The U.S. Forest Service has launched the Trespass Cultivation Ecology, Safety, and Reclamation (TCESR) program to address the impacts of illicit cannabis cultivation on National Forest System lands. The TCESR program aims to mitigate the environmental damage caused by cannabis cultivation on federal public lands, protect wildlife and humans, conserve National Forest Lands from hazardous materials left behind, and ensure the safety of those tasked with monitoring and reclaiming these sites. This initiative represents a significant step towards preserving the integrity of our National Forests in alignment with the intent of these lands to be set aside for public use. In addition to the objectives above, the TCESR program will also establish prioritization criteria for research, monitoring projects, and reclamation of cultivation sites. These criteria will focus on areas with endangered species, their critical habitats, regions of environmental significance, and corridors crucial for wildlife conservation efforts. This multifaceted strategy ensures that resources are allocated and applied effectively to protect and conserve the most vulnerable and significant areas within our National Forests. The talk will focus on the TCESR overview, examples of TCESR efforts to conserve wildlife populations, and the applied management techniques to conserve wildlife and their habitats.

Mourad Gabriel is with the US Forest Service, Law Enforcement and Investigations, and their program manager, addressing trespass cultivation and its ecological and safety impacts on Forest Service lands. Before his federal service, Mourad was the Executive Director of a Non-Profit research organization and was appointed by the Executive Office of the White House, Office of Drug Control Policy, Public Lands Committee serving as their scientific advisor under the Obama and Trump administrations. He completed his BS and MS degrees at Humboldt State University in Wildlife Ecology and his Ph.D. in Comparative Pathology at UC Davis.