U.S. Forest Service Forest Fact Sheet 2011

Name: Basin Management Unit

Administrative Figures

Total acres: 154,830 acres

Average Annual Budget (based on five years): Appropriated $14,976,965 SNPLMA $34,520,769 Total $49,497,734

Employees: approximately 284, permanent and temporary as of the end of January 2011. We typically hire about 150 seasonal employees for the field season.

Recreation Visits on National Forest lands: approximately 4.4 million visits annually

Public: within 4 hours drive ‐ 5 million; within 1 day drive ‐ 25 million

Recreation Receipts: approximately $3 to $4 million annually.

Special Use Permits: approximately 640

Wildlife species of management concern include: CA Spotted owl, Bald eagle, Golden eagle, Peregrine falcon, Northern goshawk, Willow flycatcher, American marten, Wolverine, Townsend’s big‐ eared bat, yellow‐legged frog, Northern leopard frog, Lahontan Lake tui chub, Lahontan cutthroat trout, Great Basin rams‐horn (invertebrate).

Major Cooperators

Nevada Division of Environmental Protection, Nevada Division of State Lands, Nevada Division of State Parks, Nevada Division of Forestry, Nevada Tahoe Resource Conservation District, Douglas, Washoe, Placer, El Dorado and Alpine counties, Carson City, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, the Great Basin Institute, California Tahoe Conservancy, Tahoe Rim Trail Organization, Tahoe Tallac Association, Tahoe Heritage Foundation, California Department of Fish and Game, California State Parks, Tahoe Resource Conservation District, Sierra Front Wildfire Cooperators, CALFire, the City of South Lake Tahoe

Major Facilities

Campgrounds: 12

Picnic/Day Use Areas: 13

Resorts: 7, including 4 operated under Granger‐ Thye Permits

Winter Sports: 3 alpine ski areas, 2 snowmobile

Administrative Sites: 10

U.S. Forest Service Forest Fact Sheet 2011

Fire Stations: 3, Engines: 4

Summer Homes: 594

Wilderness Areas: 3 ‐ Desolation, Granite Chief, and Mt. Rose. Desolation, per acre, is one of most used wilderness areas in the U.S.

Roads: 230 miles Trails: 350 miles

Historic Sites: Glen Alpine Resort, Camp Richardson Resort, Newhall House, Tallac Historic Site (National Register), Cave Rock, Historic Comstock Logging District

Management Challenges and Opportunities

 Intensive/extensive standards for water quality protection  Private/public intermingled ownership ‐ management of acquired lands/lots  Shortage of developable lands places enormous pressure on public lands to supply private and local public needs  Increased cost and complexity due to layers of regulatory overlap  Abundance of willing partners and cooperators  Facility maintenance: $20 million backlog on recreation facilities  Wildland and Urban Intermix/lnterface

Major Emphasis Programs

 Fuels Reduction and Forest Health  Watershed Restoration and Habitat Improvement  Water Quality Improvement/Erosion Control  Recreation and Interpretive Services

NATIONAL FOREST LANDS AT LAKE TAHOE

Through acquisition and land exchanges since the 1950s, National Forest land ownership has grown from 35,000 acres to 154,830 acres, including 3,366 Santini‐Burton parcels. Approximate land ownership in the Lake Tahoe Basin is:

National Forest 75% States and Local Government 10% Private 15%

The majority of National Forest lands encompass most of the non‐urban wetlands, meadows and Stream Environment Zones (SEZ); important fish habitat; wildlife habitat; and the available open space for recreation and environmental interpretation opportunities.

H-2 U.S. Forest Service Forest Fact Sheet 2011

LTBMU's MAJOR PROGRAM FOCUS

Fuels Reduction and Forest Health: Healthy forests are fire tolerant, disease and insect resistant and contain a sustainable population of native plants and wildlife. Beginning in the 1800s, basin‐wide logging and fire suppression led to an unnatural buildup of fuels and overcrowded forests. Todaye th Lake Tahoe Basin’s trees are two to six times denser than a healthy forest with a substantially higher proportion of white fir, and a lower proportion of fire resistant and drought tolerant Jeffrey Pine. Fuels reduction projects reduce the risk of high intensity catastrophic wildfire which poses a threat to life, property, lake clarity, scenic values and wildlife habitat. These projects will return the species mix to a more natural condition and allow the remaining trees to grow with less competition for sunlight, water and nutrients. Fuel reduction methods include hand and mechanical thinning of overstocked tree stands followed by prescribed fire, or in some rare cases, with prescribed fire alone.

Watershed Restoration and Habitat Improvement: Healthy watersheds consist of a mosaic of habitat types and are vital to clean and abundant supplies of water. Lake Tahoe is unique in its potential clarity, which has been reduced due to human impacts since the 1960s. Implementation of Best Management Practices on public and private properties can help restore Tahoe’s clarity. Restoring the watershed and habitat one project at a time is critical to the health of the entire ecosystem. Most of the meadows and marshes, which acted as nature’s water filters, have been altered due to development. Restoring these areas will help restore water clarity and provide critical habitat for wildlife and plants.

Water Quality Improvement/Erosion Control: Controlling erosion and reducing the Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) around Lake Tahoe will improve water clarity. Fine sediments from roadways and disturbed lands make their way to the lake and stay suspended there for years, clouding the water. Efforts to restore wetland buffers, control soil erosion, pave roads and trails, reduce automobile emissions and curtail fertilizer use are effective strategies to improve lake clarity.

Recreation and Interpretive Services: Lake Tahoe offers an abundance and variety of recreation opportunities and, in turn, calls us all to serve as stewards of its resources. Lake Tahoe’s majestic beauty, proximity to urban areas, and renowned recreational opportunities attract millions of visitors each year. Ranging from lake access on urban shorelines to trails which lead to the solitude of the backcountry and wilderness areas, these opportunities serve residents and visitors from around the world. Restoration and improvement projects can turn the tide of degradation, but stewardship of this beautiful lake and land is up to all.

COOPERATION OF AGENCIES

Success of programs to meet the Tahoe Basin's environmental thresholds is dependent on many governmental agencies. Cooperation is driven by common goals, a need to share financial and technical resources, and projects.

The National Forest provides opportunities to respond to the Tahoe region's environmental thresholds, especially for wildlife and fisheries habitat improvement, recreation and interpretation services, and watershed improvements.

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