Public invited to virtual field tour of Johnson Meadow Restoration Project

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Tahoe Resource Conservation District (TRCD) is inviting the community to attend a virtual field tour for the Johnson Meadow Restoration Project on August 18 from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.

TRCD acquired the Johnson Meadow property in 2018. The 206-acre meadow, located along Upper Truckee River in the heart of South Lake Tahoe, provides valuable habitat and ecosystem services as well as community open space for all the residents and visitors of South Lake Tahoe.

As part of Tahoe RCD’s ongoing management of the property they are in the early phases of planning for a large-scale restoration project. The agency is a conservation organization dedicated to protecting the natural resources of the Lake Tahoe Basin and the Johnson Meadow allows them to continue those efforts.

The goal of the Johnson Meadow Restoration Project is to improve habitat for Tahoe’s native plant and animal species, improve fish habitat in the Upper Truckee River, and increase the filtration capacity of the meadow to help reduce sediment flow to Lake Tahoe and improve lake clarity. As part of the restoration process, TRCD would like to hear from South Lake Tahoe residents and visitors about how they use the meadow and answer question about the project.

After over 100 years of private ownership Johnson Meadow is now owned and managed as public land. TRCD now has the opportunity to mitigate the impacts of cattle grazing while also improving public open space for all who live in and visit South Lake Tahoe. Prior to acquisition, Johnson Meadow was used as a dairy during the Gold Rush (1850s) and was purchased in the 1920s by the Mosher family. The dairy operations ceased in the 1930s and the equipment was removed. From the 1930s to the early 2000s, the meadow was used as summer pasture for cattle. Acquisition was made possible through funding from the California Tahoe Conservancy, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, and Tahoe Fund.

The virtual field tour will teach participants about the project, get an overview of the restoration process, and ask questions. TRCD wants everyone's input and involvement.

Please visit https://bit.ly/jmfieldday to RSVP. To learn more please visit www.tahoercd.org/johnsonmeadow or e-mail johnsonmeadow@tahoercd.org.