Collaborative Funding Makes It Possible to Restore 17 Acres of Wetlands

The USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), in partnership with the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), has begun the largest invasive plant removal project at Lake Tahoe, the LTBMU said today. This new project will remove 17 acres of invasive plants in the Taylor and Tallac creeks and marshes as part of a comprehensive restoration of one of the last natural wetlands in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Left unchecked, aquatic invasive plants can have devastating effects on Tahoe’s ecosystem and recreational resources.

“Invasive plant eradication projects have typically been measured in single acres,” said Sarah Muskopf, Aquatic Biologist with the Forest Service. “Using new technologies, including larger mats, reduces the cost of implementation and allows us to meet restoration objectives more efficiently.”

Crews are staking large tarps known as bottom barriers to the bottom of the Tallac Marsh and hope to have all the tarps in place by early 2022. Bottom barriers starve invasive weeds such as Eurasian watermilfoil of sunlight and are commonly used in the Tahoe Basin to control infestations. 

“Wetlands improve our region’s natural resiliency in the face of climate change by filtering runoff and other pollutants. The restoration of these marshes pays dividends in keeping the lake clear and improving wildlife habitat,” said Kat McIntyre, forest health program manager with TRPA. 

This project falls under the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP), an unparalleled collaboration working to achieve the environmental goals of the region. Funding is provided by federal Lake Tahoe Restoration Act allocations as well as $100,000 in private contributions from the Tahoe Fund. 

“We are thrilled to be able to support this absolutely critical invasive plant removal project thanks to the support of the Merrill Family Foundation,” said Amy Berry, CEO of the Tahoe Fund. “It is inspiring to see our public agency partners take on a project of this size as they continue to tackle this ongoing threat to Tahoe’s water quality.” 

The Forest Service asks recreators to respect the fencing around the project for public safety and to help ensure the project is successful. The project will not impede access to Kiva and Baldwin beaches and is anticipated to last through 2024.

Over $30,000 in grant funding will help regional volunteer search and rescue organizations with critical equipment upgrades

The Tahoe Fund granted $30,250 to Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue and the Washoe County Sheriff’s Office Hasty Team for critical equipment upgrades. These two regional volunteer search and rescue teams, who collectively responded to over 120 missions last year, now have new tools to help improve the effectiveness and efficiency of future rescues. 

“These volunteer rescue teams put in grueling work in all manner of weather and terrain and they are prepared to do it 24/7. Part of being prepared is having the most up-to-date equipment and the Tahoe Fund is happy to make that happen,” said Cory Ritchie, Tahoe Fund vice chair. “We are incredibly grateful for their life-saving contributions toward safe and sustainable recreation in Tahoe.”

Since 1976, Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue has been conducting fast, thorough, and safe rescues while educating the public on backcountry safety to reduce the number of incidents. The team is made up of EMTs, emergency room doctors and nurses, firefighters, ski patrollers, paramedics, and experienced backcountry skiers and snowmobilers who volunteer their time to help others.

“The Tahoe Fund grant allowed us to purchase a new set of GPS tracking radios to keep up with the growth of our volunteer team,” said Andrew Oesterreicher, Tahoe Nordic Search & Rescue board member. “With the new radios, we can ping the location of a team member every time they key the mic. This provides increased safety to our team members in the field and allows those at the command post to keep a log of what areas have been searched and by whom.”

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Hasty Team was founded in 1971 and is comprised of non-paid professionals in the Northern Nevada area. The team specializes in backcountry, mountain, dive, swiftwater, helicopter hoist, and technical rope rescues. This grant will provide the team with 25 mountain rescue kits, 15 new radios, and new technical rescue ropes to improve the capability and efficiency of future rescues.

“The generous grant from the Tahoe Fund has allowed us to purchase lightweight rescue gear for our Mountain Rescue Technicians and other equipment team members need to perform at a high level,” said Hasty team member Sas Hadden. “Having everyone on the team outfitted and equipped identically has helped us tremendously and made the technical rescues we undertake safer and more efficient. 

After serving the citizens of Northern Nevada and California for over 50 years, the Washoe County Sheriff’s Hasty Team recently voted to pursue accreditation with the Mountain Rescue Association (MRA), and this grant will help the team significantly throughout our upcoming MRA accreditation tests and, ultimately, will help us maintain the high level of technical proficiency that has come to be expected from the Hasty team.”

The various search and rescue teams throughout the Tahoe Basin share the same goals and often end up on the same calls, particularly during searches that occur during winter storms. The teams have started training and collaborating together on a more regular basis and are expanding their regional approach to search and rescue.

Take Care Tahoe to bring experts together to offer free virtual and in-person educational content for aspiring and experienced backcountry enthusiasts

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural Tahoe Backcountry Safety Awareness Week, Take Care Tahoe has convened partners from around the Tahoe Basin and beyond to lead free virtual and in-person educational sessions focused on backcountry safety December 13-18, 2021. With themed events scheduled over the course of six days, participants will learn about everything from why training matters and how to prepare, to how to use safety equipment, backcountry etiquette, and much more. Superstar professional athletes Michelle Parker, Jeremy Jones, Elyse Saugstad, and Claire Hewitt-Demeyer will be featured in the week’s events. 

“More and more people are venturing into the backcountry every year in Tahoe.  Unfortunately some do so without proper education, putting themselves and others at risk,” said Lauren Levi, Take Care Tahoe program manager. “When you head into the backcountry, you’re traveling into unpatrolled, uncontrolled areas. To do this safely, every detail matters. Education is key. That’s why we’ve brought together these partners to participate in Tahoe Backcountry Safety Awareness Week. Whether you’re new to the backcountry or someone who has extensive experience, you’re sure to learn something new. Some of this information could save your life.”

Each day’s content is centered around a theme for participants to become a more knowledgeable backcountry traveler, beginning with “Welcome to the New Backcountry” on December 13. Participants will learn about the current state of the backcountry, the associated risks, and how to get started. Throughout the week, other themes will include “Preparing for the Backcountry,” “Be a Friend in the Backcountry,” “Motors in the Backcountry,” a “Backcountry Safety Summit,” and “Give Back and Get Together.” Content will be provided by the Sierra Avalanche Center, Blackbird Mountain Guides, Golden State Guiding, Alpenglow Expeditions, the Tahoe Backcountry Alliance, Lake Tahoe Snowmobilers, public agencies and other nonprofits.

Days five and six feature in-person events where participants can connect with other backcountry users. Alpenglow Expeditions will host a Backcountry Safety Summit at Palisades Tahoe from 6pm – 9pm on Friday, December 17th that will feature a discussion hosted by Dave Nettle with professional skiers and riders Michelle Parker, Jeremy Jones, and Elyse Saugstad, along with members of Tahoe Nordic Search and Rescue. Beer and wine will be poured by Sierra Nevada and Revelshine with proceeds benefiting Sierra Avalanche Center. Attendees will also have the opportunity to take advantage of discounts for Alpenglow Expeditions’ backcountry courses.

On Saturday, December 18, the Town of Truckee will host a Trail Trash Cleanup at Glacier Way in Truckee and afterwards a Beacon Hunt will be offered by Tahoe Mountain Sports at the Alder Creek Adventure Center in Tahoe Donner. Lake Tahoe Snowmobilers will also be hosting a Beacon Park at Mount Rose. 

Throughout the week there will be opportunities to win free spots in AIARE Avalanche courses from Alpenglow Expeditions and Golden State Guiding, and free gear from Mountain Hardware. Blackbird Mountain Guides is also hosting a BIPOC Avalanche Scholarship to help make backcountry riding more accessible to underrepresented communities.  

Learn more and register at takecaretahoe.org.

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

As an organization focused on getting impactful projects done in the Lake Tahoe Basin, the Tahoe Fund is once again excited to open up its annual Call for Projects. Tahoe Fund has had a lasting impact on the region, funding more than 60 environmental projects and securing over $50M in public funding in the past decade. The organization is now seeking new projects that align with its strategic plan to add to its portfolio in 2022. 

With the ever increasing threat of wildfire in the West, the Tahoe Fund has identified forest health as its number one priority. Specifically, it looks to support projects that will increase the pace and scale of forest restoration. Other focus areas include improving lake clarity, expanding sustainable recreation, innovative solutions to transportation challenges, and creating more stewards of Lake Tahoe. 

“The Tahoe Fund’s goal is to get more environmental improvement projects completed through the generous philanthropy of our supporters,” said Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry. “We are excited to learn about new projects that align with our mission and find opportunities to work with our partners to get more done for Tahoe.”

The Tahoe Fund annual Call for Projects is an opportunity for innovative thinkers and organizations to secure the funding necessary to make their project to improve the Tahoe Basin a reality. 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 funding from Tahoe Fund support will be prioritized. 

Previous and current projects vary widely and benefit diverse users and goals in the Basin. They include the building of the new Tunnel Creek singletrack, supporting East Shore field trips for campers with physical disabilities from Camp Wamp, and removing trash from around all 72 miles of Lake Tahoe with a team of SCUBA divers. Their Caldor Trails Restoration Fund will support the rebuilding of beloved South Lake trails that were damaged or destroyed during the Caldor Fire.

The Tahoe Fund is particularly interested in projects that will allow it to achieve its mission to improve the Tahoe environment for all to enjoy.  

Projects submissions are due by January 31, 2022. 

Project guidelines and the request for projects submission form can be found here.

After the Caldor Fire devastated some of Tahoe’s favorite trails, extensive restoration work is required

While firefighters were able to successfully keep the Caldor Fire from claiming homes and businesses in South Lake Tahoe, the fast moving wildfire laid waste to some of the region’s favorite trails. As the U.S. Forest Service, Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association (TAMBA) and the Tahoe Rim Trail Association continue to assess the extent of the damage, the nonprofit Tahoe Fund has launched the Caldor Trails Restoration Fund to aid in the extensive trail restoration work that will be required.

“Based on early assessments, there’s no question that there is going to be a lot of trail restoration work in our region’s future,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “We’ve pledged to our trail building partners that through the establishment of the Caldor Trails Restoration Fund, we will be ready to help support this important work as they are able to get crews out to rebuild some of Tahoe’s most beloved trails.”

“The most popular mountain bike trails in the South Lake Tahoe area sustained heavy damage from the Caldor Fire, including burned bridges, signs and trail retaining structures. Between damage from fire itself as well as from dozers constructing suppression lines, more than 15 miles of trail suffered damage in the Tahoe Basin,” said Patrick Parsel, TAMBA trails director. “Additionally, areas that burned hottest will be prone to increased damage from winter storms due to lack of vegetation and hydrophobic soils which can contribute to debris flows and landslides. We will need to rebuild the damaged infrastructure as well as mitigate the potential for increased runoff by installing erosion control measures.”

Trail builders anticipate there will be increased maintenance needs on these trails over the next 10 years as trees come down and stump/root holes collapse. Donations to the Caldor Trails Restoration Fund will be used to repair the diverse trails that provide experiences for hikers, mountain bikers and other recreational users. Trail restoration efforts will leverage innovative, sustainable designs to protect the environment and minimize climate change impacts.

Learn more about the Caldor Trails Restoration Fund here.