Staff from the Weiser State Forest removed 15 tons of garbage and 500 tires from the Lofty Road in advance of the opening of the Catawissa Recreation Area.

And within about a week, illegal dumpers were back.

“I think it was only five days later that we found 15 bags of a bathroom remodel, tiles and things in bags,” said Patrick Kennedy, chief ranger of the Weiser district.

The Lofty Road, he said, has been a notorious area for dumping over the years. But now, with the state forest hosting trails for dual sports riders just off the road, rangers are actively patrolling — and citing the litterbugs.

“We caught people in the act of dumping on Saturday. They pulled into the one road and were dumping debris there,” Kennedy said.

And just last week, he noted, rangers found pieces of a hot tub junked alongside the road.

“They returned last Friday with the rest of it,” Kennedy said of the tub.

Rangers investigated and were able to catch the culprits.

Illegal dumpers, Kennedy said, are cited for scattering rubbish. They face fines and can be required to complete community service.

“We make them clean up their mess, too,” Kennedy added.

Unfortunately, he said, the road and surrounding land has been a popular spot for people to toss trash — long before the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources purchased the acreage in 2022.

“Trash attracts trash. If they see all that (trash) up there, they think it’s OK (to dump),” Kennedy said. “We’d like to get that cleaned up right away so it doesn’t draw in more folks dumping.”

With the July 6 opening of the Catawissa Recreation Area, which has 20 miles of trails on 725 acres of state forest alongside the Lofty Road, rangers are ramping up patrols and increasing security measures.

“We want people to know that we are there, and if we do catch you, you will be cited,” Kennedy said.

The Weiser Forest District said that dumping yard waste, tree limbs and other biodegradable materials on state forest land is also not permitted.

“While some may think it’s acceptable, these materials may contain invasive species, insects and disease that can be harmful to the forest,” the district said in a social media post.

Anyone who witnesses someone littering or suspicious activity in Weiser State Forest should contact a ranger at 570-875-6450, ext. 4, or email FD18@pa.gov.