Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit South Shore Fuel Reduction And Healthy Forest Restoration PDF Download

The Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) documents the analysis of three alternatives (1, 2, and 3) to manage fuel reduction and forest health in the wildlandurban intermix (WUI). Alternative 1 proposes no action; fuel loads would continue to increase and urban areas would remain at risk for high intensity wildfire. Alternative 2 would reduce hazardous fuel and improve forest health on 10,671 acres. Alternative 2 emphasizes thinning to change wildfire behavior from high intensity crown fires to low intensity surface fire by removing smaller trees that act as fuel ladders and increasing spacing between trees. Forest health would improve by reducing basal area to attain forest densities with improved resistance to drought, insects, and disease. More acres would use mechanical equipment, including within SEZs and wildlife areas than in Alternative 3. Alternative 3 was developed in response to public comments received on the Proposed Action during scoping to reduce impacts to watersheds and wildlife, while still reducing the risk of high-intensity crown fire. This Alternative reduces hazardous fuel and improves forest health in the WUI on 10,112 acres.