Late-night headlights, unusual vehicle track marks or missing trees could be signs a timber thief is afoot. ODAFF said in a Thursday news release it’s helping local and federal officials track down organized tree-stealing rings in northeast Oklahoma.
“Investigators have found absentee landowners are significantly impacted by timber theft and are strongly encouraged to thoroughly inspect their property or have a trusted representative inspect their property,” the release said.
Arrests have been made in the investigation, ODAFF spokesperson Bryce Boyer said, but details are not public.
In a statement, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said it's working with federal, state, tribal and local partners to investigate violations of natural resource laws.
"Illegal commercialization of American natural resources undermines lawful trade and damages American businesses," the agency wrote.
Eastern Oklahoma has a high percentage of forest landowners who don’t live on the property, making the area a potential target for timber theft. Private, non-industrial landowners make up at least 10 million acres of forest across the state as of 2016, according to a forestry inventory and analysis.
The department also encourages landowners to look for trash on their properties and watch for suspicious logging business practices.
“Prompt reporting can help investigators identify patterns of criminal activity and protect Oklahoma’s valuable forest resources,” the release said.
—
StateImpact Oklahoma is a partnership of Oklahoma’s public radio stations which relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Donate online.
