Máyala Wáta, also called Meeks Meadow, is proceeding with lodgepole pine removal through a grant from the California Tahoe Conservancy. The conifer thinning will take place over 200 acres of the area, which will help restore the area’s water levels and culturally significant plants to the Washoe tribe. Meeks Meadow is the center of the Washoe homelands and was identified as a priority habitat for protection in the area. In 1997, the U.S. Forest Service and Washoe tribe signed a memorandum of understanding that expressed a common line of action—protecting and restoring the area. Since then, different restoration efforts have been made in the area, but this promises to be one of the largest thanks to the $600,000 grant received from the California Tahoe Conservancy. Combined with $1 million in federal funds, the project will include cutting down conifers to protect water levels and soil quality for culturally significant plants, as well as thinning the surrounding forest for fuel reduction. Overall, the project spans 283 acres of the land.