Government buys Tahoe site

RENO -- A scenic 750-acre enclave in the Lake Tahoe Basin, once a Nevada version of California's Bohemian Club for the rich and powerful, is now in the public's hands.

U.S. Forest Service officials said the government assumed ownership Wednesday of Incline Lake and surrounding forestland after paying $46 million to the Incline Lake Corp.

Officials called it a landmark acquisition for conservation. The deal follows four years of negotiations involving Nevada's congressional delegation.

"Incline Lake is an exceptional acquisition both for the resource conservation values and for the recreational opportunities," Terri Marceron, supervisor of the Forest Service's Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, said in a statement.

The Forest Service will develop short- and long-term management plans for the property above Tahoe's northeast shore in the Carson Range. The site also is next to the Mount Rose Wilderness Area.

"I anticipate that this land will be a popular destination for residents and visitors to our area," said Ed Monnig, supervisor of the Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest.

"It is a spectacular property. We are committed to working with the public on the appropriate management of this new addition to the National Forest System," he added.