Criminal Threats Pose Risk to Public Safety

NASHVILLE – Effective immediately, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry (TDF) is suspending public access to the eastern half of Franklin State Forest in Franklin and Marion Counties. This step follows serious threats against the safety of visitors to and professionals working within the forest.

This week, criminals claimed to have spiked areas of the forest where loggers are conducting a harvest operation. If areas have been spiked, this poses a very serious threat to the safety of forest visitors, state forest management staff, and logging crews, as well as locals employed at sawmills.

Spiking is a form of forest industry sabotage where a metal rod or other material is hammered into a tree trunk either near the base of a tree where a logger or firefighter might cut, or higher up where it would affect a sawmill. Contact with the spike damages saw blades, can cause flying metal and wood pieces, and make chainsaws kickback, which can result in serious injuries or death to workers or wildland firefighters. Spiking also negatively impacts tree health by creating a pathway for pests and infections to enter the tree.

“Due to these dangerous criminal activities, we must once again restrict access to Franklin State Forest to protect visitors and professionals on the forest,” State Forester Heather Slayton said. “Tree spiking poses a serious risk of injury or death during both harvesting and processing. If those responsible for the threats have placed spikes, they are endangering lives, which is absolutely unacceptable.”

The Tennessee Agricultural Crime Unit (ACU) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are conducting a thorough investigation to identify and prosecute those responsible.

“We believe these threats to be connected to opposition to active management practices on Franklin State Forest,” State Forest Unit Leader Andy McBride said. “The state forest system exists, first and foremost, to demonstrate sustainable forest resource management. We take that responsibility seriously and will continue to implement appropriate forest management strategies that promote the regeneration and maturation of healthy and sustainable forests and support local economies in the forest industry.”

During the investigation, and until the area is determined to be safe for all visitors, the section of the forest to the east of State Highway 156 is closed to all public access, including foot traffic, horseback riding, bicycles, ATVs, and other motorized vehicles.

This partial closure will have no impact to access to state forest land to the west of State Highway 156. The public is still welcome to recreate on the western side of the forest in accordance with existing usage rules.

Roads and trails designated for foot traffic, non-motorized use (i.e. hiking, biking, and horseback riding), and motorized vehicles (cars and OHVs) remain unchanged at this time. Visitors can find information and road usage maps for Franklin State Forest at www.tn.gov/agriculture/forests/state-forests/franklin.html.

Closed areas will be marked by locked gates or signs. Law enforcement officers are monitoring the area. Trespassing in closed areas is against the law and may lead to civil penalties and/or criminal charges.

This is not the first incident on Franklin State Forest this year. Sometime during July 10-14, equipment was stolen and five TDF dozers and one dozer transport, all primarily used for wildfire suppression, were vandalized, rendering the equipment inoperable and causing at least $1 million in damage.

Immediately following that incident, TDF temporarily closed the forest to the public to enable law enforcement agencies to collect evidence. Three individuals trespassed into the closed area and then attempted to evade law enforcement. ACU Special Agents apprehended those individuals who were charged with felonies and misdemeanors for evading arrest.

A $10,000 reward is being offered by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture for information leading to the apprehension, arrest, and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the vandalism and theft on Franklin State Forest that occurred in July.

Anyone with relevant information is asked to contact ACU at 844-AG-CRIME (844-242-7463) or agriculture.crime@tn.gov.

Details on the incident can be found in the TDA newsroom at the following links:

July vandalism incident press release: www.tn.gov/agriculture/news/2024/7/16/state-forest-closed-to-the-public-during-investigation.html.

August follow up press release: www.tn.gov/agriculture/news/2024/8/26/franklin-state-forest-reopens-to-the-public.html