Forest Service Reports Vandalism

Construction crews that are working on replacing bridges in the Martha Sundquist State Forest contacted the Cocke County Sheriff’s office this week to report vandalism. Three bridges are being repaired and roads are closed in the forest while that work is underway. The crew had left for the night and locked the gate at the entrance to the forest. When they returned the following morning, they found the pole on the right side of the gate had been pulled out of the ground and was lying in the roadway. The pole on the left looked like it had been rammed from inside the locked gate and was damaged. Several miles up the road, two boulders that had placed in the road by the forest service to keep vehicles from North Carolina from coming into the construction site, had been moved out of the way. The forest service says several forestry signs have also been stolen along the roadway. Damage to forest service property is estimated to be around $3,000. There are no suspects at this time.