Protect Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe is a unique and special environment. Our alpine lake is one of the cleanest and clearest in the world, and we'd like to preserve this place for future generations. While mankind has not always been kind to Tahoe, there is much that we can do to get involved with environmental protection and being good stewards of this beautiful place.
Here are some things that you can do to take action:
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Learn the reasons why we should care about this place and protect it. Two organizations worth connecting with are the League to Save Lake Tahoe and TERC (the Tahoe Environmental Research Center). The TERC facility in Incline Village, NV offers interactive tours that we highly recommend (this is a great educational opportunity for kids and adults, alike). You can also get a lot of quality information about Lake Tahoe's environment on any of our guided kayak tours here at Tahoe City Kayak & Paddleboard, or South Tahoe Kayak & Paddleboard.
KEEP INVASIVE SPECIES OUT OF LAKE TAHOE
Do your part to keep invasive species out of the lake and its surrounding environment. As kayakers and paddleboarders , we should make sure that our watercraft are "clean, drained, and dry" when we bring them here from other bodies of water. Inadvertently bringing water from other lakes (which can be trapped inside the storage hatches of your kayak, or inside the hull of your sit-on-top kayak) can bring harmful invasive species to Tahoe. Obviously, you should also avoid releasing non-native plant or animal species into Lake Tahoe, or the surrounding environment.
- https://tahoeboatinspections.com/tahoe-keepers/
- https://www.keeptahoeblue.org/tackle-invasives/
- https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Invasives/Quagga-Mussels
- https://laketahoewatertrail.org/tahoe-keepers/
PREVENT FOREST FIRES
If you're camping during your stay at Lake Tahoe, please refrain from having a campfire or using a charcoal grille. During the peak summer months, especially, our area is very dry and highly susceptible to rapidly spreading forest fires. One spark from a campfire, bbq grille, or cigarette could easily destroy thousands of acres of forest and many homes in our community.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/tahoe/passes-permits/?cid=fseprd754138
GET INVOLVED
Get involved through volunteer events, donating, or reporting invasive species sightings. Through the League to Save Lake Tahoe (the "Keep Tahoe Blue" folks) and the UC Davis Environmental Research Center, you can engage with the "Eyes on the Lake" program, the "Tahoe Keepers," the "Citizen Science" program, or beach cleanup events after the 4th of July fireworks.