Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Tahoe’s famed water clarity from sediment • Prune live shrubs aggressively.
caused by soil erosion. These goals can be
• If plant removal results in patches of
accomplished most efficiently if owners
exposed soil, revegetate those areas as
plan their defensible space and their best
described below.
management practices (BMPs) together in
an integrated fashion. • Choose low growing, irrigated, herba‐
ceous (non‐woody) plants such as
lawn, erosion control grasses, flowers
or succulents to create a Lean, Clean
The Noncombustible Area extends 5 feet from the
structure. The Lean, Clean and Green Area extends and Green Area within 30 feet of your
at least 30 feet. home. When these plants turn brown
in late summer, they should be
Best Management Practices (BMPs) are mowed down and the stalks should be
required methods to prevent soil erosion removed.
and to infiltrate roof and driveway runoff
into the ground. Bare soil and sloping • Within 5 feet of the house, create a
ground should be covered with a mosaic Noncombustible Area using inor‐
of native and/or adapted plants and ganic mulch (gravel or rocks); low‐
mulch. Steep slopes over 50 percent may growing, irrigated herbaceous vegeta‐
Both BMPs and Defensible Space are required on
developed property in the Tahoe Basin. The landscape require stabilization structures such as tion; and other materials that cannot
above integrates these practices in a beautiful manner. terraces or rocks, in addition to vegeta‐ be easily ignited. Do not allow pine
tion. needles to accumulate in this area.
In a Nutshell Gravel mulch or riprap should be
Widespread use of organic mulches placed under decks.
Defensible space is the area between a (wood or bark chips) within 30 feet of
house and an oncoming wildfire where the structures is not recommended. Mulched • When breaking up dense brush fields
vegetation should be managed to reduce areas should be separated from the house on steep slopes, create small groups or
the wildfire threat and allow firefighters to and from each other by noncombustible “islands” of pruned shrubs staggered
safely defend the house. Within the defensi‐ materials and open areas to prevent the horizontally across the slope.
ble space area, the homeowner should rapid travel of fire across this area.
A Note About Pine Needles For more information:
• Remove fallen needles and leaves • For assistance in designing your BMPs
from the Lean, Clean and Green Area and a free copy of the “Home Land‐
once each year in the spring. scaping Guide for Lake Tahoe,” call
the Conservation District in Califor‐ Fact Sheet-08-26
• Regularly rake up and compost or re‐ (Replaces Fact Sheet-07-10)
nia, (530) 543‐1501, ext. 113
cycle needles and leaves that have
accumulated in the 5 foot non‐
(tahoercd.org); or in Nevada, (775) 586
‐1610, ext. 28 (ntcd.org). You can also
Combine
combustible area and on surfaces such
as decks, rooftops, roof gutters, lawns,
visit tahoebmp.org. Defensible Space
and
flower beds and pavement. • See Chapters 3, 5 and 7 of the “Home
• Do not allow thick layers (greater than Landscaping Guide for Lake Tahoe”
for details about installing your BMPs
Best Management
3 inches) of pine needles to accumu‐
late anywhere on your property. and defensible space. Practices (BMPs)
What About Bare Soil?
• You can obtain a hard copy of the Protect Your Home
new 2nd edition of the publication,
and Lake Tahoe
“Living with Fire, A Guide for the
• Some bare soil is permissible after rak‐
Homeowner—Lake Tahoe Basin,”
ing needles in the spring.
from local fire protection districts or
• If bare soil presents a substantial risk fire safe council chapters. The publica‐
of erosion and delivery of sediment tion can also be viewed at
off site (off your property), a full Cer‐ www.livingwithfire.info/tahoe.
tificate of BMP Completion may not
be issued.
• In this case, work with your Conser‐
vation District or TRPA to control the
risk of erosion in areas of bare soil.
The University of Nevada, Reno is an Equal Employ-
• If a later inspection shows an erosion‐ ment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and does
free Lean, Clean, and Green Area as not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, Photo by J.T. Ravizé
sex, age, creed, national origin, veteran status, physical
described on the previous panel, a full or mental disability, or sexual orientation in any program
Certificate of BMP Completion will be or activity it operates. The University of Nevada em- By John Cobourn
ploys only United States citizens and aliens lawfully
issued. authorized to work in the United States. Water Resource Specialist
University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
Copyright © 2008, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension.