October 2026 Conservancy Newsletter

Major Milestone for Washoe Tribe’s Máyala Wáta Restoration Project

The Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California, with the U.S. Forest Service, has reached a major milestone in its Máyala Wáta restoration project. See the details in this video, featuring leaders with the Washoe Environmental Protection Department. DaɁaw (Lake Tahoe) is the homeland of the Waší∙šiw (Washoe people – the people from here). The Waší∙šiw are the original stewards of the land in and around the Lake Tahoe Basin since time immemorial. The California Tahoe Conservancy has been proud to support the Washoe Tribe with $1.4 million in grant funding for the project.

Thanks to the Sierra Nevada Conservancy for collaborating on this video, and to our partners for sharing images and footage: the Washoe Environmental Protection Department, the U.S. Forest Service, John Peltier Photography, Wildlands Network and Pathways for Wildlife, and Steven Wilson with Placer County.

The Máyala Wáta Project is also advancing the goals of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program.

Free Firewood Available on Select Conservancy Properties

Free firewood is still available for community members to collect on select Conservancy properties, particularly in west shore neighborhoods such as Tahoe Pines, McKinney-Rubicon, and Tahoma. Find a map showing available wood, including how recently the wood became available, and get your free wood-collection permit on the Conservancy website.

Some Conservancy forestry projects generate usable firewood, which crews or contractors cut to firewood length for public collection by permit holders. Each firewood collection permit is valid for up to two cords of wood per year, with a limit of one permit per household.

Free Firewood Available on Select Conservancy Properties

Free firewood is still available for community members to collect on select Conservancy properties, particularly in west shore neighborhoods such as Tahoe Pines, McKinney-Rubicon, and Tahoma. Find a map showing available wood, including how recently the wood became available, and get your free wood-collection permit on the Conservancy website.

Some Conservancy forestry projects generate usable firewood, which crews or contractors cut to firewood length for public collection by permit holders. Each firewood collection permit is valid for up to two cords of wood per year, with a limit of one permit per household.

Grantee Spotlight: City of South Lake Tahoe Completes Tahoe Valley Greenbelt Project

Photo courtesy of Victoria Mastrocola, Tahoe Daily Tribune. Read the Tribune’s article on the Tahoe Valley Greenbelt.

The City of South Lake Tahoe recently celebrated the ribbon-cutting for the Tahoe Valley Stormwater and Greenbelt Improvement Project. Stretching across the South Tahoe “Y” area, the Greenbelt delivers many benefits for residents and visitors, and also for the environment. The project’s green spaces—connected by a network of new trails for people walking, biking, and rolling—include features to reduce pollution to Lake Tahoe from stormwater runoff. These same features will also improve how water from storms and snowmelt drains through the area, addressing flooding issues in the area.

To celebrate the project’s completion, several Conservancy employees hopped on our bikes to tour the new trails, resulting in this appreciation video.

The Conservancy has supported the City with $1.9 million in grant funding for the project. The Conservancy also entered into agreements that allow the City to construct and maintain the Greenbelt across 18 Conservancy properties. These properties include important past acquisitions where the Conservancy removed aging (and frequently flooding) development from environmentally sensitive land.

Tahoe Conservancy and California Foundation for the Environment & the Economy Host Decision-Makers for Climate Resilience Seminar at Lake Tahoe

Earlier this month, Conservancy leaders joined the with the California Foundation for the Environment & the Economy (CFEE) to cohost a Tahoe seminar focused on climate resilience. Participants included multiple California State Assembly Members, along with legislative staff and leaders from business, industry, environmental organizations, state and local government, and academia. Participants joined panel discussions focused on wetland restoration and carbon sequestration and forestry. The group also visited six field sites to see examples of watershed restoration and forest health projects, bi-state cooperation efforts at Van Sickle Bi-State Park, impacts of wildfire and aquatic invasive species on the landscape, and Tribal partnerships in restoration. The Conservancy and CFEE are particularly grateful to Washoe Tribal Chairman Serrell Smokey, who led the visit to the Tribe’s Máyala Wáta restoration project.

Annual Winter Road Closures for Van Sickle Bi-State Park and Tahoe Pines (Meyers)

Gates and facilities at Van Sickle Bi-State Park be closed for the season on Monday, November 2, 2026. Park grounds remain open all winter to the public on the California side of the park, and on much of the Nevada side. A portion of the Nevada side of the park remains temporarily closed to the public as construction continues on several park improvement projects. 

The Conservancy and Nevada State Parks co-manage the 725-acre park. Except for the limited public access at the Nevada day use area, the public may continue to enjoy hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing throughout the park. For visitor safety, sledding is not allowed on roads or trails within the park. All park roads and parking lots will close for the winter to vehicular access. Restrooms will also close and drinking fountains will be shut off. No trash collection occurs during winter, and visitors are asked to practice Leave No Trace principles by packing out all trash. Winter visitors may access the park via the main park entrance at the intersection of Heavenly Village Way and Montreal Road in South Lake Tahoe. 

The Conservancy is also closing the parking area at its Tahoe Pines property, located along the Upper Truckee River in Meyers. The grounds also remain open for public use all winter.

Opportunities with the Conservancy

Recreation and Public Access Planner (Environmental Planner)
The Conservancy’s Recreation and Public Access Program supports the Lake Tahoe region’s highest priority recreation and public access projects and initiatives. The Conservancy, in collaboration with Lake Tahoe Bain partners, designs programs, develops grants, and manages Conservancy recreation sites. The Conservancy helps implement California’s Outdoors for All Strategy, which focuses on improving outdoor access for all Californians, especially those facing barriers to accessing the State’s outdoor spaces. Learn more and apply here by October 23.

Recruitment: Volunteer Positions on the Tahoe for All Advisory Committee
The Conservancy is recruiting members for its volunteer Tahoe for All Advisory Committee. Tahoe for All grants support efforts to provide positive and inclusive outdoor experiences for communities that face barriers to accessing outdoor recreation infrastructure and opportunities in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Learn more about volunteer positions on the committee and how to apply.