South Lake Tahoe, June 22, 2023 – An unprecedented collaboration of public and private sector organizations from the greater Tahoe region have come together to develop a shared vision and destination stewardship plan to better manage outdoor recreation and visitation. For the first time, regional land managers, local governments, visitors authorities, the Washoe Tribe, and non-profits are working together on a coordinated destination management framework that will inspire all to take care of Tahoe.
Tuesday at Pine Hills resort newly remodeled entrance and guest center 12 founding members of the Lake Tahoe destination stewardship program greeted media for a proclamation signing of this new community supported stewardship program.
During the presentation with Lake Tahoe in the backdrop Erik Walker from Tahoe Basin Management shared some of the historical history of the region with the Washoe People and how the unique structure of the Lake Tahoe Basin Management unit (now celebrating 50 years) was developed to help with programs like these in protecting eh whole of Tahoe together.
And Tony Karwowski, of North Tahoe Community Alliance. spoke about the changing messaging of Tahoe marketing and the growing developments of programs such as the Tahoe Micro transit system, which has already started to make visits to Lake Tahoe more accessible and sustainable with pick up and drop off locations all around the lake to places like round Hill Pines Resort.
The Program which has been in study and review for the past two years has hosted several community meeting sin Tahoe with local residents, local business owners, government officials and leaders int eh recreation and travel industries. In that process the goal and mission of the new Destination Stewardship plan was hatched.
In these studies and community meetings several key findings were uncovered:
- Approximately 88% of participants indicated a destination’s support of envioronmental sastainability and stewardship is important to their choice of destination.
- 82% of visitors say they do theeir part to keep the destination clean when they isit
- a total of 71% believe they are mindful and respectful of the natural envioronment
- Nearly 42% sad the Tahoe region is doing a excellent job of safeguarding its natural resources, This rating is apparently much higher than the 10 comparable communities in the western States that were reviewed, including places like Napa valley. Bend Oregon, Jackson Hole Wyoming, and Monterey California.
Tahoe is a place of aesthetic, cultural, and environmental contrasts. Spanning two states and five counties encompassing diverse communities, and embodying a wide range of perspectives, this stewardship plan has been meticulously designed for and by the Tahoe community.
During the summers of 2020 and 2021, along with many special places across the United States, the Lake Tahoe region experienced an influx of visitors seeking release from pandemic restrictions in outdoor spaces. Traffic congestion, parking transgressions, environmental impacts and litter on beaches and trails, in addition to long lines for restaurants and disrespectful behaviors pushed local unhappiness to a tipping point. Demands arose for urgent action.
A new collaboration of land managers, business owners, public agencies and nonprofits from across the region formed to address immediate recreation issues brought on by the COVID-19 Pandemic. This group secured over $1 million to expand Clean Tahoe’s litter program to the East and North Shores,
launched an ambassador program to educate visitors, and launched a regional responsible recreation campaign through Take Care Tahoe.
While the pandemic sparked this initiative, there was widespread recognition that these issues were not entirely new and were in need of a long-term solution. Enter the Destination Stewardship Plan.
Four Guiding Principles Moving Forward
1. Collaboration and collective action are critical to the success of this destination stewardship plan and for the Tahoe region to thrive into the future.
2. As the Tahoe region’s primary economic engine, tourism must be nurtured and shaped to support the wellbeing of its communities, visitors, businesses, natural environment, and cultures.
3. It is everyone’s responsibility to safeguard and improve Lake Tahoe and its surrounding lands and forests.
4. To protect the quality of the Tahoe experience, it is vital to manage use while providing opportunities for all to enjoy it.
Four Strategic Pillars of Action
Moving Forward immediately this Stewardship plan will establish actionable plans based on four strategic Pillars:
- Foster a Tourism economy that Gives Back – the Goal to Support a Thriving tourism and Recreation-based economy that visibly improves quality of life, addresses community priorities and supports environmental stewardship.
- Turn a shared Vision into Shared Action – the goal to establish a formal structure to steer the regions destination stewardship agenda with a shared commitment to action, transparency, communication, and inclusion
- Advance a Culture of Caring for Tahoe – The goal to safeguard and improve Lake Tahoe and the regions natural environment by enlisting all in taking responsibility of care for it. this action Pillar is already being established with two specific examples. First messaging, with ads and billboards for Keep Tahoe Clean and Keep Tahoe Bears safe, Additionally this summer Tahoe has hired a group of teens to bee Tahoe ambassadors at popular public locations to share information and represent the Care for Tahoe messaging.
- Improve the Tahoe experience for All – The goal is to help reduce peak demand impacts through resource management, improved infrastructure and enforcement. all while continuing to create ways for all to enjoy and connect within the region.
There is a lot of work to do in the long term success of a program like this. But the Core leadership team is already in process of securing additional funding, changing messaging and establishing actionable strategies with in the Tahoe basin. In 2023 the following actions are already in place and being implemented to reach the goals established:
2023 summer Actions:
- Take Care Ambassadors
- Increase Trash Service Pickup at popular tourist destinations
- Peak Demand Management around Holidays
- Parking enforcement Study
- League of Save the Lake tahoe Blue Crews and Eyes on the Lake program
- Take Care of Tahoe Billboards adn new campaigns for the trail etiquette, cold water shock and road safety have been launched.
