When you hear someone say they were born and raised in Lake Tahoe, you might imagine a childhood full of exploring the surrounding mountains and alpine lakes. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Children from underserved communities in Tahoe often miss out on opportunities and lack access to connect with the outdoor environment.  

Generation Green, a program run by the USDA Forest Service – Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU), creates opportunities for these local high school students through a summer of working and learning in the forest. In a typical year, Generation Green crews are mentored by Forest Service personnel over eight weeks. The students develop a variety of career skills, build leadership experience, and gain the confidence of making a difference in the world.

But 2020 is no typical year. When the world sheltered-in-place, it seemed impossible to run a successful program in 2020. As meetings, conferences, happy hours all went virtual, Generation Green did too. The question became, how do you encapsulate an eight-week backcountry program into an online format? The answer, you don’t. Recognizing that an eight-week Zoom course isn’t very appealing to students, the program was condensed into two weeks. 

To keep this online program compelling, the Forest Service got creative. Members from four California National Forests collaborated to give participants an in-depth look at the diverse forest ecosystems and careers across the state. The program was made possible with funding generously provided by Friends of the Angeles Forest and California Consortiums. Despite the extensive modifications, students appreciated the experience. “It was so much fun to meet a whole bunch of people that were also in the program this year,” said Bella Munson from South Lake Tahoe. “Also, getting to learn more about the Forest Service and all the jobs in it was super cool.” 

To honor each of the participants, donors from the Tahoe Fund teamed up with REI Co-op to deliver new hiking boots to each participant. Having supported Generation Green over many years, Tahoe Fund was thrilled to help support the students who completed the virtual 2020 program. “We absolutely love this program and the way it introduces a new generation of students to the work of the Forest Service and to the outdoors, “ said Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry. “We hope they will lace up their new boots and start putting their new skills to use on trails.” 

Generation Green and the LTBMU are hoping to run a regular eight-week program in 2021, and the students can’t wait. When asked if he would participate next year, Ngoc Nyguen said, “Of course, I can’t wait to gain more experience for myself. My little brother might join next year.” Since its founding in 2008, 95 percent of participants in the Generation Green program have continued on to higher education, and six graduates are now permanent  Forest Service employees.

The nonprofits have teamed up to install nearly 450 bike racks in the Tahoe Basin over the last three years, offering secure parking for 900 bikes

With a grant from the Tahoe Fund and matching contributions from local businesses, the nonprofit Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition completed the third phase of its efforts to create secure bike parking within the Tahoe Basin. The Bike Coalition purchased and installed 100 bike racks in high-priority spots near Town Centers and one public bike repair station in Tahoe this summer, offering parking for 200 bikes. In total, the Bike Coalition and Tahoe Fund have teamed up to provide access to 450 bike racks at outdoor recreation locations, area businesses and community hotspots all around the lake since 2018, offering secure parking for up to 900 bikes.

“The Bike Coalition has consistently heard from members and supporters that the lack of bike racks is a barrier to getting people to make more trips by bike. Based on this need, we created the Bike Racks for Tahoe program in 2018,” said Chris Mertens, Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition board member. “Anecdotally, we regularly see bikes parked at the new racks, sometimes as they are being installed, and locations throughout the Basin have been very happy with the program.”

The Bike Coalition had the high-quality bike racks installed at 31 locations within one-quarter mile of Town Centers around the Lake including South Lake Tahoe, Kings Beach, Tahoe City and Incline Village. Each of the two styles of racks provided can park two bicycles.

Businesses, recreation spots and schools applied for racks by completing a short online survey. Along with the racks, the Bike Coalition also purchased five public “fix-it” stations over the last two years. The stations have been installed in convenient locations where people riding bikes can use tools and a pump to address minor bicycle repair issues for free. This year, a fix-it station and bike rack were sent to North Tahoe in memory of Pam Emmerich, a long-time resident, community advocate and champion of bicycling. 

“The Tahoe Fund has continued to support the Bike Coalition’s efforts to install more bike racks because we recognize the value it offers to the community and the Tahoe environment,” said Allen Biaggi, Tahoe Fund board chair. “Increasing the amount of bicycle parking and access to free repair stations region-wide encourages residents and visitors to ride. This in turn helps reduce vehicle emissions and roadway sediment that can affect lake clarity.”

Along with ongoing advocacy, event bike parking, safety messaging and providing the Tahoe Region bike map, the Bike Coalition plans to continue to inventory bike racks. It also advocates for requiring bike parking with all new development and will continue to provide as many racks to existing locations as possible through partnerships like what has been established with the Tahoe Fund. 

An interactive map of existing rack locations can be found online at tahoebike.org/bike-parking. Learn more about the Lake Tahoe Bicycle Coalition at tahoebike.org.

TAHOE CITY, Calif. (Sept. 25, 2020) – Teens 4 Tahoe, an environmental stewardship group formed by six teens in collaboration with the nonprofit Tahoe Fund, will host a free virtual screening of the award-winning documentary Wilder Than Wild: Fire, Forests, and the Future on October 4, 2020 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. The virtual event, proposed by the teens living in Tahoe and around the Bay Area, will be the group’s first effort to help educate their peers about wildfire preparedness. It will include viewing of the one-hour long documentary followed by an online Q&A session with Kevin White, the film’s producer.

Concepted by 16-year-old Convent High School student Eliza Spaht of San Francisco, Teens 4 Tahoe was formed when Spaht decided she wanted to inspire others her age to help preserve Lake Tahoe and raise awareness of the environmental challenges the region faces. She connected with the Tahoe Fund to start Teens 4 Tahoe. The group will work together to encourage environmental stewardship of regional youth. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the group agreed a virtual event would be the right first step in their effort.

“I started the Teens 4 Tahoe group because I wanted a way to inspire kids my age to find ways to take action and help drive environmental change — particularly to help preserve Lake Tahoe,” said Eliza Spaht, founding member of Teens 4 Tahoe. “With the help of the Tahoe Fund, our intention is to help our peers learn what some of the challenges are that Tahoe faces and how we can become stewards of Tahoe and the broader environment.”

Wilder than Wild reveals how fire suppression and climate change have exposed Western landscapes to large, high-intensity wildfires. The sixty-minute film explores strategies that are being developed to help mitigate the impact of these fires. 

“Part of living in a forest like we do in Tahoe means living with the threat of catastrophic wildfire,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO. “We are so inspired by the young people who feel compelled to align their efforts with our mission and encourage their peers to become involved in our work to support a sustainable future for Lake Tahoe. They truly are the next generation of stewards that Tahoe needs.”

This event is free and open to the public thanks to sponsorship from the Tahoe Fund. Interested participants can register to attend at http://bit.ly/WilderThanWild.

Teens interested in joining the Teens 4 Tahoe stewardship group can learn more at www.tahoefund.org/teens-4-tahoe/.

To learn more about what you can do to help prepare for wildfire at Lake Tahoe, visit www.tahoelivingwithfire.com and connect with the Tahoe Network of Fire Adapted Communities

The Tahoe Daily Tribune recently published the following op-ed by Tahoe Fund CEO Amy Berry welcoming the growing members of the Tahoe community;

It is no secret that remote working and distance learning is giving many new home buyers and second homeowners the opportunity to live full-time at Lake Tahoe. We think this is a great opportunity for Tahoe.

Over the years, we at the Tahoe Fund have discussed the benefits of a less transient population to help increase engagement in issues and to help support a year-round economy. Rather than homes sitting empty most months of the year, we are hopeful we will now have a more vibrant and engaged community.

I know a little something about joining the Tahoe community. I first moved here in 2003 from New York City. I felt a bit like a fish out of water. I was madly in love with the blue lake and towering mountain peaks, so it felt like an easy decision to move here.

But going from city life to mountain life took some adjusting. And not just because of my new neighbors (a family of black bears). That’s why I want to take the time to say on behalf of the Tahoe Fund board, welcome to your new adventure in Tahoe.

Tahoe is an amazing place to live all year round. It is full of other people just like you who have made the big decision to call the mountains and this beautiful lake home. You will soon learn that you are in a very small community. Before long, you will know the names of the supermarket check-out staff, your barista, all the dogs at the dog park and your neighbors. You will also learn the value of good snow tires in the winter, fat skis to navigate epic powder days and that you can sneak in a few early morning ski runs before your first conference call of the day.

I will admit, I lived for many years here in a state of ignorance. I rode the trails and wondered, who built all of these? I swam in the lake and wondered, how is it so clear? I read all those interesting historical signs and thought, who took the time to write these? It wasn’t until years later that I started paying attention to the work that goes into managing Lake Tahoe.

I remember being shocked to learn that there are more than 50 organizations working together to improve Tahoe’s environment.

Now, as CEO of one of those organizations, I am acutely aware of the hard work that happens every day to maintain a balance between the human and natural environments.

At the Tahoe Fund, we work closely with these organizations to ensure more environmental improvement projects are completed. Our mission is to use the power of philanthropy to improve the Lake Tahoe environment for all to enjoy.

Thanks to the wonderful support of the private community, we recently celebrated our 10-year anniversary and the completion of more than 40 projects that helped secure more than $50 million in public funding. We also celebrated the first anniversary of the new Tahoe East Shore Trail that we helped make possible with more than $1 million in private donations. Working with our partners, we are continuing to help improve lake clarity, expand sustainable recreation, fix our forests, solve our transportation issues, and help create stewards of Tahoe.

I hope you will take the time to get engaged and learn more about the work that is being done in your neighborhood and around the basin to improve the Tahoe environment. I hope you will learn to ditch your plastic water bottles for the best tasting water in the country, Tahoe Tap. I hope you will lock up your trash from bears. I hope you will join a trail building day to help us create a sustainable trail network. I hope you will get engaged in the issues and speak up for Tahoe’s environment.

And, I hope you will check out TahoeFund.org to see how you can help support one of our many collaborative projects. While you are there, sign up for our weekly Tahoe Fun Facts to get some true “locals’” knowledge so you can impress your friends and family. With your passion, engagement and support, Tahoe will continue to be the place we all want to call home.

On behalf of Senator Cortez Masto, we are pleased to invite you to the first-ever virtual and 24th annual Lake Tahoe Summit on August 25, 2020. This year’s Summit keynote speaker will be Nevada native and two-time Olympic Gold Medalist David Wise.

Click on this link or the picture below to register for the 2020 Lake Tahoe Virtual Summit!