TAHOE/TRUCKEE, Calif. and#8212; The Sugar Pine Foundation (SPF) has been planting thousands of young sugar pines and other native tree seedlings throughout Tahoe. The SPFand#8217;s fall planting blitz will stretch into November. During this time, the soil is naturally moistened from rainfall and conditions are ideal for giving young seedlings a good start.

In the Truckee area, the SPF is kicked off its Community Plantings Oct. 16 with a Truckee River Day project. The SPF has partnered with the Truckee River Watershed Council to conduct a restoration project in the Glenshire community. The planting was sponsored by the Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation and Glenshire/ Devonshire Resident Association.

On Saturday, Nov. 5 the SPF will conduct a Community Planting at Waddle Ranch by the Truckee Airport. Sponsored the Truckee airport, this project is part of larger efforts to restore the formerly logged and grazed Waddle Ranch property.

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Truckee High School student members of the Envirolutions Club will help at this planting, but more volunteers are needed to plant 1,000 sugar pine seedlings. All volunteers will learn about the importance of native species, forest and fire ecology, and the need for proactive forest management and#8212; which entails all the fun of digging in the dirt and planting trees that will ensure the health of the forest for generations to come. The event runs 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

The sugar pines need help because they are the progeny of white pine blister rust resistant sugar pines. White pine blister rust is a non-native, invasive fungus that is killing sugar pines, western white pines, and whitebark pines in the Tahoe area. Thankfully, some 3-5 percent of sugar pines are genetically resistant to the fungus. The goal of the SPF is to help save Tahoeand#8217;s glorious sugar pines by planting blister rust-resistant seedlings throughout the Basin and surrounding areas.

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and#8220;We like to involve local students and community members in our restoration work and teach them about forest health,and#8221; said Mircheva. and#8220;We hope that our volunteers will become forest stewards.and#8221;

Since 2008, the Foundation has planted more than 500 acres with more than 30,000 sugar pines and other native trees to maintain Tahoeand#8217;s legacy of beautiful, healthy forests.

Join the SPF Fall 2011 Planting, Nov. 5, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Waddle Ranch Community Planting. Meet at Truckee Airport to carpool in Airport Van, or 4WD needed. For more information visit http://www.sugarpinefoundation.org or e-mail admin@sugarpinefoundation.org.