According to the book description of War in the Woods: Combating the Marijuana Cartels on America's Public Lands, “Americans may disagree over the legalization of marijuana, but not when it comes to the pot plantations fast turning once-pristine corners of our public lands into environmentally ravaged war zones.  Guarded by armed gangs, who are willing to kill innocent hikers and law enforcement personnel to protect their profits, these illicit wilderness farms pollute and destroy the ecosystems wildlife relies on. Whose jurisdiction is this?  Game wardens, the unsung heroes of our national wild lands, are the first line of defense. In War in the Woods, California Game Warden John Nores and James Swan recount in riveting detail the perilous job of eradicating pot plantations.  It is a chilling read - and one that finally turns our focus to the issue and the law enforcement teams leading the charge.”

One reader of War in the Woods: Combating the Marijuana Cartels on America's Public Lands said, “Before I read this book, I knew the extreme danger these illegal grow operations posed to general public. The felon growers are almost always armed and have no qualms about putting a bullet through any law enforcement officer, hiker, ATV'er, horseback rider, etc. who may stumble into one of their grows. What I did not realize, and this book opened my eyes to, is the extreme danger these illegal grows pose to the environment. They decimate wildlife populations with their pesticides, water diversions, poaching and brush clearing. If more people realized that these things are going on literally right under their noses, they would be outraged. Thanks for giving me a new perspective on the situation and I really enjoyed this book. As always, there will be those who say that legalizing marijuana will solve these problems (I was one of them). Read the book, you'll realize that your utopia is not so easy to achieve.

One reader of War in the Woods: Combating the Marijuana Cartels on America's Public Lands said, “Not knowing too much about the subject matter, I found this book to be mind blowing. I couldn't believe that this is happening in my own backyard. I found the situations intense in description, so I can only imagine what those "intense situations" must have been like in person. The author had a real ability to pull me into the story, as well as educate me about law enforcement. I had no idea how many agencies were involved in each plan, or how different the skill set of each member of the team really had to be to pull each operation off. I was intrigued from beginning to end. Once I started reading this book, I honestly could not put it down. This is a must read!”

War in the Woods: Combating the Marijuana Cartels on America's Public Lands John Nores Jr.  More Info

About the California Department of Fish and Game

Fish and Game Wardens provide the public with hunting and fishing information and protect California's diverse resources from poaching and overuse. Wardens are required to carry and use firearms; they usually work alone and on weekends and holidays; and often work during the night. Wardens patrol on foot, on horseback, by plane, boats, and in a variety of vehicles. They investigate reports of violations, collect and preserve evidence, write reports, and testify in court.

Wardens are also expected to promote and coordinate hunter education programs, collect and report information on the conditions of fish and wildlife and their habitat, and represent the DFG at local schools and meetings of special interest groups, e.g., hunting and fishing clubs, Lions Club, Rotary, Audubon, etc. Wardens have assignments in both rural and urban areas of the State. Wardens are typically assigned to and responsible for enforcing the law in a specific geographical area of the State. They enforce all Fish and Game laws related to hunting, recreational and commercial fishing, trapping, pollution, falconry, and exotic animal laws.