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Lake Tahoe EIP

Sugar Pine Restoration in the Lake Tahoe Basin

Project Number
02.02.01.0008
Action Priority
Restore Native Vegetation and Forest Communities
Implementers
Sugar Pine Foundation, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, U.S. Forest Service - Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
Primary Contact
Maria Mircheva (maria@sugarpinefoundation.org)
Stage
Implementation
Duration
2005 - 2030
Forest Restoration Program Restore Native Vegetation and Forest Communities
This project aims to restore sugar pines in key locations in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Sugar pines are native trees plagued by a non-native invasive fungus called blister rust and their numbers have decreased dramatically. Volunteers and field crews plant sugar pine seedlings progeny of blister rust resistant trees in order to restore their numbers closer to historical forest composition.

Key Accomplishments

  • Acres of Habitat Restored or Enhanced: 3,783 acres

Threshold Categories

  • Vegetation Preservation
Girl holding a Sugar Pine seedling (Timing: During) (~3,446 KB) Credit: JustineLureva Photography Girl holding a Sugar Pine seedling

Location

Expenditures

Expenditures by Funding Source to Date: $947,512
(Estimated Cost: $1,500,000)
Sugar Pine Foundation (SPF): $911,612

Tahoe Fund (Tahoe Fund): $16,000

U.S. Forest Service (USFS - LTBMU): $5,000

Nevada State Parks (NV State Parks): $3,400

California Tahoe Conservancy (CTC): $10,000

Tahoe Regional Planning Agenc... (TRPA): $1,500

Photos

Before
Blister Rust Infection (Timing: Before) (~308 KB) Credit: Sugar Pine Foundation
Blister Rust Infection
During
Planting seedlings (Timing: During) (~1,809 KB) Credit: Justine Lureva
Planting seedlings
Volunteer Planting (Timing: During) (~2,372 KB) Credit: Justine Lureva
Volunteer Planting
After
Seedling Growth (Timing: After) (~212 KB) Credit: Janet Tangney
Seedling Growth
Project Fact Sheet Data as of 04/29/2025