In 2007, the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s Living With Fire Program produced the publication “Choosing the Right Plants for Northern Nevada’s High Fire Hazard Areas.” This publication assessed the plant materials presented in the Truckee Meadows Water Authority’s “Landscaping in the Truckee Meadows” publication in terms of desirable fire-resistant characteristics. Those characteristics included high moisture content, low-growing habit and lack of flammable chemicals.

“Choosing the Right Plants for Northern Nevada’s High Fire Hazard Areas” quickly became one of the program’s most popular publications. During the period of 2007 to 2017, more than 10,000 copies of the publication were distributed. Despite its popularity, the utility of the publication was somewhat limited in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

In an effort to preserve, maintain and improve the Lake Tahoe Basin’s unique environmental characteristics, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) developed and administers a Code of Ordinances which, among other things, influences plant material selection in the residential landscape. Chapter 36.7 of the Code, Landscaping Standards, requires in many instances the use of plant materials from the “TRPA Recommended Native and Adapted Plant List.” Accent vegetation may also be used in certain situations. See inset box. Unfortunately, there is not an easy way for property owners to determine which plants recommended in the “Choosing the Right Plants for Northern Nevada’s High Fire Hazard Areas” were also included on the TRPA-recommended/suggested plant lists.

In response, “Choosing the Right Plants for Northern Nevada’s High Fire Hazard Areas” has been revised to indicate which plants in this publication are also included on the “TRPA Recommended Native and Adapted Plant List” and which are on the suggested “Accent Plant Guide for Lake Tahoe” list. Look for the following logos to indicate good plant choices for the Lake Tahoe Basin’s high fire hazard areas.

Chapters:

  • PART 1: REDUCE THE FIRE HAZARD - PAGES 2-13
  • PART 2: CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLANTS - PAGES 14-51
  • PART 3: AVOID THESE PLANTS - PAGES 52-57
  • PART 4: FOR MORE INFORMATION - PAGES 58-59

Use link provided below to open the special report "Choosing the Right Plants."

Skelly, J., Smith, Ed. 2017, Choosing the Right Plants for Northern Nevada's High Fire Hazard Areas - Lake Tahoe Basin, Extension | University of Nevada, Reno, SP-17-01
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