We recently released our Tahoe Fund Annual Report, and it is clear that last year was full of transformational change for Lake Tahoe. Our partners throughout the region rallied around projects that are speeding up forest health treatments, undertaking large-scale conservation projects, and revolutionizing how recreation and tourism are managed. Much of this work is in large part due to the philanthropic generosity of our community. 

For example, earlier this year we joined forces with a handful of other Tahoe organizations to provide critical funding for the California Tahoe Conservancy’s acquisition of the Motel 6 property and surrounding 31 acres within the Upper Truckee River watershed. This was the first step in one of the most important restoration projects in Lake Tahoe’s history. We remain committed to transforming this sensitive wetland into a healthy filtration system for Lake Tahoe, and are excited to support the next phase of the project: demolishing the existing buildings on-site. 

In the spring, we partnered with local fire agencies and philanthropic organizations to demonstrate how innovative technology can improve forest health treatments in Tahoe. During a three-day pilot in Incline Village, BurnBot showcased their remote mastication tools, which remove excess trees, bushes, and other forest debris 10 times faster than traditional methods. This allows crews to complete thinning projects more safely and in a fraction of the time, with less impact to the environment. The team completed a 22-acre fuels reduction treatment in just three days. Typically, a similar treatment done by hand crews would take at least two weeks.

We’ve also seen the power of collaboration with the region’s first ever Destination Stewardship Plan, bringing together land managers, business owners, public agencies, and nonprofits around a shared vision for the future of our Lake. At the core of this vision is taking better care of our environment for all to enjoy. That sentiment should sound familiar as it is at the core of what we do at the Tahoe Fund. Already, this new plan is redefining how we collectively manage outdoor recreation and tourism, and the results speak for themselves: less litter, better access to beaches, and more microtransit options. 

These projects are only some examples of what the generosity of our donors has helped our partners accomplish over the last year. In total, the Tahoe Fund granted over $1.4 million to 50-plus projects in our five focus areas: forest health, lake clarity, sustainable recreation, stewardship, and transportation. 

The unwavering commitment of our Stewardship Circle members and the contributions of project donors power everything we do at the Tahoe Fund. That support is what enables us to be a catalyst for change in Tahoe. For that, we are eternally grateful.

Learn more about these and other impactful projects the Tahoe Fund has supported and how to give back to the Tahoe environment at http://www.tahoefund.org.

Cory Ritchie is the former Tahoe Fund Board Chair; Amy Berry is the CEO of the Tahoe Fund.