FLORENCE, Ore. -- For the third year in a row, truffle thieves have trespassed on Roy Marshall's carefully managed woodland east of Florence, Ore., exposing tree roots with their rakes and scattering trash. They're not hunting for chocolate, but for the gourmet fungus that grows a few inches below the surface. Those truffles are worth $80 to $100 a pound wholesale. Delos Devine of the Oregon Forestry Department says the thieves rake the soil from the base of trees such as Marshall's Douglas firs. The exposed roots can affect the trees' health and weaken their ability to withstand storms. Devine hopes anyone observing suspicious digging around trees will call his department's Florence office. The Corvallis-based North American Truffling Society provides tips on how legitimate truffle hunters can minimize disturbance to the environment. Also, dogs can be trained to locate the ripe truffles by scent, leaving immature ones in the soil to develop.
