SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – When forest service crews work on forest thinning projects, many times the work is not visible along main streets, but this year has been different on Pioneer Trail.
The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) began mechanical forest thinning in 2024 on approximately 687 acres along the Pioneer Trail corridor from Ski Run Blvd. south to Meyers. That project moved south from Ski Run over the last two years, and this year crews have been in the Al Tahoe/Pioneer Trail area.
The Al Tahoe Mechanical Contract is part of the South Tahoe Fuels Treatment Project and is intended to reduce the risk of severe wildfire near neighborhoods and create healthier forests in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
Pioneer Trail Fuels Reduction
The fuels reduction work on Pioneer Trail is actually under two separate NEPA (National Environmental Policy Act) projects: South Tahoe Fuels Treatment Project and Liberty Utilities Resilience Corridors Project.
It is estimated that 1,000-2,000 trees will be removed across 200-300 acres from the two. Merchantable logs from the South Shore project will go to a Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) mill, and biomass will go to California or American Wood Shavings and Woodland Power/Shavings. Merchantable logs under the Liberty Project are going to Tahoe Forest Products Mill.
Mt. Tallac Road Fuels Reduction
The fuels reduction work on Mt. Tallac Road is also under the South Tahoe Fuels Treatment Project. In this area, it is estimated that 1,000-2,000 trees will be removed across 275 acres. Merchantable logs from this project will also go to a Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) mill, and biomass will go to Woodland Power/Shavings.
That project starts this Monday.
The exact number of trees being removed was not available.
