The Tahoe Fund has started a campaign to raise $36,000 to support a project designed by UC Davis scientists to improve forest health in the basin. 

Because of drought and bark beetle infestations, tree mortality more than doubled from 35,000 in 2015 to 72,000 in 2016.

Tahoe Fund is partnering with scientists at UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center to help repopulate the hardest hit areas along the North Shore with native sugar pine trees.

Scientists at UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center plan to collect seeds from more than 100 different sugar pine trees around Tahoe. Over the course of the next year they will grow these seeds into 10,000 seedlings that can be planted in areas with the greatest mortality rates. The 10,000 seedlings will be distributed to public agencies to be planted along the North Shore in both California and Nevada. The program also includes distribution of thousands of seedlings to private homeowners who have experienced tree loss.  

The Sugar Pine Reforestation Project is one of the Tahoe Fund’s Signature Projects for 2017.  The campaign goal for this project is $36,000. Donations in support of this and other environmental improvement projects around the lake can be made online.