Why tourists are flying across the world to commit bizarre crime in California forests

A group of 11 tourists from the UK travelled the world to climb the tallest tree, and in doing so they allegedly committed a crime.

In May 2022, a group of men from the Canopy Climbing Collective, a social tree climbing club, climbed to the top of Hyperion, a 375-foot-tall (115-meter) tree in Redwoods National Park.

Simeon Balsam, the group’s then-“leader” and the man behind the camera filming his friends’ controversial hobby, documented the alleged illegal act in an hour-long YouTube video, created “to inspire and foster a love for California’s mighty old-growth forests.”

It later emerged that the tree-climbing group had not obtained the necessary permits to climb the massive tree, which is located in an environmentally sensitive habitat, according to park officials and court documents obtained by SF-GATE.

Simeon told DailyMail.com: ‘Unfortunately I don’t want to talk about the climb other than to say that I’m no longer a filmmaker for the group and am busy with more meaningful projects.’

In May 2022, a group of men from the Canopy Climbing Collective, a social tree climbing club, scaled Hyperion, a 380-foot (116-meter) tree in Redwoods National Park. (Pictured: Redwoods National Park)

Simeon Balsam (pictured), the group's 'leader' and the man behind the camera filming his friends' controversial hobby, documented the alleged illegal act in an hour-long YouTube video

Simeon Balsam (pictured), the group’s ‘leader’ and the man behind the camera filming his friends’ controversial hobby, documented the alleged illegal act in an hour-long YouTube video

The group is believed to have climbed during the breeding season of the marbled murrelet, an endangered bird species that relies on the giant sequoias to build nests and shelter their young.

The club is also accused of climbing six redwood trees in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park and swinging across a riverbed, the outlet reports.

Balsam was ticketed for “disturbing vegetation – climbing giant sequoias,” while the group’s local guide, Michael Oxman, was ticketed by a State Parks agent for “endangering the safety of persons, property and resources,” according to State Parks records.

Balsam was ordered to pay $130 in fines, but he has yet to do so, the Central Violations Bureau told the newspaper.

“People want to climb the biggest trees they can. You can never stop people from venturing into those canopies,” Balsam told SFGATE.

“I have mixed feelings about the decisions I made a few years ago because I was not well informed,” he added.

After watching Balsam’s film, which has been viewed more than 58,000 times, Leonel Arguello, deputy director of Redwood National Park, was terrified.

“It’s really shocking and unfortunate that they don’t realize the impact they have,” he said.

According to Arguello, the antics of Balsam and his crew were “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” as park officials must now decide whether to close the area around Hyperion to visitors.

It later transpired that the tree-climbing group had not obtained the necessary permits to climb the enormous tree, which is located in an ecologically sensitive habitat. (Pictured: a member of the group climbs the tree)

It later transpired that the tree-climbing group had not obtained the necessary permits to climb the enormous tree, which is located in an ecologically sensitive habitat. (Pictured: a member of the group climbs the tree)

Simeon (pictured in the tree) told DailyMail.com: 'Unfortunately I don't want to talk about the climb, other than to say I'm no longer a filmmaker for the group and am busy with more meaningful projects'

Simeon (pictured in the tree) told DailyMail.com: ‘Unfortunately I don’t want to talk about the climb, other than to say I’m no longer a filmmaker for the group and am busy with more meaningful projects’

Balsam and his team are members of LC Tree Care, which is a “team of professional tree surgeons” who care for trees in commercial and residential gardens in the Hertfordshire area, the website.

Groups like these, also known as “tree poachers” or “arborists,” have used their skills and equipment for recreational climbing in recent years.

The group of male climbers are not the only ones embarking on a climb in the sacred Redwoods, officials told SFGATE.

Stephen Troy, head park ranger, told the newspaper that arborists leave trash and tools behind, causing damage to the trees.

Since then, authorities have been trying to get ahead of the criminal activity by enforcing new restrictions and violations, including a $5,000 fine and six months in jail for violators.

In 2010, a traveller from the Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum at the University of Oxford was granted a permit to collect seeds in the old-growth forest.

In addition to collecting seeds, the man decided to climb Hyperion and posted videos of his illegal activities online.

“That was when I first realized there was going to be a problem,” Arguello told SFGATE.

While no legal action has been taken against the man who traveled back to the United Kingdom, authorities have banned him from the parks and notified the Oxford Botanic Gardens and Arboretum of what happened, Arguello said.

After that incident, the parks stopped issuing permits to seed collectors from that organization.

Balsam (center) was fined for

Balsam (center) was fined for “plant disturbance – climbing redwoods.” Balsam was ordered to pay $130, according to the fine, but he has not yet done so, the Central Violations Bureau said.

The parks, located in Humboldt (pictured) and Del Norte counties, are not only known for being home to the tallest trees in the world, but also the oldest

The parks, located in Humboldt (pictured) and Del Norte counties, are not only known for being home to the tallest trees in the world, but also the oldest

Tim Kovar, who runs the only legal redwood climbing school in the world, offers a nine-day redwood climbing tour every year.

As his fame grew, Kovar was inundated with calls and emails from people interested in climbing the redwoods.

“It got to the point where we would see ‘redwood climbing’ in the subject line and just say, ‘Delete, delete, delete,’” Kovar said.

‘We didn’t want to promote climbing in giant sequoias, because of the delicate situation there.’

Redwood National and State Parks consist of three state parks in California: Redwood National Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park.

Located in Humboldt and Del Norte counties, the parks are not only known for being home to the tallest trees in the world, but also the oldest.

The forest originally covered more than two million acres of land in the Golden State.

DailyMail.com has contacted the National Park Service for comment.