Forest Service Beings Mastication Project on North Shore

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit began a mastication project last week on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe off of Fairway Drive near Tahoe City.

The project will eliminate material left behind after thinning for fuels reduction and involves using a masticator, which is a large lawn-mower type of heavy equipment that runs over debris and chops it up into smaller pieces.

Flying debris from mastication equipment is common and large chunks of woody material can be thrown up to 500 feet. A short portion of the Tahoe Rim Trail crosses through the project area. There will be a one to three day period where the equipment will be working near the trail.

For public safety, hikers will be diverted to an alternate route along Mt. Watson Boulevard (Forest Road 73) during this phase. They will be working on weekends except for the Memorial Day Holiday.