The Sugar Pine Foundation is preparing to plant thousands of fungus resistant sugar pines and other native tree seedlings throughout the Lake Tahoe region.

The nonprofit based in South Lake Tahoe is working to save Tahoe’s sugar pines and other white pines from the threat of a non-native, incurable fungus called white pine blister rust.

The spring planting blitz began with a planting at the Lake Tahoe Community College on Wednesday. LTCC instructor Sue Kloss’s Botany students helped to plant more than 300 sugar pine seedlings on the LTCC campus. The students enhanced the woods along the footpath on the hillside above Trout Creek.

On April 27, the foundation will be present at the South Tahoe Earth Day Celebration at the Bijou Community Park from 10am to 4pm. SPF staff will be on hand to sell seedlings – $10 each – and talk about the organization’s work.

The SPF is hosting a community planting on April 28 from 1-3pm at Spooner Lake State Park. Members of the Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra will be assisting in the planting, but more volunteers are needed. SPF plans to put more than 500 trees in the ground at this site. The planting is a kid-friendly event and is open to all ages. Seedlings, tools, and instruction will be provided. Volunteers are encouraged to wear boots and sunscreen, and to bring their own gloves, water, and a pointed shovel.

On April 30, the SPF is conducting a special planting at Zephyr Cove Park with employees of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. TRPA employees approached the SPF and then raised $1,000 to cover the cost of seedlings. For more information about the organization or to order seeds or seedlings, go online.