On 28 August 2018 federal, state and local leaders announced the results of Operation Forest Watch, a months-long coordinated effort led by the U.S. Forest Service against illegal marijuana grows on California’s public lands, joined by federal, state, county and local agencies and the California National Guard.[1] The operation began on 1 October 2017 and was to run until 30 September 2018, combining interdiction, eradication and reclamation after sites were found by aerial and ground reconnaissance.[1]

Officers eradicated 95 grow sites and about 638,000 plants and seized twelve and a half tons of processed marijuana; 77 people were arrested and charged in federal court.[2] The Justice Department put the same totals at 638,370 plants and 25,334 pounds of processed marijuana plus other drugs, with 82 firearms seized and over 77 arrests, and said night interdiction teams had taken another 10,000 plants and $225,000 in cash.[1] Included in those totals is the state’s Campaign Against Marijuana Planting, which eliminated 488,502 plants at 164 sites, with 35 arrests and 87 weapons seized.[1]

U.S. Attorney McGregor Scott said Mexican drug cartels were behind the grow operations, which stretched through national forests from the Oregon border to near Los Angeles County.[2] Officials said the growers diverted thousands of gallons of water, used deadly pesticides that seep into the ground, and left over 118,000 pounds of infrastructure and trash plus 20,000 pounds of fertilizer and chemicals at the sites.[1]