SFP Meetings.

Jeff expounds.

Barney shares his vision.

Tuesday was back to back meetings in the lower Sagehen Forest Project demo plot.

First was a meet-and-greet with our PSW liaison Rick Bottoms, Truckee District Ranger Joanne Roubique, and the new Deputy Regional Forester, Barney Gyant. It was great to meet and get a chance to catch Barney up on Sagehen plans and projects. We're definitely on the same page and we look forward to working with him in the future!

Next on the agenda was a tour of the lower Sagehen Forest project demo plot with Joanne and her Vegetation Management Officer, Scott Conway; the National Forest Foundation's California Program Director, Vance Russell; and the Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit's Deputy Forest Supervisor Jeff Marsolais and Vegetation Management Officer, Rita Mustatia.

The meetings overlap!

Discussion of the treatment strategy and the process.

Scott, Joanne and Jeff discussed the treatment design and the collaborative process behind the Sagehen Forest Project. Jeff and Rita talked about the challenges in the Lake Tahoe basin, some of their plans for fire mitigation and forest health, and how the SFP might fit into those plans.

We're very excited about the wider scope possibilities of the SFP!

More photos.

Graphic artwork

Scientific Illustrator Stephanie Rozzo recently produced graphic art demonstrating concepts behind the Sagehen Forest Project. Let us know if you would like copies of this poster or its components for project outreach.

General Technical Report - 237

The Pacific Southwest Research Station has released a new publication: GTR-237.

This new publication addresses "widespread interest in applying new forest practices based on concepts presented in U.S. Forest Service General Technical Report PSW-GTR-220, "An Ecosystem Management Strategy for Sierran Mixed-Conifer Forests".

GTR-220 provides much of the foundation of the Sagehen Forest Project.

NFF Meeting

Jeff and I, along with numerous Tahoe National Forest staff, attended a meeting held in Truckee by the National Forest Foundation in early February.

The NFF "Treasured Landscapes, Unforgettable Experiences" campaign is "working to restore our damaged forests and restore Americans connection to these public lands."

Conservation campaign work will take place on keystone sites, which NFF has carefully selected based on conservation need and values. A section of the Truckee River watershed beginning at Lake Tahoe has just been added to the list of keystone sites.

The Foundation formed a Local Coordinating Council to advise them on how to proceed with the conservation work.

Local Coordinating Council Members 

• Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit – Jeff Marsolais 
• Sagehen / UC Berkeley – Jeff Brown
• Science community – Malcom North
• Sierra Business Council – TBD
• Sierra Nevada Conservancy – TBD, Kim Carr or Bob Kingman
• Tahoe RCD – Kim Gorman
• Tahoe Conservancy – Patrick Wright
• Tahoe National Forest – Joanne Roubique and Eli Ilano
• Trout Unlimited, Feather River Chapter – Bill Copren / Cindy Noble (alternate)
• Truckee Donner Land Trust – Perry Norris
• Truckee River Watershed Council – Lisa Wallace

It appears that the Sagehen Forest Project will feature prominently, with the Sagehen basin treatment model to be replicated at a number of additional locations within the keystone site, including parcels of both public and private land.

Download meeting notes (PDF-225K).