Boise nonprofit tackles growing pile of abandoned RVs on forest lands
Removal costs run into thousands per unit due to hazardous materials, prompting new partnerships to manage the waste.
By Aiko Nakamura ·
Abandoned recreational vehicles are accumulating on public lands in the Boise area, creating a financial and logistical challenge for local officials and volunteers. The Boise National Forest reports that its law enforcement officers recorded approximately 36 abandoned RVs on the forest over the last 12 months. Each unit poses a hazard because it can contain dangerous materials that prevent simple disposal at a standard landfill.
Mike Long, founder of the nonprofit 208 Cleanup, has led volunteer efforts to remove tens of thousands of pounds of waste from public lands in the past year. While the group is accustomed to cleaning up general trash, abandoned RVs require a different approach. Long notes that some units are deliberately dumped, while others serve as temporary housing for individuals experiencing homelessness. In those cases, the vehicles remain on site until law enforcement issues a formal condemnation.
Mike Williamson, the public information officer for the Boise National Forest, explained that the removal process is complex. He stated that specific trailers and campers often contain hazardous materials, requiring special hauling equipment to extract them from the forest. The Forest Service estimates that the cost to remove each abandoned RV can reach thousands of dollars, a sum that accumulates quickly across the documented 36 incidents.
Inside the discarded vehicles, Long has found common hazards including batteries, refrigerant, tires, sewage, and occasionally asbestos. These materials drive up the expense of cleanup and dictate how the waste must be handled. The presence of such items means that the vehicles cannot always be hauled away and dropped off at a regular waste facility without additional preparation.
Long is currently working to establish a partnership with an RV dealership. His goal is to engage the RV community at the start of the supply chain to help manage the exit process for these vehicles before they are left on public land. He believes that involving dealers and owners early can reduce the number of units that end up abandoned in the forest.
For owners with old RVs, Long advises against selling to buyers who may lack the means to maintain the vehicle. Instead, he suggests taking the unit to a landfill if the owner is ready to part with it. This guidance aims to prevent well-maintained or repairable units from being discarded in remote areas of the national forest where they are difficult to access and remove.
The nonprofit continues to coordinate volunteer groups and seek business support to address the growing volume of waste. The effort combines direct cleanup actions with long-term planning to reduce the number of abandoned vehicles appearing on public lands in the region.
