When you’re in Tahoe, where are you really? Is it Nevada or California? Washoe County or Tahoe City? Well, if you’re skiing, hiking, camping or napping on the beach, there’s a very good chance you’re on public land managed by the U.S. Forest Service. 156,000 acres – more than 75% of the entire Tahoe Basin – is part of the Forest Service’s Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. The good people wearing those iconic dark green and gold uniforms blend easily into the forested background, but they are a prominent part of what makes Tahoe, Tahoe.

Forest Service staff protect Tahoe’s forests, wildlife, beaches and lakes, keeping them open and accessible for all. Firefighters and forest conservation workers remove dead and dying trees to safeguard our community from wildfire. Biologists care for Tahoe’s fragile ecosystem by restoring creeks and meadows, and protecting flora and fauna like eagles, bears and endemic plants. Trail crews build and maintain your favorite hiking and biking trails. Interpretive staff, and Smokey Bear himself, inspire wonder and respect for the natural world in kids and adults. And the list goes on.

The people of the Forest Service are irreplaceable partners in many of Keep Tahoe Blue’s programs and events. At Tahoe Forest Stewardship Days we team up to restore marshes and meadows. Through our Tahoe Blue Beaches program, we create visitor experiences that encourage good stewardship and prevent litter. And their local staff are a leading partner in the 20+ member Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship collaborative.

More than that, Forest Service employees are our neighbors, friends, familiar faces we see at the store, and an invaluable part of our community. They help Keep Tahoe Blue for all.

Next time you see a green and gold uniform, stop, say hi and thank them for connecting you to the wonders of nature all around us.

Darcie Goodman Collins, PhD, is CEO of the League to Save Lake Tahoe, also known as Keep Tahoe Blue.