Celebrate National Public Lands Day on approximately 154,000 acres of National Forest System lands in the Tahoe Basin
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – Did you know the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) manages approximately 78 percent of the public land in the Tahoe Basin? Well, now you know and just in time to celebrate National Public Lands Day (NPLD)! NPLD is the largest, single-day celebration of public lands and volunteer events that takes place on public lands across the country on Sat., Sep. 28, 2019. In recognition of NPLD, the LTBMU will waive the parking fee at Eagle Falls Trailhead on Sep. 28.
Although NPLD falls on the last Saturday of September, groups across the country celebrate and hold events between September 14 and October 12. This year, the LTBMU will host a booth at the Fall Fish Festival on October 5 – 6, 2019, in observance of NPLD and the 50th Anniversary of Desolation Wilderness. Stop by the Taylor Creek Visitor Center during the festival and learn more about year-round volunteer opportunities on National Forest Systems lands, ranging from maintaining wilderness campsites and trails to administrative work in the wilderness volunteer office. In addition, talk with Forest Service wilderness rangers about the rich history and current topics within our own backyards and participate in wilderness activities, such as learning how to use a cross-cut saw! The Taylor Creek Visitor Center is located on Highway 89 approximately three miles northwest of the City of South Lake Tahoe. As a reminder, no food or drinks are allowed at the visitor center during the festival.
This year marks the 25th anniversary of NPLD, which was established by the National Environmental Education Foundation and has grown from just a handful of volunteers to over a quarter of a million participants. NPLD is an excellent opportunity for the public to work side-by-side with public land managers and their partners on activities that range from trail maintenance to planting trees, picking up trash and more. Learn more about NPLD at www.neefusa.org/npld.
** Hell Hole image courtesy of LTBMU