Year End Gifts & More Brush Picking Response - 12/29/10

Year End Gifts?  We have been asked to provide the addresses for the non-profits (501.c.3 organizations) supporting the Illahee Preserve and also the Illahee Community for those interested in supporting them with tax deductible year end gifts.   Letters need to be post marked not later than Friday (12/31/10) for them to be considered for 2010.  The addresses are:

Illahee Forest Preserve (501.c.3)

% Don Jahaske, Treasurer

P.O. Box 3047

Bremerton, WA  98310

Illahee Community Club (501.c.3)

P.O. Box 2563

Bremerton, WA  98310

More Brush Picking Responses.  More responses to the brush picking problem came in shortly after we sent out our Update.

I would like to walk thru the forest with my dog,but now that these people are being confronted-it is possible that I may encounter problems and am now fearful of harm that may occur. I think the police and or some other official needs to step up for public safety. Why clean up a forest area for the public if the public may be in danger using it?

I have a good friend who grew up here who has told me many times about brush picking in our general neighborhood as a boy.  I have seen postings about needs for money to meet your needs.  Might I suggest that an alternative that you folks learn from DNR how they go about leasing the right to pick.

Someone asked what they are doing with what you call “Brush Picking”

In my past career I worked in the floral industry for 30 years.  15 of those years were in the wholesale floral industry as a buyer of foliage and flowers to sell to florist.  It is most likely that these Hispanic people are picking leather leaf fern, huckleberry, and salal (Can’t remember how to spell this) or lemon leaf to sell to the floral wholesale houses in Belfair and Tacoma.  It is most likely that the vans dropping these people off are with one of these wholesale houses.  I would give the wholesale houses a call and let them know that you are having a problem with pickers picking illegally in the Illahee preserve park.  This will also give them heads up that some of the product they are purchasing is Illegal and to not buy the product from them.  The Hispanic people are not aware of the concept of private forest areas.  And yes, most of these Hispanic workers are straight out of Mexico or Honduras and speak little English.  I am from California and have worked with the Hispanic people, who come to America in hopes of a better life, for many years in the Watsonville and Salinas Valley.

Seems like the signs need to go high up on trees. Absolutely nasty to rip them down and then haul them away. Maybe the next step is trail names written into wet concrete poured into the paths

More reason to have more presence in the park by folks that would be concerned, such as the horse riders.

Unless the legal system pushes you probably will not have success with the Hispanic pickers. Know anyone in ICE?

I just wanted to let you know that I have come across a brush picker (one male) on two separate occasions in the forest. I walk my two golden retrievers almost every day along the outer rim trail (eastern most trail) and have been started by this man. The first time I saw him, my dogs alerted me to his presence and he hid behind a tree. Yesterday when I was walking, I saw him picking salal and he didn't even try to hide. I know that brush picking is illegal in our forest without a permit, and as I did not inquire whether he had obtained the proper permitting, I was unsure as to what I should do. I must say, as I often walk my dogs alone in the forest, it is a bit unnerving to have such encounters. Any advice as to what I (we) should do if this happens again?

No Official Advice Yet.  In response to the previous email -- we have not received any official advice yet from Parks or the Sheriff's dept.  Also, it is illegal to brush pick in the Preserve and as such there are no brush picking permits.  We will let you know as soon as we receive any official information or advice on this issue.

Jim Aho