Blog - Tahoe Fund

Photos from 2022 Summer Cocktails

August 31, 2022 by Caroline Waldman

On the eve of the 26th annual Lake Tahoe Summit, Tahoe Fund supporters, friends and elected officials gathered for an evening of cocktails in celebration of Lake Tahoe.

Guests had the opportunity to hear directly from US Senator Jacky Rosen, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak, Secretary Wade Crowfoot, and NV Energy President and CEO Doug Cannon. The event was sponsored by NV Energy and featured wines from axr Napa Valley.

Photos by Hannah Pence are now available on Flickr and Facebook for all to see. Please feel free to share your favorites and tag @TahoeFund!

View the Photos

TAHOE FUND FISCAL YEAR 21-22 RECAP

June 14, 2022 by Caroline Waldman

Reflecting on the Tahoe Fund’s most recent fiscal year that closed at the end of March, we are deeply rooted in a single feeling: gratitude.

Even amidst the uncertainty caused by the pandemic and wildfires, our community rallied alongside us, reinforcing our philosophy that together, we can improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy.

The unwavering support of our donors and steadfast partners throughout the Basin allowed us to fund 42 projects last year–more than ever before. We distributed more than $1 million in grants, and helped secure over $4 million in public funding.

We continue to believe that partnerships are the key to success. Last year, in addition to the 50 partners we worked with on the Take Care Tahoe program, we partnered with over 30 agencies and organizations whose dedication and collaborative spirit allowed us to accomplish so much more collectively than any of us could have on our own.

We helped get great projects done, like the first ever scuba clean up of all 72 miles of Lake Tahoe, an effort led by Clean Up The Lake with major support from Tahoe Blue Vodka, Vail Resorts and over 135 Tahoe Fund donors. With our support, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and the US Forest Service embarked on the largest Aquatic Invasive Species project to-date in the Tahoe Basin at the Taylor and Tallac creeks and marshes. We also provided the funds for the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association and the Tahoe Rim Trail Association to begin restoring and rebuilding trails destroyed by the Caldor Fire.

Working with our partners, we are expanding inclusivity and access while building the next generation of stewards who will care for our environment for years to come. For example, we are proudly supporting youth leadership programs through Adventure Risk Challenge and the US Forest Service, field trips to the universally accessible East Shore Trail for campers with disabilities at Camp Wamp, and trailside information and stories in multiple languages throughout the Tahoe Rim Trail.

Together, we are making our forests smarter, our Lake clearer, our recreation more sustainable, our transportation more efficient, and our community more prepared to take care of Tahoe.

None of this would be possible without the support, generosity and collaboration of our donors, community and partners. Thank you for continuing to show us the power of philanthropy. This work happened because of you.

Read the full recap below.

Tahoe Fund FY 21-22 Recap

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.”

THE TAHOE FUND AND EARTHVIEWS RELEASE FIRST-EVER “STREET VIEW” STYLE MAP OF LAKE TAHOE’S ENTIRE SHORELINE

September 15, 2022 by Caroline Waldman

Interactive Map Offers 360-degree Views and Underwater Images of Lake Tahoe

Today, the Tahoe Fund and EarthViews released the first-ever “Street View” style map of all 72 miles of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline. This new, interactive Lake Tahoe ShoreView Map offers a 360-degree view of the shoreline, as well as underwater views and water quality data.

“This map allows people to see Tahoe like never before,” said Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund. “You can tour Emerald Bay, ‘paddle’ through the iconic rocks of Sand Harbor, or explore the hidden beaches along the East Shore with just the click of a button. Best of all, this new tool is bringing a wealth of data and information to scientists and conservation organizations working to improve the health of the Lake.”

According to UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, conditions differ widely around the Lake’s nearshore — or the area ranging about 350 feet from the shoreline — due to variations in temperature, stormwater flow and runoff, aquatic invasive species, the effects of recreation, and fluctuation in lake levels. With these factors impacting water quality and the Lake’s iconic clarity, it’s critical to closely monitor the conditions on the shoreline.

“This comprehensive look at today’s conditions will serve as a significant historical marker,” explained Brian Footen, president and co-founder of EarthViews. “Scientists will be able to look back 5, 10, or 50 years from now and understand how water quality and the physical shoreline have changed over time.”

To create this map, Footen spent seven days circumnavigating the Lake in a kayak, with cameras and water quality measurement tools strapped to the vessel. Using mobile mapping technology, Footen was able to capture synchronized imagery and data every ten seconds as he navigated along the nearshore. This information was then published online as a “street view” like experience letting the user explore the shoreline from their desktop or mobile device.

For the past year, Footen has been conducting several conservation-minded waterway mapping projects for EarthViews, most notably the Puget Sound in Washington and the Great Salt Lake in Utah. Recently, he presented his findings from the Lake Tahoe ShoreView Map to the Tahoe Science Advisory Council to help inform on-going research and data collection in Lake Tahoe.

The Tahoe Fund, a nonprofit organization that supports environmental improvement projects around the Tahoe Basin, provided the funding for the Lake Tahoe ShoreView Map. The organization works to improve lake clarity through funding initiatives like the 72-mile scuba clean up of Lake Tahoe and the Taylor-Tallac aquatic invasive species removal project.

“This new tool is an opportunity to inspire learning and showcase the beauty and breadth of this Lake,” said Berry. “But don’t just take our word for it, go see it first-hand.”

Explore the Lake Tahoe ShoreView Map here.

Resources for the Mosquito Fire

September 12, 2022 by Caroline Waldman

*Photo from CAL FIRE Nevada Yuba Placer Unit*

Firefighters are bravely battling the Mosquito Fire, which continues to burn in the Tahoe National Forest. More than 11,000 residents of Placer County and El Dorado County are under evacuation orders. In Tahoe, smoke from the fire continues to impact air quality.

Here’s a round-up of resources to help you stay informed about the fire itself, evacuation orders, air quality, and closures.

Mosquito Fire Incident Reports

Air Quality/Smoke

Evacuation Maps

U.S. Forest Closures

Relief Fund

TAHOE FUND AND TAHOE INSTITUTE FOR NATURAL SCIENCE PARTNER TO BRING OUTDOOR ACCESS TO UNDERSERVED COMMUNITY MEMBERS

August 22, 2022 by Caroline Waldman

Tahoe Nature For All Program will provide guided outdoor experiences for hundreds of local youth and adults, thanks to support from Tahoe Fund and Palisades Tahoe

To provide opportunities for underserved community members of all ages to connect with nature, the Tahoe Fund has partnered with the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS) to bring a new pilot program to life. Aligned with the State of California’s Outdoor Access for All initiative, the Tahoe’s Nature for All program will provide immersive experiences to hundreds of people who do not currently have access to the outdoors.

“It’s easy to assume that those who live in close proximity to Tahoe’s trails and recreation activities have the same level of access as everyone else. Unfortunately, that couldn’t be further from the truth,” said Cory Ritchie, Tahoe Fund board chair. “By funding the Tahoe Nature for All program, our hope is that more people in our community will be able to experience the benefits of Tahoe’s natural beauty.”

Part of the funding provided by the Tahoe Fund for TINS’ Tahoe Nature for All program comes from Palisades Tahoe. The resort participates in the $1 for Tahoe program, which allows guests to support conservation, recreation, and stewardship education throughout the Lake Tahoe Basin and the Truckee River Watershed through their purchase of lift tickets and season passes. This year, these contributions from Palisades Tahoe will be earmarked for the Tahoe Nature for All program. In addition to their financial support, Palisades Tahoe will also host one of the nature experiences at High Camp in late August.

“Our employees and our guests are passionate about doing all we can to inspire others to enjoy the outdoors. We realize the value that comes from connecting with nature not only for an individual’s own personal well-being, but for that of the greater community,” said Dee Byrne, president and COO of Palisades Tahoe. “Supporting this effort is a meaningful way to put funds raised through our guest donation program to work.”

In the inaugural year of the program, the experts at Tahoe Institute for Natural Science will provide free nature experience programs in partnership with four nonprofit and educational partner organizations. This includes:

Six field programs for regional youth between the ages of six and 13 who experience symptoms of anxiety and depression in partnership with The Courage Project.
10 days of programming with the Boys & Girls Club of Lake Tahoe will give South Lake Tahoe youth unique opportunities to learn natural history and take part in facilitated nature immersion experiences.
Six programs with Sierra Community House will offer guided nature experiences to survivors of abuse, underserved women and youth, Spanish speaking communities, and families that might not generally have access to nature for a variety of reasons.
Five days of field trip programming for two fifth grade classes at Incline Elementary School, which serves a diverse student population with 51% Hispanic students, 39% English Language Learners, 33% of students qualifying for free and reduced meals, and 16% of students with disabilities.

“We wish to serve as many people as possible through connections with both nature and each other, as it encourages everyone involved to improve our community and to be good stewards of our natural resources,” said Will Richardson, TINS co-founder and executive director. “Our hope is that the success of these programs will result in the opportunity to partner with additional community-focused organizations, break down past barriers to our programming, and reach additional sectors of our community in the future.”