Middle Truckee River Watershed Forest Partnership works to restore over 60,000 acres and protect nearby communities from wildfire

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This summer, residents and visitors to the Truckee region of the Tahoe National Forest can expect to see fuels reduction work in various locations. Planned treatments include mechanical thinning, mastication, hand thinning and prescribed fire. This work will protect crucial water supplies for the Reno metropolitan area, reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire in the Sierraville and Truckee regions, protect thousands of nearby recreation areas, residences and businesses and enhance overall forest health.

These projects are being collaboratively undertaken through the Middle Truckee River Watershed Forest Partnership, comprised of Truckee River Watershed Council, Truckee Meadows Water Authority, The Nature Conservancy, National Forest Foundation and Tahoe National Forest. Together, partners are working to restore the health of Truckee-area forests and the Middle Truckee River Watershed to enhance public safety, reduce potential wildfire severity, protect water resources and restore forest health in this area.

“After decades of fire suppression, the execution of responsible fuels reduction is crucial to the Truckee region,” said Tahoe National Forest Truckee District Ranger Jonathan Cook-Fisher. “The Middle Truckee River Watershed Forest Partnership is working to implement several projects to restore our landscape. Forest restoration is needed now to enhance the safety of residents and visitors, protect our communities and protect the infrastructure we all rely on.”

Upcoming project areas include:

  • Tahoe National Forest Roadside Fuel Breaks: Tahoe National Forest fire and fuels personnel will conduct prescribed burns along various Forest Service roads near Sierraville and Truckee to help establish safe ingress and egress routes for the public and firefighting resources should a wildfire impact the area. Project implementation began in 2023 and is currently underway, with prescribed fire ignitions possible this week. Smoke may be visible at times in the Sierraville and Truckee regions.
  • Ladybug Project: The 2,200-acre Ladybug Project footprint extends from just north of Boca Reservoir and east of Stampede Reservoir along the western slope of the Verdi Range. Project implementation on Ladybug began in 2023 and will continue for the next two years. Planned treatments include forest thinning, mastication and prescribed burning.
  • Cabin Creek Project: 1,900-acres of forest restoration work will begin in June 2024. Mastication and heavy equipment will be seen along Highway 89, south of Town of Truckee to Olympic Valley. Some recreation closures to popular mountain biking trails and the nearby area will be announced in the coming weeks. This project is expected to take three years and is the first phase of the Tahoe National Forest’s 6,000-acre Five Creeks Project. Planned treatments include forest thinning, meadow restoration, aspen enhancement, mastication and prescribed burning.
  • Alder 89 WUI Project: 1,800 acres of fuels reduction work may begin as early as June 2024. This project is focused on enhancing wildfire resilience within wildland urban interface zones north of the town of Truckee. The Alder 89 WUI Project is located along Highway 89, north of Truckee, Alder Creek Road directly adjacent to the Tahoe Donner subdivision and west toward Prosser reservoir and Hobart Mills. Recreation closures during the implementation of this project will be announced prior to initiation of work. The project is expected to be completed within three to four years.
  • Big Jack Targeted Grazing: Starting as early as July 2024, targeted grazing will occur in the area surrounding the Sawtooth Trailhead above the Sierra Meadows neighborhood in Truckee, Calif. This project will accomplish 60 acres of critical fuels reduction directly in the wildland urban interface defense zone. Residents and recreationists near the trailhead can expect to see goats, livestock protection dogs and electric fencing.

“These projects will improve forest resilience and mitigate the risk of water quality impacts from wildfire,” said National Forest Foundation Tahoe-area Program Manager Dan Alvey. “The Middle Truckee River Watershed Forest Partnership is prioritizing projects to protect communities and recreation. Many of the project areas are hubs for recreation drawing thousands of visitors annually. Our goal is to help restore and protect this beloved landscape.”

Over the next 10 years, the Middle Truckee River Watershed Forest Partnership will work to restore over 60,000 acres of Truckee-area forests. Learn more about the partnership and upcoming projects at www.truckeeforests.org.