A federal judge found two South Lake Tahoe men guilty of damaging National Forest lands and ordered them to help pay restoration costs.

Jack G. Burns III, 24, and Kent Johnson, 47, were 4-wheeling in the Twin Peaks Off Highway Vehicle area in South Lake Tahoe on Aug. 29, 2009. They had driven off the designated route in an apparent attempt to avoid a large technical boulder field, according to the U.S. Forest Service. In doing so, they caused damage to an area of about 1 acre.

Additionally, they destroyed log barricades, disturbed ground cover, caused deep ruts in the soil and created new routes with their vehicles, the judge ruled.

The court placed both men on one-year probation and ordered each to pay $500 to the Forest Service to help pay for restoring the damage. A representative from the Lake Tahoe Hi/Lo four-wheel drive club testified at the trial and stated that the club will be volunteering for restoration work to repair the damage done by Burns and Johnson.