Indopedia All Things Marijuana
Cannabis cultivation is shaping up to be a massive financial boon for the state of California, but both legal and illegal grows are posing a serious risk to the state’s natural forests and wildlife.
The toxic runoff from these grows has been seeping into the state’s forests and waterways, and at least one species of mammal is now being threatened with extinction.
Even legal cannabis grows are threatening these little creatures, as acres of natural forest are bought up and cleared to make way for new, state-licensed cannabis facilities.
The number of Humboldt martens declined so thoroughly over the late 20th Century that the animal was thought to be extinct. It is currently estimated that fewer than 200 of these animals survive in California today, and this number is under constant threat from cannabis cultivators and other forest-clearing developments.
The California Fish and Game Commission will evaluate the Fish and Wildlife Department’s request to grant the martens endangered status.
