The California Tahoe Conservancy will launch a $1.06 million project to restore forest health and combat climate change on 260 acres in Placer County and also improve public access in South Lake Tahoe.

“Together with nearby North Tahoe Fire Protect District and other Conservancy forest health projects, this will make a valuable difference in reducing the threat of catastrophic wildfire to north shore residents,” said Cindy Gustafson in a press release. Gustafson is a Placer County Supervisor and Conservancy Board member.

At its meeting, the conservancy board authorized the conservancy to use crews to hand thin 260 acres of overly-dense understory trees and shrubs on the conservancy’s Dollar Creek property. This effort, to begin in 2020, complements the conservancy’s ongoing, adjacent forest health project using mechanical thinning on 152 acres elsewhere on the same property.

Together, these projects will improve forest health and habitat, while decreasing the potential for catastrophic fire that could threaten nearby neighborhoods and destroy entire stands of trees. Improving forest health at Dollar Creek will promote the long-term storage of carbon in forest trees and soils and minimize the loss of forest carbon from large, intense wildfires.

At the same meeting, the board authorized $420,000 to improve public access to Lake Tahoe in South Lake Tahoe. The conservancy will construct a trail, stairs, seating areas, and shoreline stabilization features on conservancy land connecting to Conolley Beach. These improvements will tie into the South Lake Tahoe’s heavily-used Eldorado to Ski Run Bike Trail, in an area with high demand for recreation and access to Lake Tahoe.

The board also approved the conservancy’s proposed grant guidelines, which identify considerations the conservancy will use in evaluating grant applications and provide basic information regarding conservancy grants and grant submittals.

For information, visit http://www.tahoe.ca.gov.