June 2026 Conservancy Newsletter
Published: Jun 22, 2026
Tahoe’s busy summer season is here. The California Tahoe Conservancy and our partners are prepared. Whether you visit Lake Tahoe, or you live here, you are welcome at the beaches, forests, and other public lands that the Conservancy manages.
In addition to the updates on Conservancy projects and staff, we share news below on how to get to Emerald Bay without the hassles of traffic and parking, the latest clarity report for Lake Tahoe, and a way to get involved with taking care of Tahoe.
Get the most out of your time at the lake, on the river, or on the trail—plan ahead, slow down, and take in the moments that make this place special.
Jason Vasques, Executive Director
California Tahoe Conservancy
Community Forestry Projects
Current Conservancy forestry projects include:
- North Upper Truckee project – The Conservancy is thinning overcrowded forest and brush on 536 Conservancy and Forest Service open space lots throughout the North Upper Truckee Road neighborhood in El Dorado County.
- Placer County South project – The Conservancy is treating 400 Conservancy and Forest Service lots on the west shore, from the El Dorado County/Placer County line north to Tahoe City.
- A 33-acre project on Conservancy land in El Dorado County near Lake Tahoe Airport – The Washoe Tribal Conservation Corps, a resource crew of the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, is hand-thinning forest on a larger Conservancy property, creating piles to be burned later.
- Tahoma Urban project – The Conservancy is treating almost 150 Conservancy, Forest Service, and El Dorado County properties. A contractor is mulching small-diameter trees, branches, and shrubs. Larger trees and branches are being cut into firewood rounds, available for free collection by members of the public who have completed a free Conservancy fuelwood collection permit.
- Sawmill Fuel Hazard Reduction Project – The Conservancy completed hand thinning the forest on 31 Conservancy and Forest Service lots in the Echo View Estates neighborhood and other areas near Sawmill Road and Incline Road in El Dorado County.
Conservancy Field Crews, Back on the Job
The 2026 forestry, land management, and restoration crews have begun this season’s work. These crews maintain and restore Conservancy lands, reduce wildfire risk and improve forest resilience, and protect Lake Tahoe’s water quality. The field crews operate via a longstanding partnership with Tahoe Resource Conservation District (Tahoe RCD).
UC Davis Finds Lake Tahoe Average Water Clarity Holds Steady, Summer Clarity Declines
Aerial view of the Lake Tahoe shoreline showing the clarity and color of the water. Photo credit: Brandon Berry, UC Davis TERC
Researchers at the Tahoe Environmental Research Center have released the 2025 Lake Tahoe Clarity Report. Their research shows the annual average clarity of Lake Tahoe water—measured as the depth to which a person can see a ten-inch white plate lowered into the water—has held steady compared to recent years, although summer clarity declined. The annual average clarity for 2025 was 69.2 feet. Read more at the UC Davis website.
Emerald Bay Shuttle Pilot Returns for Summer
The successful Emerald Bay Shuttle has returned to improve road safety and alleviate traffic and runoff challenges in Emerald Bay. The Tahoe Transportation District manages the program, which operates seven days a week through Labor Day, September 7. Shuttles run on fixed routes between the South Tahoe Y Transit Center, Camp Richardson, Inspiration Point/Bayview, Emerald Bay, and Sugar Pine State Park. The shuttles accommodate bikes, recreation gear for day trips, and service animals, and are ADA accessible.
Volunteer at a Keep Tahoe Blue Beach cleanup
Make the most of your July Fourth weekend by volunteering to help take care of Lake Tahoe. Join Keep Tahoe Blue for their largest cleanup of the year on July 5 at one of six Lake Tahoe beaches. Get the details here and sign up to volunteer.
Conservancy Staff Updates
New Employees
Mackenzie Winner
Fish and Wildlife Scientific Aide – Breeding Bird Specialist
Mackenzie Winner joined the Conservancy in May 2026. Mackenzie conducts surveys for nesting birds, peregrine falcons, spotted owls, and goshawks. Her work helps the Conservancy ensure compliance with the Migratory Bird Act and protect active bird nests from work being done on Conservancy land. Prior to joining the Conservancy, Mackenzie has worked as a supervisor with the Sierra Nevada Alliance’s Lake Tahoe Ambassador program. She previously worked on a mountain lion management study in the Sierra Nevada. In the winter, Mackenzie is a ski patroller at Palisades Tahoe.
Elyse Daub
Legal intern
Elyse Daub joined the Conservancy in June, supporting the Conservancy’s legal team. Elyse researches legal issues related to Conservancy land management projects. She is a third-year law student at Vermont Law and Graduate School, and expects to practice environmental and natural resources law. Elyse’s past experience includes work as a research assistant for the University of Maine School of Forest Resources, where she researched the impacts of fungal communities on forest health and conducted forest inventory surveys around the state of Maine. Elyse earned her Bachelor of Science in Ecology and Environmental Science with a concentration in ecosystem ecology and honors.
Seasonal Forestry Aides
Six seasonal forestry aides have joined the Conservancy, in partnership with Tahoe RCD. Forestry aides work on forest health and fuel hazard reduction projects on Conservancy lands. Primary responsibilities include preparing potential future forestry projects by identifying project boundaries and marking trees for removal.
Sidney Adams
Forestry Aide
Sidney Adams earned her Bachelor of Science in Forest Ecology and Management from the University of Nevada, Reno. Sidney is dedicated to sustainable forest management and protecting the natural landscapes of the Sierra Nevada.
Kaylin Berkheimer
Forestry Aide
Kaylin Berkheimer graduated from the University of California, Berkeley Forestry program. Kaylin’s previous experience includes a year in AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps, conducting field research in pinyon-juniper woodlands, and a summer of forestry field courses near Quincy, California.
Elias Duenas
Forestry Aide
Elias Duenas earned his degree in Ecosystem Management and Forestry from the University of California, Berkeley. Elias previously worked seasonally for the East Bay Regional Park District as a park maintenance aide.
Matthew Floyd
Forestry Aide
Matthew Floyd earned his Bachelor of Science in Conservation and Resource Studies from the University of California, Berkeley, where he focused on forest management, Sierra Nevada ecology, and applied field methods with a particular interest in fire and water in California. Before joining the Conservancy, he worked on post‑fire reforestation, fuels reduction, and prescribed fire operations in the Sierra Nevada with the Forest Service, the Placer Prescribed Burn Association, and the El Dorado Prescribed Burn Association. He worked with PG&E’s Energize Colleges program, partnering with USGS researchers on a fog collection and weather monitoring project.
Owen Harvey
Forestry Aide
Owen Harvey earned his bachelor’s degree in forestry, with a certificate in forest health and restoration, from Northern Arizona University. Owen’s prior experience includes work for Northern Arizona University as a field crew technician for the Four Forest Restoration Initiative.
Peyton Whitney
Forestry Aide
Peyton Whitney studied forestry, with a minor in forest operations, at the University of Idaho. Peyton’s prior work experience includes a season as a Wildland Firefighter Type 2 in Elk River, Idaho.
Upcoming California Tahoe Conservancy Board Meetings
The Board will meet on September 17, 2026. The agenda will be available on the Conservancy website ten days prior to the meeting.
Lake Tahoe in the News
Lake Tahoe clarity improves slightly, but researchers see no meaningful change – KUNR, June 12, 2026
New Destination Stewardship efforts aim to enhance the Tahoe experience for everyone – Sierra Sun, June 16, 2026
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit | Hazardous Fuels Reduction and Meadow Restoration to Begin in Mayála Wàťa – U.S. Forest Service, June 18, 2026
Show Your Love for Tahoe While Protecting It
When you order a California Lake Tahoe license plate, you help build biking and hiking trails, restore fish and wildlife habitat, and protect Lake Tahoe’s famous beaches and blue waters. 96 percent of all funds from Tahoe plate sales come back to Lake Tahoe.
Show Your Love for Tahoe While Protecting It
When you order a California Lake Tahoe license plate, you help build biking and hiking trails, restore fish and wildlife habitat, and protect Lake Tahoe’s famous beaches and blue waters. 96 percent of all funds from Tahoe plate sales come back to Lake Tahoe.