Lake Tahoe West Restoration and Fuels Reduction Project
Location
Placer and El Dorado Counties, California
Size
17,000 acres
Land Ownership
US Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Partners
US Forest Service, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU)
Project Overview
The Lake Tahoe West Restoration and Fuels Reduction Project is a 17,000-acre effort to improve forest and watershed resilience on the west shore of Lake Tahoe. Carried out under a Master Stewardship Agreement with the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, the project aims to reduce wildfire risk, support ecosystem recovery, and protect water quality, wildlife, and recreation areas.
The first phase includes treatment of 383 acres near Tahoe City, Burton Creek State Park, and Highway 89. Work focuses on thinning overstocked stands, removing ladder fuels, and retaining healthy trees to encourage old-growth conditions. Wildlife protections and Best Management Practices will minimize impacts to sensitive species and maintain water quality in streams flowing into Lake Tahoe.
Our Role
Stewardship West is supporting this project through a range of technical and field-based services. Our work includes field reconnaissance, unit layout, silvicultural prescription development, tree marking and cruising, boundary identification, and logging plan creation. We are also positioned to support future phases of implementation as the Environmental Assessment nears completion.
Our team is focused on aligning forest treatments with both ecological goals and public safety priorities. We are working closely with agency and local partners to ensure that operations protect sensitive habitats, promote long-term forest health, and maintain access to popular recreation areas such as the Tahoe Rim Trail.
This project represents a forward-thinking approach to forest stewardship, blending science, collaboration, and hands-on restoration to meet the evolving challenges of the Lake Tahoe Basin.
