January 2022 Conservancy Newsletter
Published: Jan 27, 2022
Amid a winter that has brought a boom-and-bust cycle for snowfall, the Conservancy staff is planning for a busy 2022. With our partners and your support, we look forward to a productive year to protect and restore this special place.
– California Tahoe Conservancy
Seven Ways Tahoe Trails like the Dennis T. Machida Memorial Greenway Benefit Everyone
In 2021, El Dorado County completed new sections of the Dennis T. Machida Memorial Greenway. Watch our latest video to see how trails like the Greenway connect the community, protect natural resources, and expand equitable access to our outdoors. The Greenway is part of the legacy of the leadership of Dennis T. Machida, the California Tahoe Conservancy’s first executive officer. Dennis was instrumental in establishing the Conservancy, and he went on to lead the agency for its first 20 years.
Planning for Conservancy Land Management in 2022
The Conservancy’s Land Management team is already planning for the 2022 field season. The Conservancy owns and manages approximately 4,700 properties at Lake Tahoe, totaling about 6,500 acres. Staff is scheduling restoration and maintenance projects and preparing to hire field crew members with Tahoe Resource Conservation District. Highlights for the coming season include restoring the former Urgent Care lot in South Lake Tahoe and rehabilitating the historic barn at Van Sickle Bi-State Park. Staff is coordinating closely with Nevada State Parks to plan for future improvements at Van Sickle. Land Management is also planning accessibility improvements at the Conservancy’s north shore beaches to ensure everyone can continue to access and enjoy Lake Tahoe.
Using Prescribed Fire to Improve Forest Resilience
The Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District’s Zephyr Crew is burning piles this winter on the Conservancy’s Dollar property near Tahoe City in Placer County. Prescribed burns protect Tahoe communities and improve forest resilience to climate change.
Governor Newsom Proposes State Investments to Combat Climate Change
California continues to face extreme weather conditions amid a changing climate. Governor Gavin Newsom’s California Blueprint tackles the increasing threat of climate change by combating wildfires and confronting the drought with new investments and actions. The Governor’s budget proposal includes support for the Conservancy’s core work. If you missed the budget briefings hosted by California Natural Resources Agency, you can watch them online now.
California Seeks Input on Draft Strategy to Achieve 30x30 Conservation Target
To protect biodiversity, advance equitable access to nature, and combat climate change, the California Natural Resources Agency has released California’s draft strategy to conserve 30 percent of the State’s land and coastal waters by 2030 (30×30). The draft of Pathways to 30×30: Accelerating Conservation of California’s Nature is now available for public review and feedback. Your input is invited through February 15, 2022.
The Conservancy is Hiring
Want to join a great team protecting a national treasure? The Conservancy has openings for an Office Technician and an Accounting Technician. Read the details here.
Upcoming California Tahoe Conservancy Board Meetings
The California Tahoe Conservancy Board will meet on March 17, 2022. An agenda will be available on the Conservancy website ten days prior to the meeting.
Lake Tahoe in the News
Lahontan Water Board approves testing of herbicides and non-chemical treatments for Tahoe Keys – Tahoe Daily Tribune, January 21, 2022
Keeping Tahoe Blue with Science (Opinion) – Tahoe Daily Tribune, January 23, 2022
Agreement for 56-acre-project in South Lake Tahoe involves land swap, new design – South Tahoe Now, January 26, 2022
