Staff at Stanford’s Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve — normally a refuge for native plants and animals — were surprised to find a certain plant growing on the land last month: marijuana. The San Mateo County Narcotics Task Force was soon called in to destroy the 2,900 baby pot plants, part of one of Stanford’s most unexpected pot busts.

The 1,189-acre Biological Preserve, located southwest of Stanford’s campus, allows visitors in the park but is fenced to keep out unwanted company. Employees became suspicious after noticing several cuts in the fencing and, upon further investigation, discovered on June 12 what appeared to be a field of marijuana. They immediately contacted the police.

The police received a search warrant for the preserve and raided the suspected crops on June 25, confirming that the suspicious plants were, indeed, pot.

They “went in and eradicated the plants,” said Lieutenant Mark Wyss, commander of the task force. “[They] seized the plants as well as the equipment.”

Members of the California Highway Patrol, assisted by a helicopter, accompanied the task force as they removed both plants and their caretakers’ supplies.

Although all of the plants were small and easy to pull by hand, they could have been worth between $1.5 and 2 million on the street if they had reached maturity.

Police are hoping that some of the equipment they discovered will yield evidence and provide information on potential suspects, although currently there are no suspects. The county crime lab is currently in the process of examining the evidence.

“It’s an open investigation at this point,” Wyss noted.

According to Philippe Cohen, administrative director of Jasper Ridge, the preserve has only had “small and limited” incidences in the past. In recent years, there have been no official reports of marijuana growing on campus, though there have been arrests for marijuana possession.

San Mateo County, however, is an entirely different breeding ground.

“We are in the height of marijuana season,” Wyss said. “We average between six and a dozen farms [in San Mateo County each year].”

The discovery of marijuana growing in one of Stanford’s outdoor classrooms has introduced a need for increased security.

“We’ll be upgrading our fencing along a substantial part of the preserve,” Cohen said. “We’ll be extending our trails [to allow greater surveillance by employees].”