Public comment begins Saturday on proposed Meeks Creek Meadow restoration

Plans to restore around 300 acres of meadow, provide for wildlife habitat and re-establish natural fire breaks around the west shore of Lake Tahoe near Meeks Bay is up for public review.
A 30-day public comment begins Saturday, March 30 for the proposed Meeks Creek Meadow restoration project, the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit announced.
Here is a news release:

Forest Service seeks comments on proposed Meeks Creek Meadow restoration

South Lake Tahoe, Calif. — The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is seeking public input for a proposed project to restore Meeks Creek Meadow. The project area is located on the west shore of Lake Tahoe near Meeks Bay. The proposed project would restore approximately 300 acres of meadow habitat, reestablish a natural fire regime, and provide for diverse wildlife habitat.

Proposed project work would include removal of encroaching trees and prescribed fire operations. Implementation would depend on funding availability.

Tree removal would include both hand and mechanical thinning in and around the meadow, and near stream environment zones (SEZs). SEZs that are determined to be suitable for low impact equipment would be thinned mechanically, while all other SEZs would be hand thinned. Some over-the-snow mechanical and hand thinning could occur.

Thinning operations would utilize existing Forest Service roads along with construction of less than a quarter of a mile of temporary roads, which would be decommissioned after the project. Existing open areas would be used for landing locations and new landings, no larger than two acres, would be constructed where needed.

To provide for public safety when mechanical equipment is in use, temporary closures of Forest Roads 14N42, which provides access to the Desolation Wilderness trailhead, and 14N44, could occur. The Forest Service would explore options to prevent disruption of access, but a closure lasting approximately two weeks is possible.

The 30-day comment period begins on Saturday, March 30, 2013, and ends on Tuesday, April 30, 2013. Comments may be submitted electronically to comments-pacificsouthwest-ltbmu@fs.fed.us. For more information, contact Sarah Muskopf at (530) 543-2835 or email smuskopf@fs.fed.us or go here.