A portion of every boat sale will be donated to support outdoor recreation 

Superior Boat Repair and Sales, operating 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 has pledged to donate a portion of all boat sales to the local nonprofit organization the Tahoe Fund. 

“Giving back to our community is one of our core values,” said Bob Bense of Superior Boat. “An ongoing partnership with the Tahoe Fund helps us further our mission to support outdoor recreation.”

The Tahoe Fund is currently focused on building support for trail restoration through its Caldor Fire Trails Restoration Fund and the Tahoe Trails Endowment, which focuses on providing funding for annual trail work for trails around Tahoe.

Superior Boat and the Tahoe Fund first partnered this past summer to introduce the 2021 Nautique GS22E, the first all-electric powered towboat, to Tahoe Fund supporters. 

Superior Boat Repair and Sales 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 are very grateful for this partnership with Superior Boat supporting our ongoing efforts to improve sustainable outdoor recreation in the Tahoe Basin,” said Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry. “Donations from local businesses like this make what we do possible.” 

Tahoe Environmental Research Center encourages Tahoe residents to plant the seeds of a healthier, more drought resilient forest in their own backyard

The UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center is offering free sugar pine seedlings to Tahoe residents October 29-31 as part of a restoration project funded by the Tahoe Fund and the California Tahoe Conservancy. The goal of the project is to establish a new generation of genetically diverse sugar pines that can withstand the threats of climate change, including drought and bark beetle outbreaks. By restoring native sugar pines to the area and increasing their genetic diversity, the overall forest will benefit.

Thriving sugar pines with their giant, foot-long cones, once covered a quarter of Lake Tahoe’s forests. Comstock Era logging devastated the population and now they are down to 5% or less. A significant share of their genetic diversity was also eliminated. Over the years, white pine blister rust, bark beetles and drought have impacted those that remain. Drought and bark-beetle infestation killed more than 129 million trees between 2012 and 2016 in the Sierra Nevada. 

UC Davis biologist Patricia Maloney and a team of researchers collected seeds from 100 surviving sugar pine trees. These seeds were then used to grow more than 10,000 seedlings. Most of these were planted in the forest along the North Shore of Lake Tahoe.  Two thousand seedlings are now available to Tahoe residents to plant in their own backyards. 

Residents can pick up the sugar pine seedlings: 

Fri October 29
2pm – 5pm

Sat & Sun October 30-31
11am – 2pm

Location:
Tahoe City Field Station
2400 Lake Forest Road
Tahoe City, CA

Grant will expand the outdoor youth program’s impact in Lake Tahoe

The Tahoe Fund is proud to announce it will continue its support of SOS Outreach, a nonprofit that provides opportunities for underserved youth to experience the outdoors while participating in a mentorship program that is designed to prepare them for life’s challenges. The Tahoe Fund’s support will expand the program’s impact in Lake Tahoe where more than 585 kids learn to ski and snowboard, learn leadership skills, and learn the importance of protecting the environment through service projects each year. In the summer months they participate in mountain biking, backpacking, and kayaking. Off the slopes, they engage in social service projects that help improve their local community.

Over the past 10 years, SOS programs have led to more kids graduating from high school, attending college, finding careers and giving back to their communities. In fact, 96% of SOS youth plan to attend college, and 61% return to mentor peers. Staff of the Tahoe Fund have also served as mentors in the program since 2017. 

“At its core, our programs are meant to encourage a deep sense of belonging for underserved youth in our outdoor community,” said Heather Schwartz, North Lake Tahoe Program Manager. “Through positive mentorship and the power of community, our kids feel empowered to engage in service projects, learn leadership skills, and are mentally and emotionally equipped to handle all that life throws their way. What starts as just learning to ski or snowboard, soon transpires to tangible life skills that these kids will use for years. We’re incredibly thankful for the continued partnership of the Tahoe Fund and our community of supporters who make this work possible.”

“The SOS Outreach program supports the Tahoe Fund’s mission to use the power of philanthropy to improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “Making these outdoor opportunities available to the next generation is critical to the long term sustainability of special places like Lake Tahoe. It is also a wonderful opportunity for our staff to participate as mentors and see firsthand how impactful the program is.”

SOS Outreach is looking for positive adult mentors and volunteers! If you love to ski or snowboard and want to support local youth, this is your program. Reach out to Heather Schwartz, North Lake Tahoe Program Manager at hschwartz@sosoutreach.org.

Trail work is scheduled to begin this fall on the new trail

We are excited to announce that we have met and exceeded our campaign goal of raising $50,000 for a new Tunnel Creek Singletrack thanks to individual donors and a match by the Spaht family. Once built, the trail will be a 2.3-mile multi-use trail that will provide users with a new alternative when descending from the Marlette Flume Trail, the Incline Flume Trail and the Tahoe Rim Trail. 

The current loose, sandy descent at the end of the iconic Flume Trail has long been an issue for mountain bikers and hikers alike. This new trail will relieve the pressure and create a safer, more enjoyable experience for everyone.

This $50,000 will close the gap to complete Phase 1 along with a Rec Trails Program grant secured by project partners Great Basin Institute and the Nevada Conservation Corps program, Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA), Nevada State Parks, Flume Trail Bikes, Nevada Department of Wildlife and the Tunnel Creek Lodge. All funds raised above and beyond the original campaign goal will go towards Phase 2 of the trail. 

“Creating opportunities for sustainable recreation within the Basin is a key goal of the Tahoe Fund, and this project has become even more important now that closures and trail damage caused by the Caldor Fire will be driving more users to the Flume trail,” said Tahoe Fund board member Cory Ritchie. “We are so grateful to all the donors and the Spaht Family for helping us fund this project twice as fast with their matching donation.”

“On behalf of Great Basin Institute and the Nevada Conservation Corps, I would like to thank the Spaht Family and individual donors for continuing to make this project a reality.  Without the generous donations, project implementation would not be possible.  The GBI team is very excited to begin trail construction and look forward to providing additional sustainable recreation opportunities for the Tahoe Basin” said Kevin Dose, deputy director of Great Basin Institute.

Volunteers are needed to help begin the work of clearing brush along the trail route. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact TAMBA at trails@tamba.org or keep an eye on our events page for upcoming volunteer days at tamba.org/events.

The donation will support the Tahoe Fund’s Smartest Forest Fund and post Caldor Fire restoration efforts

In celebration of its 20th anniversary, casual footwear brand BEARPAW is donating $20,000 to the Tahoe Fund in support of its Smartest Forest Fund and post-Caldor fire restoration efforts. Founder Tom Romero, inspired to start the brand after a profound bear encounter on the shores of Lake Tahoe, is returning the brand to its Tahoe roots in honor of the anniversary.

The Smartest Forest Fund was created to invest in innovative projects that will significantly increase the pace and scale of forest restoration to help prevent catastrophic wildfire.

“We are very grateful for this partnership with BEARPAW that supports our mission to restore our forests,” said Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund. “Now, more than ever, the forest needs advocates. Contributions like this help us do the work that is necessary to keep our forests healthy and prevent future catastrophic wildfires.” 

As a brand that creates products for active lifestyles, BEARPAW is committed to environmental stewardship and contributing toward the preservation and restoration of our natural world. This partnership with the Tahoe Fund aligns with the company’s goal to help to ensure that there will be mountains, forests, beaches, and oceans for generations to come.

“Lake Tahoe has been in my life since the 1970’s and was the birthplace of the BEARPAW brand 20 years ago.  Supporting the Tahoe Fund’s Smartest Forest Fund is the ‘pawfect’ partnership, especially after recent fires made their way into the Tahoe Basin,” said Tom Romeo, CEO & Founder of BEARPAW. “This is just one of many programs we look to support and develop with this important organization in my peaceful place, Lake Tahoe.”

About BEARPAW

Tom Romeo founded the BEARPAW brand in 2001 with the intention of redefining casual footwear by utilizing sheepskin, nature’s own technical fabric, to create comfortable and stylish shoes. Sheepskin naturally regulates body temperature so feet stay cooler and drier in the heat and warmer in the cold. From slippers and boots in the winter to sandals and flats in the spring, only the finest materials are used to produce BEARPAW shoes.

Now with an extensive line of footwear that covers multiple categories all year round, BEARPAW is available throughout the United States and in over 45 countries around the world. BEARPAW will continue to offer the utmost in comfort while new products leverage their philosophy of creating stylish designs in premium materials for women, men and children.

Learn more about bearpaw.com.