Published: Jul 11, 2022
South Lake Tahoe, Calif.—The California Tahoe Conservancy’s Board has appointed Jason Vasques as the Conservancy’s new executive director. Vasques takes the reins at a pivotal time for the state agency and its mission.
“The Board is thrilled to have Jason lead the Conservancy,” said Conservancy Board Chair and El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel. “His deep knowledge of the agency and its work, along with his science and management experience, made him an exceptional candidate. We are all excited about the Conservancy’s future under his guidance.”
Vasques takes the lead at the Conservancy as the agency accelerates its work to improve climate resilience for natural lands and watersheds in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Following last year’s wildfires, the Conservancy is expanding its work to reduce wildfire risk for Tahoe landscapes and communities. At the same time, Conservancy projects and grants are improving access for all to the recreation opportunities that have made Tahoe famous worldwide.
“Tahoe faces big challenges,” said Vasques. “Fortunately, the Conservancy has a great team in its employees, and partners who care just as much as we do about the region’s communities and landscapes. Working together, we can get the things done that we need to protect this special place. I am honored to lead the Conservancy at this critical time”
Vasques assumes the role of the Conservancy’s executive director on August 8, following five years with the state agency. Educated in the U.S. and New Zealand, Vasques brings over two decades of experience in state government and nonprofit management, from the coral reefs of the Caribbean to rivers and streams in the Sierra Nevada and California’s central valley. Vasques previously supervised the agency’s landscape forestry program. Vasques is just the third executive director to lead the Conservancy. Growing up in a mixed heritage home in a rural farming community in the central San Joaquin Valley, Vasques is committed to a vision for Tahoe that benefits all.
The California Tahoe Conservancy is a state agency under the California Natural Resources Agency. The Conservancy leads the State of California’s efforts to restore and enhance the Basin’s natural and recreational resources. The Conservancy manages nearly 4,700 properties, totaling about 6,500 acres of state land, for open space and public access. The agency pursues strategic acquisitions of environmentally sensitive lands, operates a land bank, implements projects to protect the natural environment and promote recreation and access to Lake Tahoe, and provides grants to support Basin partner projects with similar goals. Through such work—and via partnerships and larger, landscape-scale initiatives—the Conservancy works to enhance climate resilience, foster sustainable communities, improve forest health and reduce wildfire risk, and restore important wildlife habitat and biodiversity.
Media Contact: Chris Carney, Communications Director, 530-543-6057, chris.carney@tahoe.ca.gov
Media Resources: Photo of Jason Vasques
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