Conservancy Grants $305,000 to the Washoe Tribe to Improve Forest, Watershed, and Wildfire Resilience

South Lake Tahoe Calif.—The California Tahoe Conservancy (Conservancy) has awarded a $305,000 grant to the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California for work in the Lake Tahoe Basin (Basin) to improve forest and watershed health and reduce wildfire risk. The grant helps increase the Tribe’s capacity to participate in forest, watershed, and wildfire resilience projects at Tahoe, as well as to advance the use of cultural prescribed burning and to cultivate culturally significant native plants.

“The Washoe Tribe have called the Lake Tahoe region home for thousands of years, and bring a unique and critically important perspective to the Conservancy and other Lake Tahoe agencies and organizations,” said Conservancy Board Chair and El Dorado County Supervisor Sue Novasel. “Ensuring the Tribe has greater resources to participate in forest and watershed planning will improve projects to restore the Basin’s natural resources and protect communities from wildfire.”

This grant supports the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California in restoring Wáˑšiw (Washoe) traditions and stewardship on the Tribe’s ancestral lands throughout the Basin. The grant will provide resources for the Tribe to participate in planned and current Basin projects, such as the Basin Community Wildfire and Protection Plan update, Caldor Fire post-fire recovery, and prescribed fire project planning and implementation by state and federal agencies. In addition, the grant will support the Tribe’s efforts to increase the use of culturally guided prescribed fire and to propagate culturally significant plants that are important for meadow, forest, and cultural plant restoration.

“The Washoe Tribe have been land stewards in and around the Basin since time immemorial,” said Rhiana Jones, Environmental Program Director with the Washoe Environmental Protection Department. “Today, the Washoe Tribe are still active land stewards in the area and through collaboration and coordination with Tahoe agencies and partners, such as the California Tahoe Conservancy, we are able to maintain some aspects of our culture, our traditional land management practices, and our connection within the Basin. Thank you to the California Tahoe Conservancy for your continued support.”

Funding for this grant comes from a Regional Forest and Fire Capacity grant provided by the California Department of Conservation.

Media contacts: Chris Carney, Communications Director, chris.carney@tahoe.ca.gov, 530-543-6057

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The California Tahoe Conservancy is a state agency, established in 1985, with a mission to lead California’s efforts to restore and enhance the extraordinary natural and recreational resources of the Lake Tahoe Basin. Learn more at tahoe.ca.gov.