South Fork Forest Camp Crews Remove Massive Illegal Dump Site in Tillamook State Forest

Tillamook State Forest, OR. — A major illegal dump site deep in the Tillamook State Forest has been cleared thanks to adults in custody (AICs) from South Fork Forest Camp (SFFC), who removed an unusually large volume of trash posing risks to both the public and the environment.

“It was a big mess and a risk to the public and the environment,” said Zach Rabe, Tillamook District Operations Coordinator for the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). “The South Fork crew hauled off 12 dump trailers full of garbage.”

While illegal dump cleanups typically take SFFC crews one or two days, this site took an entire week.
“It looked like someone took the entire contents of their house and put it in the woods,” said Chad Powell, Institution Work Programs Coordinator at SFFC. “Even though this is dirty and kind of gross work, the AICs took pride in working fast and loading the trailer efficiently to make as few trips as possible.”

Before cleanup began, law enforcement swept the area to ensure no hazardous materials were present. None were found—avoiding the need for costly HAZMAT contractors—but Rabe estimated cleanup costs will still reach around $8,000.

Illegal dumping has become a growing problem across Oregon’s state forests.
“Since 2021 we have seen a lot more illegal dumping,” Rabe said. “For example, we would typically find just one or two abandoned vehicles each year. Now we are seeing around 10 a year.”
Removing these vehicles is difficult and expensive, costing roughly $3,700 for an RV and $550 for a car, especially when they are burned or located in remote areas.

ODF recently launched a new Vandalism Activity Tracking System to better map and monitor illegal dump sites, abandoned vehicles, and vandalism.
“This should allow us to better understand this growing problem and hopefully find more funding, whether through our budget or by applying for grants, to fix these problems,” Rabe said.

South Fork Forest Camp—a joint program of the Oregon Departments of Corrections and Forestry—provides trained and skilled crews who support far more than cleanup efforts. Nearly all 120 AICs are trained in wildfire suppression, produce wooden forest signs, maintain trails, assist campgrounds, and help run an on-site fish hatchery.

“One of our main objectives is to help reduce recidivism by modeling pro-social behavior and teach work skills that help adults in custody be productive citizens upon release,” Powell said. “We are doing that here every day and setting these men up for a chance at a successful future.”

To report vandalism, garbage, or abandoned vehicles in the Tillamook District, call (503) 842-2545.