Objections Arise to the Lake Tahoe Land Management Plan

A management plan that will guide management of National Forest System lands in the Lake Tahoe Basin over the next 15 years has been worked on over the last decade. The creation of the plan took the concerns and values of many different groups and citizens as to how Forest Service lands in the basin should be managed.

The plan was formed from a collaborative effort between U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), TRPA, Lahontan Regional Water Board, Nevada Division of Environmental Protection and involved public comment and meetings. They received over 18,500 comments on the initial plan and worked towards a revised plan that addressed all concerns.

Dave Fournier of the LTBMU quoted the 1st Chief of the Forest Service Gifford Pinchot when he described the process to SouthTahoeNow. The plan is "The greatest good to the greatest number for the longest time."

The revised plan was released last fall and the public was invited to voice their objections to the plan. The Forest Service is using the objection process for the land management planning, one of the first times in the nation. Objections were expected since planning a large document as the Forest Service has involves values of people at the local, regional and national level.

12 letters were received by the LTBMU from groups and individuals during the objection period. The brought up concerns about off road vehicle usage, Heavenly Valley's new plan, and fire management. The Sierra Club and local fire chiefs were among those that addressed complaints. Their letters can be viewed here.

The plan now enters a 90-day objection resolution period, during which the Forest Service will work with those objecting to determine whether the agency can resolve their concerns. Because the plan is approved by Regional Forester Randy Moore, the Chief of the Forest Service in Washington, DC, will oversee the objection resolution process. After the objection resolution period, the Regional Forester will sign a Record of Decision (ROD), and the revised Forest Plan will take effect.