Caroline Waldman, Author at Tahoe Fund

Christmas Tree Permits for Tahoe

November 16, 2022 by Caroline Waldman

There are only 500 Christmas tree permits remaining from the U.S. Forest Service. They are going fast, so get yours today! See more information on how to obtain a permit and where to find online permits for surrounding forests below.

U.S. Forest Service Permits

This year, the U.S. Forest Service – Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit offered a total of 1,363 permits to cut down Christmas trees on National Forest lands in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

As of 11/16, there were 500 permits left.
Permits are being sold in-person only at our Forest Supervisor’s office in South Lake Tahoe, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. Hours: M-F, 8-4:30 p.m.
There are only three cutting areas in the basin: Fountain Place Road (1201) at the end of Oneidas Street off Pioneer Trail; Lower Barker Pass Road in Blackwood Canyon (15N38) off SR 89; and Baldwin Beach Road (1305) off SR 89. Maps are provided at the time of purchase.

Neighboring Forest Permits

Online permits are available from surrounding forests. You may want to check each website in the morning to ensure permits are still available.

Eldorado National Forest is sold out.
The Tahoe National Forest may still have online permits here.
The Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest may still have online permits here.

Keep in mind, if purchasing a tree permit from one of our neighbors, the tree has to be cut on their forest using their maps!

TAHOE FUND ISSUES CALL FOR 2023 PROJECTS

November 9, 2022 by Caroline Waldman

Nonprofit seeks projects that will improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy

The Tahoe Fund today announced the opening of its annual call for projects. The nonprofit is seeking projects for its 2023 portfolio that will increase the pace and scale of forest restoration, improve lake clarity, expand sustainable recreation, provide innovative solutions to transportation challenges and create more stewards of Lake Tahoe. Priority projects will also break down barriers to access and increase inclusion for underserved communities in Tahoe.

Since its inception, the Tahoe Fund has supported more than 80 impactful projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin working with more than 30 partners. Projects submitted for consideration may receive immediate funding or be selected for a Tahoe Fund project campaign in 2023.

“Our annual call for projects is an opportunity for innovative thinkers and organizations to secure the funding they need to bring their projects to life,” said Cory Ritchie, Tahoe Fund Board Chair. “This year, we are excited to see how our partners are expanding access and building inclusion as they work to improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy.”

Public agencies and nonprofits are invited to submit proposals for projects that require $5,000 to $1,000,000 in funding. Projects with the ability to leverage additional public funding as a result of Tahoe Fund support will be prioritized.

“In our last fiscal year, we funded 42 different projects – more than ever before,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “The generosity of our donors enabled us to distribute over $1 million in grants to our partner organizations, supporting incredible projects like the scuba cleanup of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline, the restoration of our trails destroyed during the Caldor Fire, and new technology to map forest health projects in Tahoe.”

Previous and current projects are varied and benefit diverse users and goals in the Basin. They include the building of the Meeks Ridge Trail on Tahoe’s West Shore, support for free microtransit services offered by TART Connect, scholarships for the Lake Tahoe Community College Forestry program, “Tahoe’s Nature for All” programming for underserved community members offered by the Tahoe Institute of Natural Science, and EarthViews’ new Lake Tahoe shoreline mapping tool.

All submissions will be reviewed by the Tahoe Fund Board of Directors, which is tasked with developing the Tahoe Fund’s Signature and Premier Projects Portfolio.

Project submissions are due by January 31, 2023. Guidelines and the request for project submission form can be found here.

Tahoe Ski Resorts Offer Free Lift Tickets to New Tahoe License Plate Purchasers

November 1, 2022 by Caroline Waldman

Every Ski Resort in Tahoe Joins Annual ‘Plates for Powder’ Program

The Tahoe Fund today announced the start of ‘Plates for Powder,’ an annual program that offers free skiing opportunities to those who purchase a Lake Tahoe license plate. Proceeds from plate sales and renewals support environmental improvement projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin.

“We are thrilled to share that for the first time ever, all Tahoe-area ski resorts are participating in the Plates for Powder program,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “Thanks to the continued support of our partner resorts, more people can hit the slopes for free this winter, while also giving back to Tahoe.”

Through the Plates for Powder program, California and Nevada drivers can buy a new Lake Tahoe license plate and receive a free day pass to one of 14 Tahoe-area resorts, while supplies last. The passes must be used during the 2022-23 winter season. Participating resorts include: Boreal, Diamond Peak, Heavenly, Homewood, Kirkwood, Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe, Northstar California, Palisades Tahoe, Royal Gorge, Sierra-at-Tahoe, Sugar Bowl, Tahoe Cross Country, Tahoe City Winter Sports Park and Tahoe Donner.

For more than ten years, the Tahoe Fund has organized the Plates for Powder program on behalf of the California Tahoe Conservancy and Nevada Division of State Lands. Over 95 percent of funds generated by plate sales and renewals help fund new hiking and biking trails, watershed restoration projects, and protect Lake Tahoe’s famed beaches and blue waters.

“Through the Tahoe Fund’s Plates for Powder program, skiers have a great opportunity to support projects that help protect what they love about Tahoe,” said Conservancy Board Chair and El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel. “Tahoe plate funds bolster our efforts to restore the resilience of Tahoe forests and watersheds and expand opportunities for everyone to access and enjoy Lake Tahoe.”

New Tahoe license plates cost $50 in California, with a $40 annual renewal fee, and $61 in Nevada with a $31 renewal fee. Personalized plates are also available for additional fees. Find information on how to purchase your plate and redeem your free lift ticket by visiting tahoeplates.org.

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TAMBA AND THE TAHOE FUND OFFICIALLY OPEN THE UPPER TYROLIAN TRAIL

October 18, 2022 by Caroline Waldman

Old logging roads above Incline Village, NV transformed into a new singletrack trail designed by freeride mountain bike athlete Cam Zink’s trail building nonprofit

The Upper Tyrolian Trail, North Lake Tahoe’s newest singletrack mountain bike trail featuring berms, jumps and other interesting natural features is now open above Incline Village, Nevada. The project was spearheaded by the Tahoe Area Mountain Bike Association (TAMBA) with a $60,000 grant from the Tahoe Fund. Its completion was celebrated today by the volunteers, supporters and donors who made it possible.

Together with the U.S. Forest Service and Sensus R.A.D. Trails, a trail building nonprofit by local freeride mountain bike athlete Cam Zink, TAMBA converted old logging roads into nearly two miles of sustainable singletrack trail that connects Tahoe Meadows off Mount Rose Highway to the existing Tyrolian Downhill Trail. The new upper section of the trail provides an official start trailhead with improved signage, and was designed to reduce mountain bike traffic on the Tahoe Rim Trail.

TAMBA crew places the final sign on the new Upper Tyrolian Trail

“This trail project was a long time coming, and we’re thrilled to be officially turning it over to the public to enjoy,” said Patrick Parsel, TAMBA trails director. “Building sustainable trails in the Tahoe Basin is our priority, and we couldn’t do it without the support of partners like the Tahoe Fund and the U.S. Forest Service.”

The first part of the Upper Tyrolian Trail was built as a flowy singletrack trail that incorporates natural features to enhance the rider experience. After 0.75 miles, the trail transitions to one with professionally designed and built rollovers, tabletops, step-ups, step-downs and triple-option jumps that provide a unique and challenging experience for riders to practice and build their skills.

The second element of the project was to decommission miles of eroded logging roads in the area where the Upper Tyrolian Trail begins. These dirt roads were used extensively by logging operations and were not designed to manage stormwater. Decommissioning included scarifying compacted areas, naturalizing the soil surface with pine duff, and incorporating erosion control features to reduce sediment runoff into creeks that flow into Lake Tahoe.

“TAMBA’s commitment to building trails that provide sustainable recreation throughout Tahoe are unparalleled, and partnering with them to complete this trail aligned perfectly with the Tahoe Fund’s mission,” said Caroline Waldman, sustainable recreation program director for the Tahoe Fund. “We’re proud to have contributed to this effort.”

Learn more about the Upper Tyrolian Trail project here.

As Mosquito Fire Burns, Forest Health Partners Deploy New Technology to Help Reduce Wildfire Threats Across 1.5M acres in the Tahoe Region

September 22, 2022 by Caroline Waldman

Land Tender™ uses high resolution imaging and artificial intelligence to modernize planning for forest health treatments

As the Mosquito fire burns, and one year after the Caldor fire burned into the Lake Tahoe Basin, the Tahoe Fund and Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation announced the deployment of Land Tender™, a powerful new software tool developed by Vibrant Planet, that will allow land managers to collaboratively address wildfire threats and plan forest health and restoration treatments. Land Tender will be used in the Tahoe Basin and surrounding critical watersheds covering 1.5 million acres, making this the largest deployment to date of this new system.

Land Tender, also jointly funded by California Tahoe Conservancy, is the leading community wildfire resilience and wildland health decision support system in the United States. The platform will be deployed across the Lake Tahoe Basin, the Middle Truckee River, American River, Bear River, Feather River, and Yuba River watersheds. Much of that area is either burning, under high wildfire threat, or in need of reforestation, fueling the need for faster, more informed wildfire resilience and restoration planning and monitoring.

“Traditional solutions are inadequate with the rate of change and severe impacts we’re seeing in this new age of ‘megafire’,” explained Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund. “Vibrant Planet’s software allows us to speed up the timeline of critical community protection and forest health, while at the same time giving us more information than ever before to do what’s best for the environment. It’s a powerful complement to other recent Tahoe Fund initiatives, including a new sawmill in Carson City and scholarships for the new forestry program at Lake Tahoe Community College.”

Land Tender will provide granular-level detail on dozens of key forest health metrics in the region, including tree densities and potential mortality; vulnerability of endangered species habitats, recreational trails, and waterways. From there, Land Tender enables land managers to collaboratively create forest treatment plans based on a number of desired outcomes, such as reducing the risk of catastrophic wildfire, or maximizing water quality or protecting recreational opportunities.

Demonstration of fire hazard in Land Tender platform

Land Tender also estimates the cost of such treatments, and allows land managers to monitor and report on project progress, shift priorities and resources based on evolving conditions and threats, and gain insights into the effectiveness of different techniques. Ultimately, workflows done by these groups in Land Tender will reduce multi-year planning processes to weeks, allowing managers to rapidly develop community wildfire protection plans and proactively address forest health challenges.

“Historically, public and private landowners created and executed land management plans independently,” explained Allison Wolff, CEO of Vibrant Planet. “In the face of catastrophic wildfire and other climate change driven impacts, we’re excited to offer a solution that can help land managers come together across jurisdictions to more rapidly map, model and get funding for forest health treatments that meet the goals of all affected parties, both within and downstream from multi-jurisdictional landscapes.”

“Collaboration is challenging when stakeholders with different points of view on what they value in a landscape, or their backyard, cannot see each others’ perspectives or how different scenarios might play out in the future,“ said Stacy Caldwell, CEO of Tahoe Truckee Tahoe Community Foundation. “Vibrant Planet’s software allows landowners and other stakeholders to develop scenarios that meet their objectives, then share their scenarios with each other to drive to alignment so that we can get more protective and restorative work done faster.”