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In much the same way that a forensic scientist uses DNA evidence to identify a victim or perpetrator, a Purdue University forest geneticist used genetic analysis to track a thief who cut down valuable trees.
“The types of trees most likely to fall to this crime are those prized for fine furniture, cabinetry and veneers, including walnut, cherry and white oak,” says Keith Woeste, a molecular geneticist with the Hardwood Tree Improvement and Regeneration Center, a collaborative research effort between Purdue and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service. “The trees can sell for from hundreds to thousands of dollars.”
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Molecular geneticist Keith Woeste grinds wood into a fine powder to extract DNA evidence. (Photo by Tom Campbell) |
Investigators with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) contacted Woeste after a Warren County landowner reported a prized walnut tree and a cherry tree had been stolen from his property. Only stumps and some branches were left behind.
Woeste used DNA fingerprinting to match wood from the stump to a walnut log confiscated from a lumber mill. DNA fingerprinting determines the unique genetic structure of an organism to such a high degree of accuracy that it stands up in court. “We were able to show conclusively that the log in the yard belonged to the stump and branches left at the crime scene,” he says.
Indiana conservation officials identified the poacher as a logger who had been contracted to remove trees from an adjacent property. “The fact that we had not only located the logs but also that we had DNA evidence gave us a very strong case,” says Don Dyson, the IDNR conservation officer who investigated the case. “When the wood cutter realized how much evidence we had, he decided to settle out of court, and the property owner received triple damages for the value of his trees.”
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