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Lake Spirit Award nominations open to honor environmental stewards of Lake Tahoe

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Past Lake Spirit Award Winners

Citizens

  • Helen Neff – “Take it Slow, Tahoe” Citizen Leader on Traffic Safety
  • Lila Peterson – Vail Resorts Zero-Waste Program Coordination
  • Helen Henry Smith – Vikingsholm Foundation
  • Ben and Evan Anderson – Truckee High School Envirolution Club
  • Sue Hughes – Incline Flume Trail
  • Karen Mullen-Ehly – Washoe County Parks
  • Tom Carter – Underwater Litter Collection
  • Jeff Poulin – Litter Cleanups

Agency representatives

  • Amy Berry – Tahoe Fund
  • Heidi Doyle – Sierra State Parks Foundation
  • Jean Diaz – St. Joseph Community Land Trust
  • Marilee Movius – League to Save Lake Tahoe Community Engagement
  • Jay Howard – Nevada State Parks
  • Jacob Quinn – USDA Forest Service Trails
  • Forest Schafer has worked for the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District

Lifetime Achievement

  • Roland Shaw – Nevada State Parks
  • Don Lane – USDA Forest Service

LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is now accepting nominations for the 2025 Lake Spirit Awards, recognizing individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to Lake Tahoe’s natural environment, the agency announced today. The health of the Lake Tahoe Region depends on collaboration between community members, volunteers, scientists, and public officials.

“The Lake Spirit Awards are an opportunity for the community to honor the people who are helping protect Lake Tahoe, often behind the scenes,” TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan said. “A culture of stewardship permeates the Tahoe Basin, and we should recognize individuals who embody this spirit.”

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency staff and the 2023 Lake Spirit Award Winners stand for a group photo after the award ceremony. Pictured from left: TRPA Community Engagement Manager Victoria Ortiz, award winners Roland Shaw, Lila Peterson, Jean Diaz, Heidi Doyle, and Don Lane, and TRPA Executive Director Julie Regan.
Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

Nominations are open to the public through September 30 and may be submitted online at trpa.gov/awards/lakespirit. Winners will be formally recognized by the TRPA Governing Board later this year.

The Lake Spirit Awards include three nomination categories:

  • Citizen
  • Agency Representative/Environmental Scientist
  • Lifetime Achievement

Multiple recipients from around the region will be selected in each category.

Since the first Lake Spirit Awards in 2011, TRPA has recognized over 40 individuals whose work has contributed to tangible environmental benefits across the Tahoe Basin. Awardees are selected based on the strength of their contributions and ability to engage others in protecting the lake. Some recent Lake Spirit award winners are listed below.

Call for Nominations for the Best in Basin Awards

In addition to the biennial Lake Spirit Awards, TRPA holds the Best in Basin Awards every other year to recognize projects and programs that demonstrate exceptional environmental design and stewardship of Lake Tahoe. Now is the time to nominate projects completed in 2024 or 2025 for the Best in Basin Awards to be announced in May, 2026. Submit a nomination at trpa.gov/awards/bestinbasin.

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