<\/p>\n
An illegal logging operation that caused substantial damage was discovered in January on Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.<\/p>\n
Monument manager Marietta Eaton said the violation occurred near the Utah border north of County Road 10. Citations were issued, but no names have been released.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt has been so dry, they were able to drive in and cut or pull down more than 20 juniper trees,\u201d Eaton said. \u201cThen they returned a second time to buck it up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wood cutting and collection aren\u2019t allowed in the monument.<\/p>\n
Three people were given summons to appear in U.S. District Court in Durango on March 6.<\/p>\n
Eaton said about 1.5 miles of off-road damage will to be rehabilitated.<\/p>\n
Eaton said there are no cultural resources in the area.<\/p>\n
BLM law enforcement officer Logan Briscoe, who issued the citations, said the investigation is continuing.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt came to our attention on January 16, and on January 24 we caught the individuals,\u201d Briscoe said. \u201cWe\u2019ve been having a problem with illegal wood cutting along County Road 10.\u201d<\/p>\n
The illegal harvest is one of the largest officials have seen.<\/p>\n
\u201cWood collection was shut down on the monument because typically you have to drive off-road to get to a tree, and that creates a lot of potential for damage to cultural sites,\u201d Briscoe said.<\/p>\n
The individuals used a truck and an ATV to access and move the trees, according to court documents. They accessed the area via a two-track road that officials will landscape to hide it from County Road 10. It will be signed as non-motorized use only.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt comes at a cost to the taxpayer, because the area has to be rehabilitated where the tracks caused damage, and that takes time and money,\u201d Briscoe said.<\/p>\n