Forest Management

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Urban Lot Management Program

How does acquisition and protection of vacant urban lots benefit my community and me?

In 1980, Congress found that increasing urbanization was threatening the ecological values of the Lake Tahoe Basin and public opportunities for use of public lands.  Additionally, maintenance of the social and economic health of the region depended on maintaining the scenic, recreational, educational, scientific, natural, and public health values provided by the Lake Tahoe basin.  Acquisition and protection of urban intermix parcels contributes to maintaining these values, and thus has created benefits to the communities in which they are located. 

Urban intermix parcels provide open space areas of natural forest vegetation within developed communities.  These forest areas reduce and filter the noise associated with everyday human activities, providing quieter, more enjoyable living conditions and recreational experiences.  Additionally, urban intermix parcels reduce the scenic and visual impacts of urbanization by providing forested areas that help screen and blend development into the natural surroundings.  Neighborhoods with publicly owned urban intermix parcels are more desirable to live in, and often have a corresponding positive impact on property values.

Which neighborhood do you prefer to live or vacation in?

The map above shows the ownership pattern in the North Upper Truckee area (2002), South Shore of Lake Tahoe. Green shaded parcels are National Forest acquired lots, blue shaded parcels are California Tahoe Conservancy acquired lots, white shaded parcels are privately owned lots and black squares represent developed parcels. Note: the average lot size is 0.25 acres.

The map above shows what the same North Upper Truckee area would look like with all available parcels developed.  This neighborhood would have significantly less forest to screen development and filter noise, a substantial increase in traffic, and would be more urban and less rural.  In addition, this neighborhood has little to no wildlife habitat opportunities and would have a significant increase in impervious surface coverage, resulting in increased run-off and soil erosion.

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