Featured Program of the Month- Forestry Program
The Tahoe Resource Conservation District Forestry Program was established in April 2024 to strengthen local capacity for hazardous fuels reduction, environmental compliance, and forestry project development in the Lake Tahoe Basin by providing professional forestry services. The program’s primary goals are to advance priority forestry projects from concept to implementation, support partner agencies with planning and permitting, improve forest resilience, and reduce wildfire risk in and around Basin communities.
Since the program began, one of its biggest accomplishments has been building a strong, well-organized project pipeline while also completing meaningful on-the-ground work. In 2025, the program completed the 9-acre Brockway Springs and the 92-acre River Road fuels reduction projects on the North Shore. These treatments reduced ladder fuels, improved forest structure, buffered evacuation corridors, and increased defensible space near residential and recreational areas. At the same time, the program continued to expand and refine a large portfolio of projects across the basin. The current treatable acreage in the project pipeline totals approximately 750 acres, including 430 acres on the South Shore and 320 acres on the North Shore.
The Forestry Program collaborates closely with local and regional partners, including North Tahoe Fire Protection District, Lake Valley Fire Protection District, South Tahoe Fire Rescue, and Fallen Leaf Lake CSD, to advance forestry projects from initial planning through implementation and long-term stewardship. Much of this support occurs behind the scenes and includes prescription development, environmental compliance, permitting, and interagency coordination. While this work may not always be visible to the public, it is essential for advancing high-quality forest health and fuels-reduction projects that protect communities in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
The Forestry Program is also working to expand internal capacity to better serve the Basin. The team includes two California Registered Professional Foresters, David Murray and Mike Vollmer, along with Forestry Program Coordinator Maggie Oliver, whose work supports project development, coordination, and field implementation. In summer 2026, Shelby Resnick will join the program as a Seasonal Forestry Technician, further increasing field and monitoring capacity. The program is also partnering with the Lake Tahoe Community College Forestry Program to bring on two summer interns, helping to develop the next generation of forestry professionals.
Key highlights from 2025 included completing the Brockway Springs and River Road fuels reduction projects on the North Shore, making significant progress in forestry planning and permitting across the Basin, and developing a repeatable surface fuel monitoring framework to better understand long term effects on fire behavior. In 2026, priorities include completing the South Tahoe High School project, launching a monitoring and data collection program with new staff, advancing priority community protection projects toward 2026 implementation, and continuing to strengthen forestry project delivery across the Basin.
Photos By: Maggie Oliver