trees

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit released the Environmental Assessment and decision for the William Kent Best Management Practices (BMPs) Retrofit and Administrative Site Redevelopment project. The proposed project now enters a 45-day decision appeal period.

EarthScope, the world’s largest earth-science program, has selected University of Nevada, Reno geophysicist and director of the Nevada Seismological Laboratory Graham Kent to lecture at several universities this year as part of their annual speaker series.

Kent will lecture in the National Science Foundation-funded EarthScope Speaker Series about underwater paleoseismology techniques he pioneered at Lake Tahoe with colleague Neal Driscoll of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

South Tahoe Refuse will pick up Christmas trees after the holiday. All decorations and nails must be removed from trees in order for them to be recycled. Trees must be cut into 6-foot lengths. Resi...

Thank you to the many businesses and individuals who make the Lake Tahoe Festival of Trees and Lights possible. Your donations of time and monetary support have made this event the regional kick-of...

There's been a run on Christmas trees. The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit reports that it may sell out of holiday tree permits as early as Monday, Dec. 10. If you are interested in obtaining a permit, call (530) 543-2694 to learn if permits are still available.

The Carson Valley Museum and Cultural Center will host its holiday gala on Saturday, Dec. 1.The museum will be filled with gingerbread houses, decorated Christmas trees and the scent of cookies. Th...

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is asking for public input on proposed summer projects at Heavenly Mountain Resort. These projects are consistent with the improvements identified in Heavenly's Master Plan Amendment and are intended to improve the overall quality of the visitor experience. In addition, these projects would provide for high-quality summer recreational uses of National Forest System land as directed by the Ski Area Recreational Opportunity Enhancement Act of 2011.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will begin the sale of holiday tree permits the day after Thanksgiving, Friday, Nov. 23. Permits cost $10 each (cash or check only, no credit cards) with a limit of two permits per family. Permit holders may choose from a variety of pine, fir or cedar in designated cutting areas and must abide by specific permit conditions for proper and responsible collection. Harvesting smaller diameter trees offers residents and visitors a traditional holiday experience while helping to thin the forest.

Follow the money trail on the “Hole” fiasco and you will find a mess. When the hole first stopped all of the reasons that were given by Randy Lane were false, wrong and an outright lie to the people of South Lake Tahoe. The real reason work was stopped was due to the two liens filed by two Nevada companies that did work and never got paid.

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A tornado touched down north of the state capital Monday, ripping shingles off rooftops, scattering patio furniture and blowing down trees and power lines as a series of funnel...

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of Oct. 17-24.

Follow the money trail on the “Hole” fiasco and you will find a mess. When the hole first stopped all of the reasons that were given by Randy Lane were false, wrong and an outright lie to the people of South Lake Tahoe. The real reason work was stopped was due to the two liens filed by two Nevada companies that did work and never got paid. In California when there is a lien on a job all work stops until the contractors are paid, no money no work.

From giant Sequoias in the east to wind-swept Monterey cypresses in the west California is defined by its trees, so a surge this year in oak deaths is cause for consternation across the Bay Area.A ...

Seven acres of poplar and willow trees defoliated by satin moths were recently discovered in the Spooner Lake area.The Nevada Department of Agriculture and the Nevada Division of Forestry found ...

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed Thursday a district court ruling upholding Lake Tahoe area environmental analysis for the Angora fire area fuels reduction project.
The Angora Restoration Project was designed to protect wildlife habitat as well as reduce long-term wildfire risk to Lake Tahoe area communities. Two environmental groups, Earth Island Institute and Center for Biological Diversity, tried to stop arguing it would harm the black-backed woodpecker.

The South Lake Tahoe Fire Department and Police Department responded to a fire at Pioneer Trail and April Drive on the evening of September 18th. Upon arrival, they saw that two homes were fully engulfed with nearby trees also on fire.

Winter was once-again the theme at the third annual Barton Foundation “Signature” Cocktail Contest on Thursday, September 13 at Riva Grill in South Lake Tahoe. The contest drew 177 attendees and grossed $5,900.30 for Barton Memorial Hospital’s Level III trauma center designation. Serving as the official “kick-off” of the four-day Festival of Trees & Lights to be held Thursday, November 29 through December 2 at MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa, the contest included mixologists [bartenders] from 10 restaurants around South Lake Tahoe.

Lake of the Sky Outfitters is proud to host The Sugar Pine Foundation on Thursday September 27th from 7:00pm to 9:00pm at 1023 Emerald Bay Rd. Come and hear about the important work the Foundation is doing to save the magnificant Sugar Pine, and all other Sierra Nevada five needle pines, from the invasive Asian Blister Rust Fungus. This disease is decimating stands of Sugar Pines in the basin and elsewhere in the range.

Location

Mixologists, also known as bartenders, will create delicious winter cocktail concoctions, while adding their own enticing flare during the third annual Barton Foundation “Signature” Cocktail Contest, Thursday, Sept. 13 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at Riva Grill.
The contest, sponsored by Riva Grill and Tahoe Blue Vodka, is the official “kick off” to the annual Festival of Trees & Lights, held November 29 – December 2, at Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa.

UPDATE 3:27PM: KOLO Reno Channel 8 reports the brother of the registered owner of the Piper that crashed in South Lake Tahoe Saturday night says all five people aboard died. Javier de la Mora says his brother, Francisco de la Mora, of Fresno was in the airplane when it crashed. Francisco's wife and daughter and two other people were on board as well. Go here for the full story.

UPDATE 2:56PM: The City of South Lake Tahoe issued the following news release and photos this afternoon:

A small plane crashed shortly after takeoff on Saturday, August 25th at 9:48 pm from Lake Tahoe Airport. The crash ignited a fire in the meadow just past the airport off of Winnemucca Avenue. The fire burned approximately one acre and took an hour and a half to extinguish.
El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department reports that the plane had been heard by witnesses to have apparent engine problems, and was seen to dip downward into the ground while attempting a turn.
According to Federal Aviation Administration, there were multiple victims and no survivors of the crash. The names of victims are not being released until notification of families is confirmed.
“Our hearts go out to the families of those that perished in this tragic accident. Thanks to the quick and cooperative efforts by multiple agencies; the fire caused by this crash was put out quickly,” said Mayor Claire Fortier.
Earlier in the day, the 23rd Annual Lake in the Sky Air Show was held at Lake Tahoe Airport. This plane was not affiliated with the air show in any way.
The location of the plane crash is within El Dorado County limits and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department is the lead agency of this investigation. FAA and National Transportation Safety Board officials arrived on site today to perform an investigation and to identify the cause of the crash.

UPDATE 1:46PM: There are multiple victims to Saturday night's plane crash in South Lake Tahoe, confirmed El Dorado Sheriff's Office Lt. Pete Van Arnum. Investigators were processing the wreckage to confirm how many victims and their identities. Investigators do not believe the victims to be locals from the South Lake Tahoe area, he said. No information concerning the identity of the victims, or the plane will be released until positive confirmation has been made, he said. Investigators from the FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are assisting with the investigation.
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10:36AM: Lake Tahoe News is reporting that it has exclusively learned from federal authorities that up to five people died in the plane crash on Saturday. Go here for the story. Meanwhile KOLO TV Channel 8 in Reno reports that an FAA official confirmed the plane was a Piper PA32.

UPDATE 6:55AM: A small airplane crashed in the Barton Meadows area in South Lake Tahoe sparking a wildland fire on Saturday night. Presumably there are no survivors. The crash was reported at 9:48 p.m. after the plane took off from Lake Tahoe Airport, said El Dorado County Sheriff's Lt. Pete Van Arnum early Sunday morning. Witnesses reported the plane was experiencing engine trouble and was seen moving downward before it crashed into flames, he said.

Natural forces and human actions have affected the lake's clarity, physics, chemistry and biology since 1968, when UC Davis first began continuous monitoring of Lake Tahoe.
Despite an extreme weather year, overall clarity at Lake Tahoe improved in 2011. Yet underlying trends portray a more complex picture of the Lake Tahoe ecosystem, according to the annual “Tahoe: State of the Lake Report 2012,” released today by the Tahoe Environmental Research Center at the University of California, Davis.

Is it possible to be thrilled and relaxed at the same time?

I learned the answer to this question hanging beneath the canopy of a paraglider as it soared several hundred feet over the forested ridge that runs along the border between California and Nevada on the North Shore of Lake Tahoe.

The excitement of flying through the air under an oversized parachute was matched only by the peaceful beauty of the blue lake below. It's a vantage point that might have left the great Mark Twain speechless.

Warm weather and cool fishing is expected this week along the many lakes, rivers and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. Here is this week's fishing report for the week of July 25. As always, pack plenty of sunscreen, abide all regulations and have your fishing license with you.