Lake Tahoe residents, community members and stakeholders interested in the responsible management of tourism and recreation are invited to take part in workshops next month to create a destination stewardship plan that will balance the needs of Lake Tahoe’s environment, businesses, visitors and local communities. This new shared strategy will inspire all to take care of Tahoe.

A collaboration of 13 public and private sector organizations invite residents and stakeholders in the greater Tahoe region, including Truckee to weigh in during a series of visioning workshops scheduled for May.

Residents and stakeholders are invited to participate in the visioning workshops on May 16, 17, and 18 in locations around the Tahoe Basin, plus an option for Zoom.

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Experts in the field of destination stewardship, including the Center for Responsible Travel (CREST), and the Travel Foundation, are helping guide the process to create a shared vision and decision-making framework for sustainable management of tourism and recreation throughout the Lake Tahoe region. Additionally, the team includes South Lake Tahoe-based research firm SMG Consulting and Civitas Advisors specializing in sustainable funding solutions.

“The way people access and rely on public lands is changing. In everything from hiking to skiing we are welcoming new and more diverse users, sometimes in growing numbers.” said Erick Walker, Forest Supervisor, USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. “Now is the time for us to come together to learn how we can better coordinate and improve the whole picture.”

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A core team is leading the project from federal, state, county, and local governmental organizations, as well as businesses, nonprofits, and all four destination organizations that market and manage Lake Tahoe area tourism.

“This unprecedented collaboration with land managers, visitors authorities and the local community is exactly what we need right now,” said Tahoe Fund CEO and core team representative Amy Berry. “Together, we will work to develop a plan that will improve the quality of the Tahoe experience for everybody while also taking care of our extraordinary environment.”

To ensure the plan supports a shared vision for future tourism and recreation, it will draw inspiration from extensive local engagement, including two rounds of public workshops, one-on-one interviews, and focus group meetings with stakeholders including the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.

The first round of workshops invites participants to identify opportunities for increasing the direct benefits of tourism and recreation, while addressing the challenges, and creating the plan’s vision and mission statements as well as key goals.

Following are the dates, locations, and times of events:

• May 16 – North Tahoe Event Center, Kings Beach – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. — Truckee citizens invited to Kings Beach and Virtual Zoom Workshop.

• May 17 – Parasol Community Foundation, Incline Village – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

• May 18 – Lake Tahoe Community College, South Lake Tahoe – 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

• May 18 – Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority office, South Shore/Stateline – 6 to 8 p.m.

• Virtual Zoom Workshop: To be confirmed: A fifth virtual workshop will be scheduled following the May workshops. All are invited to register for a workshop, learn more about the planning process, and sign up to receive news about the project, results from workshops, and additional opportunities for feedback at StewardshipTahoe.org.

Project Background

The following public and private sector organizations came together during the COVID pandemic to coordinate on visitation, marketing, outdoor recreation management, and public health and safety. Successes resulting from the collaboration and the growing need to address tourism-related challenges led these organizations to advance their coordination and better manage outdoor recreation and tourism in the greater Lake Tahoe region. The partners agreed to establish a destination stewardship plan and to enlist the help of experts in the field to guide the planning process.

California Tahoe Conservancy

City of South Lake Tahoe

El Dorado County

Incline Village Crystal Bay Visitors Bureau

USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit

Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority

Nevada Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

North Lake Tahoe Resort Association

Tahoe Fund

Tahoe Regional Planning Agency

Washoe County

Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California

Visit Truckee-Tahoe

Source: Center for Responsible Travel