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Death Valley driver destroys rare desert plants while illegally off-roading in national park
NY Post ^ | January 30, 2026 | Katherine Donlevy

Posted on 01/30/2026 3:47:54 PM PST by xxqqzz

The National Park Service is on the hunt for a boneheaded driver who ripped rare plants during a joyride through Death Valley last month.

The suspect left behind more than five miles of tire tracks throughout the heavily protected Eureka Dunes while destroying at least 74 plants crucial to the park’s ecosystem.

Officials say at least two people were in the car during the Dec. 17 off-roading incident.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; deathvalley; inconsiderateidiots; offroading
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At least they did it at the right time of year.
1 posted on 01/30/2026 3:47:54 PM PST by xxqqzz
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To: xxqqzz

Someone who would do a thing like that probably livestreamed it.


2 posted on 01/30/2026 3:49:32 PM PST by simpson96
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To: xxqqzz

Crucial??? They are reproduceable. Geez...


3 posted on 01/30/2026 3:50:48 PM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: xxqqzz
The suspect left behind more than five miles of tire tracks throughout the heavily protected Eureka Dunes while destroying at least 74 plants crucial to the park’s ecosystem.

Cool. Four-wheeling in the desert backcountry is a blast!

California worries way too much about supposedly "endangered" plants, works, shrimp, and so on, crushing joy at all directions.

Screw 'em. Drive on!

4 posted on 01/30/2026 3:51:17 PM PST by Drew68
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To: xxqqzz

It is through sand dunes, apparantly.

I guess that is why only 74 plants were contacted in five miles of travel.

Yes, we have to restrict use of vehicles in some areas.

On the other hand, the BLM and other federal bureaucrats have been actively shutting down road which allow access to wild areas, for decades.


5 posted on 01/30/2026 3:53:53 PM PST by marktwain (----------------------)
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To: xxqqzz

“”heavily protected Eureka Dunes””

It would appear to be not so protected - heavily or otherwise!!!


6 posted on 01/30/2026 3:53:57 PM PST by Thank You Rush
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To: Drew68

Hear, hear!


7 posted on 01/30/2026 3:54:08 PM PST by jacknhoo (Luke 12:51; Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.)
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To: Sacajaweau

Yeah. I’m betting the world at large won’t notice.


8 posted on 01/30/2026 3:58:07 PM PST by GingisK
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To: xxqqzz

The National Park Service does not plant land mines?


9 posted on 01/30/2026 3:59:17 PM PST by Mark (DONATE ONCE every 3 months. Is that a big deal?)
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To: xxqqzz

Those dunes are something to see at dawn.


10 posted on 01/30/2026 3:59:52 PM PST by Orosius
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To: Sacajaweau
Oh No !!
11 posted on 01/30/2026 4:01:08 PM PST by A strike (F AirstripOne. & No more dots.)
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To: xxqqzz

Does anyone else cringe when they click on a New York Post link? What an abusive website. The ads and reloads, etc. Thankfully FreeRepublic usually gets enough of an excerpt, to know if clicking is worth the abuse.


12 posted on 01/30/2026 4:02:12 PM PST by jacknhoo (Luke 12:51; Think ye, that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, no; but separation.)
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To: GingisK
It's a freaking grass...wasn't discovered until 1949..."Eureka Dune Grass".

Noticeable that Farm Markets are selling more "grasses"..

13 posted on 01/30/2026 4:12:59 PM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: Sacajaweau

Some desert species only produce flowers once in a hundred years, so it is a long wait for seed. Even when there is seed, it takes ages for some plants to even get old enough to reproduce.
How about people just quit thinking of themselves and take some time to respect God’s creation?


14 posted on 01/30/2026 4:15:15 PM PST by piasa (Attitude adjustments offered here free of charge)
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To: jacknhoo

You must not use brave. I have zero problems with any site.


15 posted on 01/30/2026 4:21:45 PM PST by roving
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To: xxqqzz
California plates. Probably some youth who hates America. Most outdoorsmen are taught to leave a place better than they found it.
16 posted on 01/30/2026 4:25:52 PM PST by Theoria
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To: Sacajaweau
They probably paid a team of botanists to "study" the incident and count the plants to present a report on the impact to the eco-system of the entire desert. I'm sure that Death Valley will be just fine.

Once I put a road through a National Monument (on my own deeded easement.) You wouldn't believe the forces that they brought after me. Of course I won in the end and got the Superintendent reassigned elsewhere. Once I had the court order, if the previous Superintendent pissed me off during the time that he was still there, I would knock over an extra tree or two just for fun. Good times :) The replacement Superintendent literally begged me not to pick on her since she would be retiring soon. At lease courts could still be fair back then. Not sure how that would go now that we are a post rule of law country.

17 posted on 01/30/2026 4:27:20 PM PST by Colorado Doug
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To: piasa
And when they produce a flower...they die...

Most of us have had a garden spot at home or even in apartments. AND many of us have grown our own food at some point.

USING God's gifts is the greatest respect for his work.

18 posted on 01/30/2026 4:36:29 PM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: roving

Right?


19 posted on 01/30/2026 4:39:37 PM PST by KEVLAR ( )
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To: Theoria

Amen.


20 posted on 01/30/2026 4:39:42 PM PST by drwoof
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