Review 327: Tree Thieves

Tree Thieves: Crime and Survival in North America's Woods by Lyndsie Bourgon
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

It should seem obvious that tree poaching, particularly protected ones is something that happens on a regular basis. Places that used to thrive with logging turned into tourism to survive or stall out, with no other viable industry in the area. This is what happened to Orick in Northern California after the Redwood parks were established. Here they often take the burls off the big trees or take cuttings off trees already felled. The poachers don’t understand that even these actions are harming the trees and forest, as burls are protection and even a logged redwood can regrow from the stump.

The book didn’t only focus on Orick and Redwoods, looking into illegal tree cutting further north in Canada, and elsewhere. As timber prices climb tree poaching increases.

Perhaps the book would have been stronger if remained focused on just the one location in Northern California, since the material gathered from the people who poach and those who go after them to stop was extensive.

I was quite engaged with this topic and information but found myself frustrated with how the book was organized. It was a little chaotic and not well formed out.

Hopefully this book will help bring more attention to this topic, as trees are extremely important resource in so many ways, and the more we leave standing, especially the older forests, the better the plant’s health will remain. It's shocking how little monetary value is placed on the trees illegally cut down. It's also sad that people who live in small towns that didn’t turn to tourism has to resort to illegal ways to survive.

Thanks to Little, Brown Spark and NetGalley for an uncorrected electronic advance review copy of this book.

Initial thoughts: Really connected with the material, but the organization was a bit chaotic at times.