A man in Adams, Tennessee, is facing accusations of stealing valuable timber from farms in Robertson County and floating the trees down the Red River, The Tribune reported.
The officials searched the farms and found evidence that the stolen black walnut trees were cut down and pulled to the Red River using a winch. The downed trees were then floated down the river at night, and officials said that they were most likely pulled from the river at a boat ramp in Adams and transported to Clarksville to be sold to a lumber dealer.
Agricultural Crimes Detective Terry Morris determined that Ricky Shearon Winn was behind the timber theft. The Agriculture Crimes Unit arrested Winn as a suspect on March 10. According to officials, he's charged with two counts of theft of property worth over $2,500, two counts of vandalism, and two counts of trespassing.
According to MK Timber, black walnut trees are prized for their valuable lumber, which can be processed into various products. As of 2022, the average price of a black walnut tree can range anywhere from $300 to $1,000.
Their high-value lumber makes black walnut trees a profitable crop, but it also makes them a target for poachers.
Sheriff Michael Van Dyke mentioned that one of the victims had planted the trees 30 years ago "to provide retirement income for himself and his family." With the trees stolen, the victim has lost a major source of retirement income.
"It is deplorable that someone would not only violate and steal someone's property but also take away their livelihood," Van Dyke said.
Beyond being a lucrative source of income, black walnut trees are also valuable to the environment. They're effective at sequestering carbon and can store large amounts of it in their roots and trunks for a long time, which helps reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and cool the planet. Cutting them down will disrupt their ability to sequester carbon and contribute to a warming climate.
News of the theft sparked outrage online, with some people expressing sympathy for the victims. "Thief should have to pay back 10x the value in restoration to land owners," one user commented. "Then do jail time."
"Thank goodness they got him," another commenter wrote. "Hopefully the owners of the trees get the money back from them."
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Definitely 👍 The best thing individuals can do about tree theft is to report stolen timber as soon as possible and stay informed about tree laws.
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