The management costs of alternative forest management strategies in the Lake Tahoe Basin

Wildfires play an important ecological role in fire-adapted landscapes throughout California. However, there is a growing awareness that large wildfires increasingly populated areas incur costs may not be acceptable to society. Various forest management strategies have been proposed seek reduce the prevalence and severity of where these are high. In this study we estimate financial various hypothetical scenarios Lake Tahoe West landscape Northern The objective was quantify trade-offs cost constraints would affect feasibility each scenario. ranged from minimal several options for more intensive fuels relied varying degrees on thinning prescribed burning. We assessed stand-level associated with thinning, burn management, timber biomass transport, as well revenues energy chips sold. Using modeled fire occurrence metrics, also used historical wildfire data plausible suppression costs. Our findings suggest increased through use either hand/mechanical treatments or fire, can relative recent practices by than US$400,000 per year. These differ their cost-effectiveness. Scenarios increase appear cost-effective interventions available annual roughly half much scenario focused hand mechanical thinning. results useful understanding implications modifying designed lower private social region.