Wildfires are burning hotter, faster and larger than ever before. Improving ailing forest health and preventing catastrophic wildfire is dependent upon a robust and specially trained Forestry workforce.

Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) is launching a new Forestry Education & Job Placement Program to prepare students for careers in this currently understaffed field. To incentivize participation and expand access to this new program, the Tahoe Fund will provide a scholarship to every student enrolled in its inaugural year.

Over the next five years, forestry management occupations are projected to have more than 200 annual job openings in the greater Sacramento region alone. Approximately 76% of these jobs will be for middle- and high-skilled occupations. California community colleges like LTCC are a big part of the plan to prepare this crucial workforce of the future.

“The Tahoe Fund’s top priority is forest health, and one of our greatest needs is getting more skilled professionals into our forests,” explained Tahoe Fund Board Member John Jones. “By providing scholarships for every student in LTCC’s new Forestry program, we are one step closer to strengthening this understaffed workforce that will make our forests healthier and help prevent wildfires.”

Beginning this fall, LTCC’s Forestry Education & Job Placement Program will teach students how to assist with forest management, planning, and implementation work. Participants can earn an Associate of Science degree along with several other certificates and industry-recognized credentials. Upon completion of the program, students will be prepared for employment with local, state, and federal natural resource agencies.

The Tahoe Fund will provide $1,000 scholarships for each and every student majoring in the new program. In order to receive this free funding, which will cover the majority of tuition, students must be registered in a minimum of five units per quarter of related coursework and maintain at least a 2.5 grade point average (GPA).

“LTCC is focused on providing students with an affordable path to college completion,” said LTCC Superintendent/President Jeff DeFranco. “These scholarships, combined with our Promise program, financial aid, and other programs, will help Forestry and Fire students graduate and move directly into employment in the field with little to no college debt.”

LTCC Forestry program graduates will be prepared for careers with Tahoe-based employers, including CAL FIRE, the USDA Forest Service, the California Tahoe Conservancy, the Tahoe Resource Conservation District, private forestry contractors, and other agencies that are part of the Tahoe Fire and Fuels Team.

To learn more about the program, and see how you can apply, click here.

To support the Tahoe Fund’s forest health work, click here.

Nonprofit grants $45,000 to local organizations for trail maintenance

With higher trail usage in the Tahoe Region, many of the existing trails are being loved to death. The Tahoe Fund is hoping to help solve this issue through its Tahoe Trails Endowment. The nonprofit recently awarded $45,000 in grants from the endowment to the Tahoe Rim Trail Association (TRTA) and the Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA) to support trailwork on popular trails in the Tahoe Basin.

“The Tahoe Trails Endowment was created because our board and our donors recognize the importance of taking care of the trails we already have,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “These grants are great examples of the power of the endowment to generate annual funding support for much needed trailwork across the region.”

The TRTA’s Trail Segment Improvement Program was launched this summer to provide preventative maintenance on the 200-mile Tahoe Rim Trail. Every year, the program will include work to repair trail tread, clear downed trees and drainages, fix erosion damage, and decommission braided trails on three segments. This summer, nearly 70 miles of trail along the busiest TRT segments in the Tahoe region will be improved: Big Meadow to Echo Lakes (18.3 miles), Barker Pass to Tahoe City (16.4 miles), and Echo Lakes to Barker Pass (32.5 miles). The work will be completed by volunteer and conservation corp crews.

“This iconic trail gains in popularity every year, and as more people use it, it requires more continuous care,” said Morgan Steele, Executive Director, TRTA. “We are grateful for the Tahoe Fund’s Tahoe Trails Endowment to help us stay on top of the maintenance needs of the Tahoe Rim Trail.” 

TAMBA, the first recipient of a Tahoe Trails Endowment grant in 2021, will continue its trail crew maintenance program this year with support from the Tahoe Fund. A five person paid trail crew will work on a variety of trails around the lake throughout the summer and fall seasons, managing unforeseen needs like removing downed trees, clearing rock fall and addressing erosion issues as they arise around the Basin. TAMBA is on track to perform maintenance on over 100 miles of trail in 2022.  

“The funding the Tahoe Fund provided last year for maintenance needs was instrumental to us quickly repairing trails after the Caldor Fire that people use often,” said Patrick Parsel, Trails Director, TAMBA. “Unforeseen challenges like downed trees and erosion issues created by storms can often pose the greatest threats to user safety and the environment, so they’re important to resolve quickly. This funding will allow us to do that.”

Established as a way to address the long-term needs of Tahoe’s growing trail network, the Tahoe Fund hopes to grow the Tahoe Trails Endowment to $3 million to fund annual trail maintenance throughout the region. Currently, the endowment is at just over $1 million.

While building the endowment, the Tahoe Fund also continues its work with partners at the Tahoe Rim Trail Association, Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association, Truckee Trails Foundation and public land managers to develop a Trails Master Plan that outlines priority ranking for trail work and allows everyone to think and plan long-term.

The endowment was launched in late 2020 with a generous $100,000 donation from Chris and Viktoria McNamara. You can contribute to the Tahoe Trails Endowment by clicking the button below.

Donation came from a portion of boat sales and the Bill and Kristin Fenech Foundation

Superior Boat Repair and Sales presented a check for $17,069 to local nonprofit organization the Tahoe Fund during its annual “Surf Across Lake Tahoe” customer appreciation event. The funds, which came from a portion of boat sales and the Bill and Kristen Fenech Foundation, will support environmental improvement projects throughout the Tahoe Basin. 

“We are fortunate to operate on this beautiful lake and are grateful for the opportunity to give back to it,” said Bob Bense of Superior Boats. “We value the work the Tahoe Fund is doing to improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy.”

Superior Boat presented the check to the Tahoe Fund in front of more than 50 customers at its annual “Surf the Lake” event that featured a fleet of Natique boats surfing down to Emerald Bay. Pro wakesurfer John Akerman joined the festivities.  

Superior Boats, which operates out of the Homewood High & Dry Marina on the West Shore of Lake Tahoe during the summer season and full-time in Rancho Cordova, CA, is also Tahoe’s local Barletta dealership. This partnership with the Tahoe Fund is part of a larger commitment by Barletta Boat’s Bill & Kristin Fenech Foundation to donate 1% of all wholesale shipments to charities that support outdoor recreation, health and human services, and community vibrancy. 

“We were thrilled to be included in the Surf Across Lake Tahoe event to accept this wonderful donation in front of Bob’s customers,” said Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry. “Local businesses like Superior Boat who contribute a portion of their sales help us accomplish so much for Tahoe.” 

The Tahoe Fund is currently focused on building support for the new Meeks Ridge Trail on the West Shore, the new Ski Run Community Park in South Lake Tahoe and its Smartest Forest Fund to help prevent catastrophic wildfire in the Tahoe Basin.

Have you ever gone for a beach day in Lake Tahoe and had to park (what feels like) a mile away from the beach? Well, you can avoid this by taking free shuttle services around the lake this summer! 

Free shuttle services allow you to avoid driving, steer clear of parking, and save on gas money. Not only does this improve traffic congestion, but these transportation options also reduce air pollution and the impact on Lake Tahoe’s waters and forests. Here are two great options to help you get around this summer:

TART Connect in North Lake Tahoe and Truckee

Tahoe Truckee Area Regional Transit (TART) offers TART Connect, a free, on-demand, curb-to-curb ride service–much like an Uber or Lyft. It’s easy to use, just download the TART Connect app and request a ride to the destination of your choice. TART Connect, which is funded in part by the Tahoe Fund, is available in North Lake Tahoe and Truckee this summer. 

The extended summer services on the North Shore begin June 30, and operate 8am to 12am within Lakeside zones, and 6pm-11pm on Friday and Saturday evenings within Resort zones (Olympic Valley & Northstar). Truckee TART Connect service began summer operations June 25 and is operating 10am -10pm. Learn more: https://tahoetruckeetransit.com/tart-connect-2/ 

New Lake Link Service in South Lake Tahoe

Lake Link is a new, free microtransit service coming to South Lake Tahoe this summer. This new service, operated by South Shore Transportation Management Association, will initially run three miles through the casino corridor from Stateline, Nevada, to the Lake Tahoe Community College/Al Tahoe neighborhood in South Lake Tahoe along both US 50 and Pioneer Trail. Just like TART Connect, Lake Link will have an accessible app available for riders. To learn more about Lake Link, visit http://ss-tma.org/lake-link/ or call 530-494-0153 to book a ride.

By taking these free shuttle services instead of driving, you are helping to improve road congestion, reduce environmental impacts, and make it easier for everyone to get around in Tahoe this summer! 

Lauren Novotney is an intern for the Tahoe Fund

TART Connect Photos by Ryan Salm Photography