Dossier
trash accumulation
Coverage of trash accumulation in the Nexus archive.
- Man accused of leaving half-ton of trash behind while living in forest for years, officials say
Mark Aaron Gatz is accused of illegally living in Arizona's Tonto National Forest for years and accumulating approximately 1,000 pounds of trash at a campsite. He faces multiple charges, including unauthorized residency and fire violations, with court documents describing the site as one of the 'worst residential cases' due to debris like clothing, tools, and a rock fireplace. Gatz was arrested in June and has six outstanding federal warrants.