The Spatial Pattern of Redwood Burl Poaching Incidents: Implications for Prevention

• In Event: Empirical Analyses of Green/Environmental Crimes

Abstract

Poaching redwood tree burls is a serious problem for the Redwood State and National Parks (RSNP). Poachers remove burls by chainsaw and sell them for considerable profit. As a consequence, targeted trees are susceptible to disease and can ultimately perish. Further, should the tree die without its’ burls it has less chance to reproduce as burls have the capacity to grow into new redwoods. Given the small number of state (N=4) and federal (N=8) rangers and other limited resources the RSNP have at their disposal, the problem may persist unless preventive interventions are adopted. Within the RSNP, it may be that certain areas are more vulnerable as a result of their proximity to roads, trails, access points, burl shops, and away from campsites. To better understand this problem, the current study first explores the spatial distribution of poaching incidents in the RSNP before employing a spatial econometric approach driven by two criminological theories—crime pattern and routine activity theory — to understand what features of the environment within the RSNP might best explain the poaching problem.

Authors

• Stephen Pires, Florida International University

• Justin Kurland, Rutgers University-Newark

• Nerea Marteache, California State University San Bernardino