Uncategorized Archives - Page 23 of 26

Christmas Tree Permits Will Be Available Nov 25

November 20, 2019 by Guest

Our favorite Tahoe holiday tradition is back, and it’s about more than cutting trees. Starting November 25^th, the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will be granting tree-cutting permits to the general public. This program allows for a great family experience, while taking the smaller trees that cause excess vegetation and increase fire danger.

Here are a few specifics to know before applying for a permit this year.

Where to purchase a permit?
Christmas tree permits will be sold at two locations this year:

Forest Supervisor’s Office, 35 College Drive, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150.
- Open: Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays.
North Lake Tahoe Visitor Center, 100 N. Lake Blvd., Tahoe City, CA 96145.
- Open: Seven days a week from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m., excluding Christmas Day.

How much do permits cost?

Each permit will cost $10, payable by cash, check, or credit card.

How many permits are given out?

This year the USDA will be limiting permits to one per family.

Permit Specifics

Available: starting Monday November 25 and can be purchased up until December 31 to allow time for military families that have to celebrate the holidays late.
Tree Types: Pine, Cedar, or Fir
Tree Size: The tree must be no larger than 6 inches in diameter at the base and no more than 10 feet from another tree (tape measure is provided with the permit).
Where to cut: Maps will be provided when given the permit.
How to cut: Must remove tree from the base, leaving no more than 6 inches of stump.
Before you leave: Tag the tree before exiting the area.

Every Kid Outdoors Program

Through the “Every Kid Outdoors Program,” fourth-grade students can obtain a free Christmas tree permit by bringing a valid Every Kid Outdoors pass.
The permits for Every Kid Outdoors Program are only available at the South Lake Tahoe location.
For more information about this program, visit https://everykidoutdoors.gov/index.htm.

Important

It is important to understand that travel is weather dependent in Tahoe.
Before heading out to your tree-cutting destination, notify people where you are going and always check the weather report; never cut trees in conditions that are wet and windy.

For more information, please visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/ChristmasTreePermits

Take Care Tahoe & Kind Traveler Empower Explorers to Travel Responsibly to Lake Tahoe

October 23, 2019 by Amy Berry

Travelers are rewarded for their act of kindness in giving back to Take Care Tahoe with exclusive rates and perks from Kind Hotels on Kind Traveler

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (Oct. 23, 2019) — Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority (LTVA) launched a sustainable travel initiative with Kind Traveler, the first socially conscious Give + Get hotel booking and sustainable travel education platform that empowers travelers to make a positive community and environmental impact to the destinations they visit.

How It Works: A Triple Win
Travelers can now access exclusive rates (that result in a significant savings) with curated South Lake Tahoe hotels upon a $10 nightly donation to Take Care Tahoe, an initiative that’s a collective group of more than 30 organizations that love Lake Tahoe and want to see more people connect with its beautiful natural environment. One hundred percent of the donation goes to charity, creating a triple win amongst the hotel, charity, and traveler.

Why Now?
In a recent 2019 sustainable travel report by Booking, it was revealed that 71% of travelers think that travel companies should offer consumers more sustainable travel choices. On the other hand, almost half (46%) of global travelers acknowledge that they find it harder to make sustainable choices on while on vacation than in everyday life.

Responsible Travel: Take Care Tahoe
Take Care Tahoe is a tool for ecotourism seekers developed by a collective group of 30+ organizations that love Lake Tahoe and want to make it easier for people to find fun and interesting ways to learn more about Tahoe.

Working together, the group has launched the newly redesigned and easy-to-use www.takecaretahoe.org to provide a single information source for all environmental education activities. Beach cleanups, wildflower hikes, insightful discussions, and environmentally friendly festivals are just a few of the opportunities people can find on the new site.

“The Take Care Tahoe program is a great way to let our visitors know all the options to help take care of Tahoe,” said Amy Berry, Tahoe Fund CEO and Take Care Tahoe partner. “We are thrilled to partner with Kind Traveler and our local hotels to help spread awareness of Take Care.”

Sustainable South Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the U.S. and one of the clearest large Alpine lakes in the world. Although many of its watersheds and aquatic habitats were degraded as a result of past human activities, a partnership of federal, state, local agencies, private interests, scientists and the Washoe Tribe are collaborating to protect and improve the extraordinary natural and recreational resources of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

Over the past 20 years, partners have worked to treat 74,000 acres of land to reduce fire threats, restore lake clarity and 1,700 acres of wetlands, enhanced fish and wildlife habitat, and added 3,195 feet of public shoreline for recreation of Lake Tahoe.

What Does a $10 Donation Do?
Not only will a $10 nightly donation allow travelers to access exclusive rates and perks from Kind Hotels in South Lake Tahoe as a reward for their act of kindness, it will also help create a significant positive impact.

For example, a $10 donation to Take Care Tahoe will:

Provide lunch for one trail building volunteer
Provide three new Take Care Tahoe signs, with friendly and amusing reminders to visitors and residents to Take Care of Tahoe

“Beyond empowering and educating travelers on the exact type of positive impact they can make through their donation, it’s proven in the biology of kindness that by donating or volunteering, it’s possible to create a chemical shift in your brain, leading one to feel happier and healthier. This is the perfect storm for the traveler looking to have a more memorable, meaningful, and values-aligned vacation experience,” said Jessica Blotter, CEO & Co-Founder of Kind Traveler.

Participating Kind Hotels

Edgewood Tahoe:
As the first Kind Hotel to join the sustainable travel initiative in Lake Tahoe, Edgewood Tahoe, a LEED silver certified eco-luxury alpine lodge, is offering exclusive hotel rates and perks as reward for a $10 nightly donation to Take Care Tahoe, or a charity of choice, on Kind Traveler’s Give + Get hotel booking and education platform. In addition to exclusive hotel rates, perks include 20 percent off spa services, a daily $20 dining credit, a complimentary glass of wine or cocktail at check-in, a welcome amenity, and more.

Hard Rock Hotel Lake Tahoe:
One of the most widely recognized brands worldwide, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe, has also joined initiative to empower travelers to support Take Care Tahoe. In addition to recently eliminating all plastic straws and transitioning to paper only to-go bags, Hard Rock will offer perks that include a $15 food & beverage credit, a $15 Free Play Voucher, and upon availability, a room upgrade and late check-in/check-out.

Future Kind Hotels:
The initiative plans to on-board additional Kind Hotels in Lake Tahoe in further engaging all stakeholders in the sustainable travel campaign.

Destination Stewardship Through Education
Take Care has created a fun and youthful campaign that shares the message of responsible travel through downloadable posts for travelers to easily share in furthering the message that is critical in keeping Lake Tahoe sustainable for generations to come. As an education platform, Kind Traveler will champion and amplify the Take Care Tahoe campaign through its blog, newsletters, and social media to further the message of responsible travel to Lake Tahoe.

For more information on how travelers can #TravelKindly to South Lake Tahoe, visit www.kindtraveler.com.

ABOUT TAKE CARE TAHOE
Take Care Tahoe is a collective group of more than 30 organizations that love Lake Tahoe and want to see more people connect with this beautiful natural environment. Through a regional collaboration, the team has created a clever and engaging stewardship campaign that reminds residents and visitors to take care of Tahoe. The newly launched www.takecaretahoe.org is a one-stop resource for all things related to environmental education events, volunteer opportunities and messages in the Tahoe Region, with information on more than 30 organizations and more than 200 events. Tahoe Fund is the fiscal sponsor of Take Care Tahoe.

ABOUT KIND TRAVELER
Kind Traveler, a public benefit corporation (PBC), is the first socially conscious ‘Give + Get’ hotel booking and sustainable travel education platform that empowers travelers to make a positive community or environmental impact to the destinations they visit. Travelers access exclusive rates and special perks to book directly with curated hotels upon a $10 nightly donation to a local charity that positively impacts the visiting destination, or to charity of choice on Kind Traveler. 100 percent of the donations raised on the Kind Traveler platform go directly to charities. Kind Traveler currently represents 100+ hotels and 60 charities in 15 countries. All charities are poised to address the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at KindTraveler.com.

Tahoe Fund Launches ‘Smartest Forest Fund’ to Accelerate the Pace and Scale of Forest Restoration

August 19, 2019 by Amy Berry

New initiative will provide seed funding to public and private sector ideas for rapidly improving forest health in the Tahoe Basin

TAHOE CITY, Calif. (Aug. 20, 2019) – The Sierra Nevada forest is home to over 100 million dead trees, and in the Tahoe Basin, tree mortality has exploded to 160,000 in the past few years. At a dinner event attended last night by California and Nevada Governors Newsom and Sisolak, and Senators Cortez-Masto and Feinstein, the nonprofit Tahoe Fund launched the Smartest Forest Fund. Designed to use philanthropy to drive innovation through seed funding, the Smartest Forest Fund will invest seed funding in new ideas and pilot projects that will significantly increase the pace and scale of forest restoration, bolstering the great work already underway by the US Forest Service, California and Nevada.

“Many people believe it is not a matter of if, but when we will face a catastrophic wildfire in the Tahoe Basin,” said John Jones, Tahoe Fund Board Member who is leading the initiative. “We know the devastation that occurred with the Camp Fire in Paradise, California could happen here. For this reason, the Tahoe Fund has identified forest health as our number one priority.”

To get started, the Tahoe Fund announced it will support three projects:

A $30,000 grant will be provided to the US Forest Service to develop an acoustic monitoring protocol and system to more effectively determine the value of habitat and the occurrence of the California spotted owl in project areas. Combined with automated recording device deployment, this will more efficiently detect individual owls and thereby shorten the existing process from two years to one year.
A $35,000 grant will join the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s support of Salo Sciences and Planet’s efforts to build the California Forest Observatory, an interoperable, aggregated data platform that will support dynamic, real-time wildfire risk mapping. If successful, it could significantly reduce the time needed for forest restoration planning, and also support emergency operations.
A $35,000 grant to support the efforts of the Nevada Division of Forestry will be provided to begin the process of re-starting the Carson City Biomass facility. Once restarted, the facility will create a new off-taker of excess timber less than 20 miles from the Tahoe Basin.

Although significant barriers to forest restoration planning and implementation exist today, the intent of the Smartest Forest Fund is to remove those barriers through technology and innovation. Projects supported by the Smartest Forest Fund will:

Dramatically decrease the time it takes to plan and approve restoration work
Use technology to enhance wildlife studies and harvesting plans
Find new outlets for excess fuel in the forest
Prepare the community for wildfire evacuation
Find new financial tools to do more, quickly

“We know that some of the ideas and projects the Smarter Forest Fund supports will work, and some may not. Working together with our public agency partners, we believe there is an opportunity to harness the power of philanthropy and the private sector to help fix our forest,” continued Jones.

This fall, in partnership with Tahoe’s forest management agencies, the Tahoe Fund will launch a call for innovative project ideas that align with the goal of increasing the pace and scale of forest restoration. Public agencies and private sector organizations will be invited to submit their ideas for funding. Tahoe Fund will also provide opportunities to collaborate with the public agencies and an experimental forest in the Lake Tahoe Basin to test out the ideas that are brought forward.

Tahoe East Shore Trail: What to Know Before You Go

August 9, 2019 by Amy Berry

Tahoe East Shore Trail: What to Know Before You Go

Even before the first line was drawn on a map in 1988, residents and visitors of North Lake Tahoe have been dreaming of a trail that provides a safer alternative for cyclists and beach goers near the scenic East Shore of Lake Tahoe. Through the work of 13 partners, the impossible is now a reality with the opening of the new Tahoe East Shore Trail. The opportunity now exists to safely explore a wide range of activities along the East Shore, whether walking, riding, or rolling. Here’s what you need to know before you go.

Access for All: The new Tahoe East Shore Trail offers a 3-mile long, 10-foot wide paved path that meets the American Disability Act standards to make certain that everyone can participate whether walking, rolling, running, or riding. Pedal-assist e-bikes are welcome, but leave motorized vehicles or scooters at home.

Parking: To alleviate the risk of crossing SR 28, there are 91 new parking spots at the northern end of the trail, ensuring a safer, easier place to unload for the day. Roadside parking along SR 28 is now prohibited. You must pay to park in peak seasons. You can text tun1-1 to 727563 to pay by phone.

Shuttle Services: The East Shore Express is a great way to access the path if parking is full. Pick up the shuttle at the old Incline Elementary School on Southwood or the Sand Harbor Visitors Center. Bus fare is $3 for the general public, and $1.50 for seniors and individuals with disabilities.

Bike Rentals: Rent a bike to explore the new trail at Flume Trail Bikes (https://flumetrailtahoe.com/) located at the Northern Trailhead, or at Village Ski Loft located about one mile north on SR 28.

Mountain Side to the Lake: The first mile of the path is on the mountain side of the highway, offering spectacular views of Tahoe from a completely new vantage point. Cross through the tunnel, and enjoy two miles of path along the shoreline. The steepest section of the path is on the mountain side, but it never reaches more than 8% grade.

Beach Access Points: Bring a towel! The East Shore Trail offers 11 beach access points for a cool, refreshing mid-trail swim, including safer and easier access to the popular Hidden Beach. Bike racks along the path offer a secure place to lock up a bike or stroller.

Dogs: The trail is pet friendly, so leashed four-legged family members are welcome. Keep in mind the path does get very hot during peak sunlight hours as there is very little shade, especially on the long bridge. Dogs are not recommended during hot summer days. And, don’t forget to pick up after your pup.

Vista Points: There are 16 vista points along the path that offer beautiful rest stops to get off the path and enjoy the views. While there, take the time to read the inscriptions vista point donors wrote on their Tahoe-shaped plaques.

Trail Etiquette: As you can imagine, the path is very popular for walkers and cyclists. Please stay to the right and pass on the left. Don’t walk four or more across the path. Cyclists must yield to hikers.

Tunnel Creek Café: Located at the Northern Trailhead, a new remodel of this popular trailhead cafe (re-opening soon) will be sure to take care of all your pre- and post-trail needs. From the Café, you can access a lot of really exciting mountain bike rides and hikes including the iconic Flume Trail and Monkey Rock.

Bears and Trout: Along the path you will notice bears set in concrete and steel trout mounted along the bridges. These are in honor of Tahoe Fund donors who help raise more than $1M in private donations to secure the public funding needed for the path. All donations of $100 or more are featured on the donor wall at the start of the trail. Donations are still being accepted. If you would like your name added to the path on a bear, trout or the next donor wall, visit tahoefund.org/donate.

Sand Harbor: The Southern most end of the trail concludes at Sand Harbor, a wonderful place to enjoy Lake Tahoe and spend time with friends and family. Entrance from the path is $2 for both cyclists and pedestrians. The most popular State Park in Nevada, Sand Harbor offers access to giant boulders, crystal clear water, sandy beaches, and kayak rentals among other things.

Pack In, Pack Out: Do your part to take care of Tahoe by always picking up your trash and personal belongings before you go.

Now that you know what to expect, get out on the path and see for yourself how the “Impossible Trail” became reality.

PLEDGE FOR THE WILD

July 23, 2019 by Amy Berry

Let’s say you spend a day in South Lake Tahoe. You enjoy a morning of mountain biking on the Corral Trail, followed by a swim at Nevada Beach. Your cost for this day of recreation bliss? Free.

Okay, there’s gas involved, and maybe a day-use parking fee. But for the most part, you get access to stunning, well-marked trails without ever getting a chance to help support the maintenance and preservation of those awesome areas.

Until now.

WHAT’S PLEDGE FOR THE WILD?

There’s a trend in the travel world where visitors are looking for ways to give back to special places they love. Visiting a cool wilderness area is one thing, but actively investing in making sure it’s there for generations to come? That’s next-level awesome.

That’s what Pledge for the Wild is all about. It’s sustainable tourism at its best, starting with five U.S. mountain towns making it easier for tourists to open their hearts and digital wallets in support of wild places.

Participating cities have taken stock of which land managers and nonprofits are working to protect the wild places in their community. From there, Pledge for the Wild towns are creating direct channels for visitors to support those organizations through online donations or text-to-donate.

WHY DO WE NEED THIS?

It’s no secret that funding for the Forest Service has been slashed to bits in recent years. That leaves a lot fewer resources devoted to things like trail maintenance. Sadly, there’s no such thing as a trail fairy who magically trims brush and removes fallen logs from your hiking path, and the aforementioned parking fees don’t quite cut it. That’s why nonprofit groups have jumped in to help tackle these tasks, and now you can support them with Pledge for the Wild.

WHO GETS THE MONEY IN TAHOE?

In Tahoe, we are the nonprofit receiving the funds. We will use the funds generated to support our efforts to drive innovation into everything happening in Tahoe, from new trails to lake clarity to new ways to restore our forest through our Environmental Venture Trust.

HOW DO I TRY IT OUT?

To use the text-to-donate feature, just text 44-321 and use the code WILD4TAHOE. From there, you can walk through the easy-peasy system to donate using your credit card or ApplePay.

WHAT OTHER TOWNS ARE INVOLVED?

The program launched June 2019 with five Western mountain towns that tend to attract an outdoorsy sort of traveler.

Tourism agencies in Bend, Oregon; Bozeman, Montana; Steamboat Springs, Colorado; Flagstaff, Arizona; and South Lake Tahoe, California & Nevada, are the founding cities for Pledge for the Wild, though more may join in the future.

ER, HOW MUCH SHOULD I GIVE?

It’s totally up to you! Even donations as small as a dollar can make a difference. One option is to add up all the time you spent recreating outdoors in Tahoe, then donate a buck for each hour. Not only is it a simple system to use, it’s a great way to look back over all the fun things you’ve done on your Tahoe vacation.

HOW CAN I LEARN MORE?

To discover more about Pledge for the Wild, visit www.pledgewild.com.

Read what Fast Company and Travel & Leisure have to say about this new program.