Lake Tahoe News: Sustainability Efforts Connect Economy And Environment

People often wonder why Lake Tahoe is so clear‚ and a big part of the answer is the people and organizations featured in Lake Tahoe news for their notable efforts to support the area’s sustainability. Together, these residents, businesses, and nonprofits are working to create optimal conditions for people to coexist harmoniously with the Lake Tahoe environment to support future generations.

Tourism and recreation represent the backbone of the Lake Tahoe region’s economy and community. A shared destination stewardship plan that strikes a balance between the requirements of the environment, businesses, visitors, and local communities is necessary for effectively addressing environmental issues.

To date, one of the most significant endeavors that made headlines in Lake Tahoe news is the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan. This unprecedented collaboration of public and private sector organizations is working to develop a shared vision to manage outdoor recreation responsibly and mutually.

Two of those organizations—Incline Village-based nonprofits the Tahoe Fund and Tahoe Prosperity Center—are actively collaborating with multiple organizations, business groups, and government agencies in Nevada and California to address the region’s challenges with over-tourism. Ultimately, that conversation is geared toward ensuring Incline Village and the Lake Tahoe region are not just premium tourism destinations but also sustainably conscious communities where people will choose to live.

“The reason I moved here almost 20 years ago and wanted to run the Tahoe Fund was that I love this place so much,” said Amy Berry, an Incline Village resident who’s served as CEO of the Tahoe Fund since 2012. “I love its natural beauty, access to the outdoors, hiking, and biking. But we must take care of the things that we love, and if we don’t manage how we’re treating the land, we have the potential of irreparably damaging it.”

A Shared Vision For The Future Of Lake Tahoe Sustainability

The idea for the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan was borne from biweekly phone calls and virtual meetings in 2021 among key stakeholders in Incline Village and across the region, leading to an official launch in February 2022 to the Lake Tahoe news and community. In the months since, members have tapped consultants to conduct research through extensive surveys of locals, homeowners, and visitors, as well as in-person stakeholder workshops.

The ideal endgame is for a roadmap to be published by January 2023 that includes an action plan and timeline, as well as performance metrics and a funding study to achieve outcomes that will collectively redefine how destination management can better optimize the value of recreation and tourism.

“Until this effort, there has never been a shared vision for tourism and recreation in Tahoe,” Berry said. “This was the first time this whole smorgasbord of people was together. It was a great collaboration. It’s very important to everybody involved that this isn’t just 10 people in a room who decide what the future of Tahoe looks like. We go to the community and ask the community, ‘What do you want?’ And then, we try to build a plan based on what the community wants.

Lake Tahoe News: Other Efforts To Protect the Lake Tahoe Environment

While the Destination Stewardship Plan is perhaps the boldest initiative to date in terms of a truly regional approach, there are plenty of worthy initiatives in the works to bolster Incline Village’s reputation as a sustainability haven, including:

Take Care Tahoe

Overseen by Berry and the Tahoe Fund, Take Care Tahoe is a collective of more than 50 organizations that love Lake Tahoe and want to see people connect with the region’s beautiful natural environment. Notably, the group has developed a series of fun cartoons that poke fun at the mistakes we all make when we’re not paying attention.

Traveler Responsibility Pledge

The Incline Village General Improvement District regularly promotes the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association’s Traveler Responsibility Pledge, composed of six tenets that align with primary sustainability initiatives of the region: Become a Steward of Lake Tahoe, Respect the Environment, Stay Educated, Keep Wildfire Wild, Be Fire Safe, and Demonstrate Mindful Travel.

Eco-Clean Solutions

Founded in 2020, this South Lake Tahoe company works to address wide-ranging ecological and environmental challenges, like removing plastics and debris from the shores of Tahoe, including Incline Village beaches. Its most significant contribution is the launch this summer of BEBOT, an all-electric, solar/battery-powered robot that sifts and cleans beaches without causing harmful degradation to native flora and fauna.

Travel North Tahoe Nevada

The former Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau rebranded to Travel North Tahoe Nevada this summer. The group, also a partner in the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan, has an overarching mission to inspire a sustainable and intentional experience through its Incline Village welcome center that boasts local creations and souvenirs that capture the essence of the unmatched beauty of the Sierra Nevada.

Incline Village Crystal Bay Community & Business Association (IVCBA)

The IVCBA’s mission is dedicated to building and growing cohesiveness for the sustainability of Incline Village and Crystal Bay. It does so by promoting the notion of “protecting our paradise” while noting that the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, located on the campus of Sierra Nevada University in Incline Village, is a must-see opportunity to make a difference.

Tahoe Fund and The Future

Aside from its connection to the Destination Stewardship Plan, the Tahoe Fund has worked tirelessly since being established in 2010 to help fund environmental projects with an emphasis on forest health, lake clarity, sustainable recreation, transportation, and stewardship.

“In 2010 and 2011, we did like three projects a year—last year, we helped fund over 40 different projects,” Berry said. “So, I think the impact is growing because we have tremendous community support. The amount of philanthropy we’ve seen is inspiring, and it’s allowed us to get so much done for Tahoe.”

Over the past few years, Tahoe Fund donors have leveraged $2 million in private funds to secure more than $40 million in public money. This funding has been used for projects to improve Lake Tahoe’s clarity, expand outdoor recreation, create healthier forests, improve transportation, and build new stewards of a sustainable environment.

Incline Village is home to multiple businesses and nonprofits that are laser-focused on Lake Tahoe sustainability—a testament to the community’s appeal for anyone considering relocation. A community’s commitment to sustainability is becoming an increasingly crucial factor for those deciding where to live, work and retire.

“Everyone has a role to play, from picking up after your dog or recycling or not feeding bears and protecting your garbage,” Berry said. “We’re all so fortunate to live here, and so we owe something back to Mother Nature to take care of it in return.”