Forest Department Closes In on Illegal Logger

One of two men, who were found recently with logs for which they had no permits, has been fined after he took the blame and pled guilty. A press release from the Forestry Department states that they happened upon Peter Sherk and Bernhard Martens in possession of over a thousand feet of timber in the Upper Barton Creek area in Cayo District, for which neither was in possession of a valid permit from the Forest Department. The men were charged and today, Peter Sherk pled guilty to the charge in the San Ignacio Magistrate Court. Sherk was fined four thousand, nine hundred dollars and the timber was forfeited to the Forest Department. The department urges anyone who becomes suspicious of logging-related activities, as well as wildlife trafficking, or any other forest-related violations to inform their office in the various districts.