TAHOE FUND SEEKS CORPORATE SPONSORS FOR WATERCRAFT INSPECTION STATIONS
The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe Signs on to Support the Northstar Station
LAKE TAHOE, Calif. and Nev. – May 15th, 2014 – The Tahoe Fund is seeking corporate sponsors for the four aquatic invasive species watercraft inspection stations located around the Basin that inspect approximately 8,000 boats a summer. The stations are a critical component of a nationally recognized basin-wide effort to prevent the spread and introduction of aquatic invasive species (AIS) into Lake Tahoe that have wreaked havoc on other clear lakes around the nation.
Sponsorships offer brands the opportunity to connect with the boat owners who visit the inspection stations while helping to close a funding gap in the current inspection program. The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe has agreed to sponsor the inspection station at Northstar, with three station sponsorships still available.
“This is one of those win-win situations we love to see,” said Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund. “This is an opportunity for businesses to get wonderful exposure to a highly desirable demographic and for the Lake to get the help it needs to prevent the introduction of AIS that will forever change the Tahoe we all know and love.”
“In order to maintain the clean, clear waters of Lake Tahoe that both local residents and visitors enjoy year-round, watercraft inspection stations are critical,” said Joseph Mattioli, general manager of The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe. “As stewards of the environment, we have to do what we can as a community to assist in supporting the continuation of these inspection stations. Currently, this is the only way to ensure the lake remains free of invasive species that could dramatically alter the way so many people experience Lake Tahoe.”
The Lake Tahoe Region Aquatic Invasive Species Program (AIS Program) is implemented by more than 40 federal, state, and local partners that are committed to preventing the introduction or spread of aquatic invasive species in Lake Tahoe. Recreational activities involving watercraft (i.e. motorized vessels, personal watercraft, kayaks, canoes, inflatables) and/or fishing are the most likely sources of the introduction of AIS into Lake Tahoe. The Watercraft Inspection Program is led by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, in partnership with the US Fish and Wildlife Service and myriad other public and private partners.
The combined economic impacts from invasive species to recreation value, tourism spending, property values, and increased boat/pier maintenance, when evaluated over a 50-year period, is estimated at $417.5 million (present value), with an average annual equivalent value of $22.4 million per year, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The largest estimated impacts would be to property values and lost tourism spending. Investments in prevention and early eradication produce a higher benefit-to-cost ratio than post-infestation control programs such that maximum benefits are realized through early and preemptive action.
The inspection stations are located in Meyers, Spooner Summit, Northstar and Alpine Meadows. Sponsorships, ranging from $11,000 to $34,000 based on traffic estimates at each station, include signage, literature distribution, sampling opportunities, and custom promotions.
For more information on the AIS Watercraft Inspection Stations Corporate Sponsorship program, please visit the Tahoe Fund site or contact Amy Berry at aberry@tahoefund.org.
About the Tahoe Fund
The mission of Tahoe Fund is to restore and enhance the extraordinary natural environment of the Lake Tahoe Basin by building broad support and funding for projects and programs that increase the enjoyment of the region for current and future generations. The Fund focuses grants on the core areas of conservation, recreation and education/stewardship.
