About the Tahoe National Forest
More than 290 species of animals and over 1,000 plant varieties make up the forest and wildlife of the Tahoe Basin. Currently, 305 species of California wildlife are listed on the official endangered species list, including Tahoe residents such as the Sierra Red Fox, Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, and the Mountain Beaver. During the height of the Comstock Lode in Virginia City (1860–1890), nearly all of the Basin’s trees were logged for mining timber. The effects of this devastating period can still be seen throughout the Basin today in areas of decreased watershed and damaged habitat.
The goals of the U.S. Forest Service’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, the California Tahoe Conservancy, the League to Save Lake Tahoe, and other organizations include regulating development in the Basin, restoring habitats, managing vegetation, and reducing exposure to hazardous fuels. Prescribed fires are frequently used to prevent wildfires, encourage the growth of native plants, and restore rare habitats. Since 1984, the California Tahoe Conservancy has restored more than 1,340 acres of critical habitat in the Lake Tahoe Basin.
