest Service.

Two separate plots of marijuana, each about 15 acres, were discovered in
the San Gabriel Wilderness, northeast of La Canada-Flintridge, during
routine aerial surveillance. One plot was discovered July 13 and the other
on Friday. "It was very disturbing that they clear-cut every bush and every
tree and stripped the area down to nothing but dirt," Jorgensen said. "And
what really appalled us was the 150 pounds of pesticides, chemicals and
fertilizer that was found by the plants. All that washes into stream beds,
which can have a very adverse effect on the animals and plants in the area."

Forty-seven pound of diazanon, an extremely strong pesticide, was found
near the plants.

The U.S. Forest Service is investigating the case along with other
agencies, including the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department.