For many luthiers, maple is a good wood for the back and sides of violins and guitars, but not so much for the all important soundboard, as it doesn't add much to the sound eminating from the strings. Still, maple from the Pacific Northwest is much in demand for the "music wood" industry. And the lure of bigleaf maple from Olympic National Park was too tempting for two men now facing prison time.
It was back in November 2013 when someone contacted park rangers to say they heard chainsaws in the Elwha area of the park after dark, and people in the woods wearing headlamps. A park ranger visited the area in the daylight and found that some trees had been cut down.
Upon hearing chainsaws again the next night, the witness again alerted the park. This time rangers arrived to find three men cutting and loading the felled maple, and took them into custody.
"Court documents show that among the evidence collected, a receipt indicated the men had sold the wood to an area music wood supplier," a news release from Olympic stated. "Wood retrieved from that supplier matched the wood from the felled maple."
“The value of the timber as music wood is estimated to be $8,766,” said the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, which prosecuted the case. “The tree as a living part of the Elwha ecosystem is irreplaceable. The natural resources in our federally protected lands belong to all of us, and to future generations – not to thieves making a quick buck.”
Two of the men recently pled guilty to theft of timber from Olympic National Park and were sentenced in federal court to serve prison time and pay restitution.
Michael D. Welches, 63, address unavailable, was sentenced to 30 days in prison, while Matthew Hutto, 50, address unavailable, will serve 60 days. Hutto will then serve two years probation. Both men must also pay restitution in the amount of $17,533. The third man involved in the crime is currently incarcerated on unrelated charges and is scheduled for sentencing at a later date, according to the park release.
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