The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit is scheduled to begin hazardous fuels reduction mastication treatments in South Lake Tahoe near Industrial Avenue and Lake Tahoe Boulevard beginning the week of May 26.
The work will target ground vegetation and brush, primarily manzanita, and will not involve trees.
Mastication, also known as forest mulching, uses heavy equipment to chop, grind, or shred vegetation into smaller pieces that are spread out and left to decompose naturally.
The Forest Service said fuel reduction treatments are used to help protect communities by removing excess vegetation that can fuel wildfires.
Officials said Tahoe Basin forests are overstocked and vulnerable to insects, disease, and wildfire. The treatments are designed to reduce wildfire risk near communities and neighborhoods by reducing ladder fuels and creating gaps between surface and crown fuels to help keep fires on the ground.
The projects also complement defensible space and home hardening efforts on private property while contributing to forest health, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and overall forest resilience.
Residents may notice short-term visual changes in treated forest areas immediately after the work is completed because freshly chipped vegetation will be more visible. Officials said the areas recover quickly as new vegetation growth returns within a few years.
