Project Overview
Forest health and fuels reduction work taking place around Mammoth Lakes this season is part of the Eastern Sierra Climate & Communities Resilience Project (ESCCRP), a collaborative effort led by Whitebark Institute in partnership with the Inyo National Forest and other regional partners.
This work is designed to reduce hazardous fuel buildup, remove dead and dying trees, improve forest structure, and support long-term ecosystem resilience while helping reduce wildfire intensity near communities, recreation areas, infrastructure, and evacuation corridors.
These efforts will include mechanical thinning, hand thinning, and other restoration treatments focused on priority areas to enhance forest health and reduce wildfire risk. Due to the size and urgency of this project, temporary public access restrictions will be necessary at select roads, campgrounds, and trailheads during active operations.
Why is this project necessary?
Over the past century, the suppression of naturally ignited, low to moderate severity fires has led to an overgrowth of trees in Sierra Nevada forests. Now, when wildfires ignite, they burn hotter, faster and with more devastating consequences to both people and the ecological health of the area. Overcrowded trees also facilitate the spread of harmful diseases, including bark beetle infestations.
To learn more, visit our Forest Health page.
Project Timeline
Forest health and fuels reduction operations are expected to occur from May through November 2026. Project schedules may change due to weather, wildfire activity, environmental conditions, or operational needs.
In some areas, mechanical thinning work may be delayed until soils are sufficiently dry to support heavy equipment and minimize soil disturbance.
Active forest treatment areas may contain falling trees, heavy equipment, and chainsaw operations. Please obey all posted signage and avoid entering active work zones
Upcoming Work Schedule (subject to change)
Click each section for details.
Public Impacts & Closures
- Forest Order Closure in active treatment areas during operations
- Forest Trail Neighborhood affected May 18-June 30
- Intermittent road closures
- Disc Golf Course & Multiuse Path affected June 1 – August 15
- CLOSED 24/7
- Shady Rest North affected July 8 – August 15
- CLOSED M-F 7am- 5pm : Soccer Fields 1 & 2, Skate Park, Ball Field 3
- Shady Rest East Side: WORK COMPLETED
- Shady Rest West Side: WORK COMPLETED
- More Information can be found at : Shady Rest Park – Summer 2026 Closures | Mammoth Lakes, CA – Official Website
Treatment Activities
Forest health and fuels reduction work including vegetation thinning, removal of dead and downed material, shrub reduction, roadside tree limbing, and burn pile construction.
Project Map
Public Impact & Closures
Road delays & trail closures
- Road delays & trail closures
- Forest Order Closure is in affect
Work Hours
- Monday–Saturday
- 5:00 AM–3:00 PM
- Work near neighborhoods will begin at 7:00 AM
Treatment Activities
Project Details
- 91.1 acres
- Mechanical and hand crews operating
Understory thinning, removal of standing dead trees and downed woody material, meadow restoration, aspen restoration, and burn pile construction.
Public Impacts & Closures
- Trail delays on Pacific Crest Trail in Agnew Meadows
- Noise in active treatment areas near Agnew Meadows Horse Camp
Work Schedule & Hours
- Monday–Saturday
- 5:00 AM–3:00 PM
Treatment Activities
Agnew Meadow restoration including conifer thinning, removal of standing dead trees and downed woody material, and burn pile construction outside of meadow areas.
Project Details
- 13.3 acres
- Hand crews operating
Public Impacts & Closures
- Forest Order closure in active treatment areas during implementation
- No access to Panorama Dome Trail during operations
- Noise in active treatment areas
Work Schedule & Hours
- Monday–Saturday
- 5:00 AM–3:00 PM
Treatment Activities
Continuation of forest health treatment work following winter 2025–2026 pile burning operations, including additional thinning and burn pile construction to reduce stand density and improve forest resilience.
Project Details
- 48 acres
- Hand crews operating
Public Impacts & Closures
- Noise in active treatment areas
- No Forest Order closure in effect
- Additional implementing partners, including the California Deer Association, will also be conducting hazard tree operations along Scenic Loop which may result in temporary road closures and traffic impacts
Work Schedule & Hours
- Monday–Saturday
- 5:00 AM–3:00 PM
Treatment Activities
Continuation of forest health treatment work including thinning of live trees and burn pile construction.
Project Details
- 118.5 acres
- Hand crews operating
Public Impacts & Closures
- Noise in active treatment areas
Work Schedule & Hours
- Monday–Saturday
- 5:00 AM–3:00 PM
Treatment Activities
Aspen restoration activities to support forest health and ecosystem resilience.
Project Details
- Hand crews operating
Community Resources and Staying Informed
For the latest updates regarding detours, field access, and any changes to sports schedules at Shady Rest Park, please visit the Town of Mammoth Lakes Parks and Recreation Page.
We will continue to update our website as details become available.
Frequently Asked Questions
This project includes ecological forest thinning and fuels reduction to improve forest health and reduce high-intensity wildfire risk.
- Ecological forest thinning includes the removal of trees to restore historic forest composition and improve tree resilience. Trees selected for removal are those with low ecological value or that contribute to overcrowding, which weakens overall forest health
Fuels reduction focuses on removing understory trees that act as ladder fuels – vegetation that allows fire to climb into the forest canopy, increasing the risk of high-severity wildfire.
Depending on terrain and proximity to sensitive resources, some areas will be treated using hand thinning with chainsaws, while others may involve both mechanical and hand thinning:
- Hand thinning with chainsaws will be used in steeper areas or near sensitive resources, where mechanical equipment is not suitable.
- Mechanical thinning may involve skidders, feller bunchers, forwarders, masticators, and harvesters in areas where conditions allow for equipment use.
This project is designed to benefit wildlife and ecosystems in the long run by improving habitat conditions and reducing the risk of high-severity wildfire. While some temporary disturbances may occur, such as noise from equipment and smoke from pile burning, the work is guided by measures pre-determined by biologists and botanists in order to minimize impacts on wildlife.
Key habitat features—such as large trees, standing dead trees (snags), and downed logs—will be preserved to support wildlife that depends on them. Without action, wildlife faces greater risks from severe wildfires and widespread habitat loss due to tree mortality.
Before work begins, biologists will survey the area for wildlife, including nesting birds and species of conservation concern. If species are found, operations will be adjusted to protect them. These steps ensure that while short-term disruptions may happen, the long-term outcome will support healthier, more resilient forests and wildlife populations.
Not right away. While prescribed fire is a long-term goal, this project does not include broadcast burning. However, another approved plan allows the Forest Service to conduct prescribed burns in the future when conditions are suitable.
In the meantime, pile burning will take place after the project is completed. Smaller branches and felled trees that aren’t removed will be stacked into piles and burned once they have dried out (cured). This curing process reduces moisture content, which helps minimize smoke impacts and ensures a more efficient burn. By first reducing excess vegetation, we’re creating safer conditions for prescribed fire to be used effectively in the future.
This work is part of a larger effort to improve forest health and the risk of high severity wildfire across the Eastern Sierra. Rather than treating small, isolated areas, this approach considers the broader landscape, creating more effective fuel reduction that influences how future fires behave.
Most of the work is taking place within the Eastern Sierra Climate and Communities Resilience Project (ESCCRP), a 65,000-acre project area surrounding Mammoth Lakes. This project was analyzed under the ESCCRP Environmental Analysis, which was completed in 2024. Additionally, some units near the Sherwin Lakes Trailhead fall under the Sherwin-Scenic Environmental Analysis, completed in 2013, which addressed critical fuels reduction needs in the Mammoth area.
Together, these efforts build on past work and set the stage for future projects aimed at creating healthier, more resilient forests in the Eastern Sierra.
Currently, options for processing timber are limited in the Eastern Sierra and most of the felled trees and woody debris produced from landscape treatments have little commercial value.
Some of the fuels will be piled and left to cure for two years, after which they will be burned. Many of the larger logs will be removed from the project areas to reduce the quantity of fuels on the ground and local firewood companies will utilize the by-product. In the long term, Whitebark Institute and the Inyo NF are exploring innovative solutions for processing biomass.
At this time, there will not be any opportunities to collect wood from project areas. If wood is made available for collection, we will make sure the public is notified.
Please refrain from disassembling woody debris piles left in project areas for future burning. These piles are intentionally constructed to be easily located during winter when snow covers the ground and conditions are safest for burning. Disassembling the piles can make it extremely difficult for fire personnel to find them. Ensuring that these piles can be burned is essential to reducing woody debris on the landscape that contributes to greater fire hazard.
Decades of wildfire suppression have led to overcrowded forests, where too many trees compete for limited resources like water, sunlight, and nutrients. This competition weakens trees, making them more vulnerable to drought, pests, and disease.
Thinning some green trees helps reduce this stress, allowing the remaining trees to grow larger, healthier, and more resilient to future threats. If only dead trees were removed, forests would remain overcrowded, limiting their ability to recover and adapt to wildfire and climate change. This work is designed to restore more natural forest conditions and improve long-term forest health.
Although green trees will be removed, this project is designed to improve long-term carbon storage by promoting the growth of larger, fire-resistant trees. Right now, the forest is overcrowded with small trees that compete for water, sunlight, and nutrients, slowing overall growth.
By reducing tree density, the remaining trees can grow bigger and healthier, storing more carbon over time. It is anticipated that within about three years, the amount of stored carbon will be similar to pre-treatment levels. Additionally, reducing excess fuels lowers the risk of high-intensity wildfires, which release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. In the long run, this work helps forests store more carbon while becoming more resilient to wildfire and climate change.
Links and Additional Resources
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