PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. — Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers arrested seven people after they recovered 10,000 pounds of illegally harvested saw palmetto berries in western Palm Beach County, the agency said in a news release.
Between Aug. 14 and Aug. 29, officers reportedly recovered the illegally harvested berries from the J.W. Corbett Wildlife Management Area. The seven people arrested are facing charges that include seven felonies, nine misdemeanors and eight noncriminal citations, the agency said.
"These individuals are not just illegally harvesting berries," stated Maj. Dustin Bonds, FWC South A Regional Commander. "They often leave large amounts of litter and waste behind. Conservation of our natural resources is of the utmost importance to our officers; we will charge anyone violating these laws."
The FWC says trespassing and theft of saw palmetto berries have been a late summer issue in the state of Florida and that the agency "takes the violation seriously."
"FWC officers on patrol are always on the lookout for this illegal activity on FWC-managed, state-owned, and private lands," officials stated in the release. "FWC officers routinely respond to trespassing complaints and charge offenders appropriately."
Officials went on to state that saw palmetto berries are a source of habitat and food for more than 200 wildlife species. Illegal harvesting reportedly denies the resource to wildlife, making it hard for the slow-growing plant to spread.
