Working Groups: Administrative/Steering Committee

LTEEC Symposium on Place-based Learning in Schools Draws 120 Educators
By John Cobourn, UNCE

At LTEEC’s Fifth Annual Meeting on Sept. 28, 120 participants met to learn about new ways to improve environmental education in the schools of our region. LTEEC’s survey of educational program needs in January 2004 rated school-based programming as the most important area for improvement. This finding was reinforced by the record-setting attendance at this year’s Annual Meeting.

The purpose of the symposium was to get teachers, agency representatives and other community members together, and to inspire them to implement new forms of experiential service learning. The planning committee for the event included 15 teachers and natural resource professionals.

LTEEC has been working with the Sierra Watershed Education Partnerships (SWEP) and Adopt-A-Watershed for three years to establish community K-12 teams on the north shore, the south shore, and the Nevada shore. SWEP has taken the lead in the Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District, and has several model programs. On the south shore, Diana Reiner has been working with interested teachers for several years, assisting them in forming community-based projects. Dan Allison was also hired recently by SWEP to assist teachers with new programs on the south shore. Model programs and projects were showcased at the symposium, so participants could learn to use exciting new methods in their classrooms.

The unifying concept for the conference was “place-based learning.” Place-based learning is the study of the community and environment where the students live and go to school. The Lake Tahoe Basin is such a fascinating environment that students enjoy learning a “sense of place.” The local environment can become the context for learning science, math, language arts, and social sciences. Students experience a real-world connection with this kind of subject matter. Extensive research has shown that students become more engaged and enthused about learning and present less discipline problems when they study their home environment and learn about how they can protect it. Such students have also been shown to score better on the standardized tests mandated by the No Child Left Behind Act.

Educators presented programs including LTEEC’s guest speaker list (Community Leaders in the Classrooms), in-class activities such as Project Wet, and off-campus programs where teachers take classes for organized field trips. The “Cadillac” approach, however, is the service-learning project, where a teacher has the class plan, organize, and implement an environmental restoration, monitoring or educational project with the assistance of other community organizations and businesses. Local expert Dan Allison refers to this as a “place-based service-learning” project.

The goal of the planning committee is to help teachers get started. For some educators, inviting a guest speaker is the first step. At the end of the symposium, we asked participants to commit to a project for this school year, and also to start planning a more ambitious service-learning project for the next year or two. This challenge was answered by 40 teachers, agency staff, and other community leaders, who submitted their future plans along with their evaluations of the symposium. Interestingly, 39 of the 40 respondents rated the importance of the tools presented in the symposium as 5 on a scale of 1 to 5, for being “important to use in Tahoe area schools.”

last modified: April 12 2005

LTEEC Newsletters Online
Contact Leslie Allen, (775) 832-4138 or allenl@unce.unr.edu, if you are interested in receiving a copy of the quarterly LTEEC newsletter. Otherwise, you can view or print these files in Adobe PDF format:

last modified: April 21 2005

Fourth Annual Meeting of LTEEC to Feature Mini Forum
by John Cobourn

The 2003 annual meeting of LTEEC members will be held on Aug. 15, in Incline Village. As always, the annual meeting will give Tahoe’s environmental educators a chance to engage in a discussion of Tahoe’s needs and to enjoy opportunities for social interaction and networking.

Our theme this year will be to examine the paradox that a majority of Tahoe residents want Tahoe’s environment to be protected, but many also question or criticize the very programs and regulations designed to provide that protection. The evening will open with a half-hour presentation by famed scientist, Charles Goldman, Ph.D., on the question of how to increase public support for programs to restore Lake Tahoe. This keynote address will be followed by a forum with a panel including Goldman, educators, agency staff and community members. The audience will be invited to participate. After the forum, there will be refreshments and a social hour. To register for this event, please call (775) 832-4150.

Are Tahoe’s Agencies Winning Public Support?

The many agencies that are working to protect our environment were commended by the Clinton Administration in 1997 for their exemplary cooperation and collaboration. The Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) is one example of tremendous coordinated planning. Another interagency product was the Lake Tahoe Watershed Assessment. Currently, several agencies are coordinating the research for three major plans to be written by 2007. Here again, agencies such as the US Forest Service, the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) have christened their joint effort as “Pathway 2007.” It will result in a Forest Plan Revision, a revised Water Quality Basin Plan with a Lake Tahoe TMDL, and a 20-year TRPA Regional Plan Update, all based on an internally consistent set of planning goals and principles.

But is the public excited, supportive, and involved? Some longtime Tahoe observers, such as Leo Poppoff, doubt it. He has written about this question, and he currently believes that possibly a majority of Tahoe residents no longer trust Tahoe’s agencies to do an effective and fair job of protecting the lake. Does the general public truly know why installing BMPs on their properties can protect the lake in the future? Do they view the EIP or TRPA’s rules and regulations as necessary steps to a sustainable economy and environment for the next generation? Or, do they see agency outputs as just more studies, more projects, more plans, and more restrictions on their recreational interests and private property rights?

Can Public Outreach and Environmental Education Make a Difference?

There are many creative people working to educate the public about the issues at Lake Tahoe. Some agencies have public information officers that work with local media to inform the public about their programs and projects. A local task force is also working on creating the Tahoe Interagency Information Management System (TIIMS), a web-based library telling the story of the struggle to save one of the most beautiful subalpine lakes in the world.

LTEEC supports all programs to get science-based information into the hands of the general public. We believe that if the public has the facts, and can consider the alternatives, they can make well-informed decisions that will affect the future of the lake. Our Steering Committee has embraced the need to improve the overall “environmental literacy” of the public in order to enable them to make those decisions. Because some personal inconveniences and sacrifices may be needed to reverse the decline in Tahoe’s water quality and other environmental resources, the public must understand that these short-term costs will yield long-term benefits for the environment, the economy and the community. Education needs to occur in our schools, through the media, and at our public events.

We Need to Showcase Successes and to Fill Information Gaps

There are many challenges ahead for those who want restoration programs such as the EIP to succeed. Because it is so complicated, the many agencies who implement its projects must assign staff time to get the word out about restoration success stories. Even LTEEC often has difficulty obtaining and publishing before-and-after photographs and clear explanations of the purpose of restoration projects. We must also improve our post-project monitoring of effectiveness, whether of small-scale BMPs or large capital improvement projects. The public needs to be shown how projects can be improved each year through monitoring and adaptive management.

Because community education is a big, difficult and sometimes discouraging task, we must also appreciate the progress that has been made. In the 1960s, during the population explosion stimulated by the 1960 Olympics, planners predicted that by 2000, there could be half a million people living in the Tahoe Basin. Freeways were almost certain to ring the lake, connecting the many urban centers. If this had occurred, the cumulative watershed effects would almost certainly have reduced the lake’s water quality much more severely than current conditions. Indeed, the past two years of lake clarity measurements by the Tahoe Research Group of UC, Davis have shown significant improvements. While this may be due in part to recent dry winters, it could also be a result of the combined effects of the thousands of BMPs that have been implemented by Tahoe agencies and residents.

Hydrologists, limnologists and community leaders around the world are watching to see if we can save Lake Tahoe. The answer is in our collective hands.

last modified: August 30 2004

National Survey Reveals Environmental Education Challenge
According to a 2002 Green Gauge study published by Roper ASW, (March 2003), about 10 percent fewer Americans are educating themselves about the environment than were a year ago. National security concerns and a slow economy are factors in a six-point drop-off (to 61 percent) of the number of Americans who "sometimes or often read an article, watch a television show or use some other resource to seek out information about the environment." This is the first drop-off in some years. The report also finds that, since 2001, fewer people are regularly:

  • saving electricity at home (down 11 percent) to 58 percent of total,
  • participating in curbside recycling (down 20 percent) to 36 percent of total, and
  • reading labels on pesticides to ensure protection from environmental risk (down 13 percent ) to 23 percent of total.


A majority of Americans (51 percent) now report that they know little or nothing about environmental issues and problems. This is consistent with a five-year series of NEETF/Roper studies (1997-2001) that show that less than one-third of Americans, including our private and public leaders, have even a passing knowledge of the most straightforward environmental topics.

These data surely challenge the entire environmental education/public information community. Several strategy shifts could be in order to better pursue more environmental literacy and stimulate public interest. The larger "learning landscape" is changing too. Television remains the leading major source of environmental information for adults (62 percent) and kids (72 percent). The Internet is listed as a source by just nine percent of kids but a growing 23 percent of adults.

Schools are placing more emphasis on standards of learning and standardized testing and this may be squeezing environmental education farther out of the classroom which may signal a sharper focus on other educational venues and approaches.

The people of America and the world need more environmental literacy. It is important, at many levels, providing a richer understanding of science and the natural world, developing more respect for the health and needs of people, a sense of protection for otherwise defenseless creatures and natural systems, and guidance on how to better serve our communities.

The Green Gauge Report is available for a fee through Roper ASW at www.roperasw.com.
last modified: August 30 2004

LTEEC’s 4th Annual Meeting Draws 100 People, Grows Ideas
By John Cobourn

On Aug. 15, 100 people gathered for the 4th Annual Meeting of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition (LTEEC) in the new Donald W. Reynolds Community Center in Incline Village. This year’s evening meeting featured a mini-forum, with panelists invited to make proposals for needed educational steps to increase public support for lake protection efforts. Famed Tahoe scientist, Charles Goldman, Ph.D., presented the keynote address, which was followed by incisive recommendations from a panel of 10 local educators, scientists, and opinion leaders. In a well-organized, yet relaxed fashion, the speakers reaffirmed many of the established practices of LTEEC members, while also suggesting some exciting new ideas to pursue.

Business Leaders and Conservationists Propose Educational Partnership

Two prominent representatives of the tourist industry participated on the panel, and invited environmental educators to work with them to increase our reach and effectiveness. Bill Chernock, executive director, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, stated that Tahoe’s hospitality industry regards the health of Lake Tahoe to be “undeniably the most important issue we are facing.” Chernock stated that the business community is “an incredible resource for your efforts… Our most successful outcome will come when the two of us work together.”

Steve Teshara, executive director, North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, said the suggestion from Lauri Kemper, Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, to fund a marketing survey to learn more about the knowledge and attitudes of full-time and part-time Tahoe residents is reasonable, and that his organization could help with the project. In addition, Michael Donahoe, co-chair, Tahoe Area Sierra Club, proposed that we should work with the hospitality industry to place a placard in every rented room in the Basin, welcoming visitors, telling them of the need for lake protection, and describing simple things they can do to help.

Need for Environmental Literacy and Stewardship Reaffirmed

Steve Goldman, California Tahoe Conservancy, and Jerry Dion, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, emphasized the need to teach the general public about basic ecological and natural processes. Rex Norman, USDA Forest Service, described the successful “stair-stepped curriculum” that he helped develop for grades K-12 while working for the U.S. National Parks Service. Both Norman and Goldman spoke of the need to get environmental education into our public schools to form a foundation for building watershed stewardship for future generations as well as our own. Goldman, Kemper, Goldman and John Cobourn, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, also spoke of the need to get both children and adults out into the environment to learn the relationships of different parts of nature to the whole ecosystem.

Create Simple, Consistent
Messages, and Use the Media to Reach All Audiences

LTEEC learned from our 2002 keynote speaker, Jeff Hohensee, that the foundation for creating community change is to reach the whole population through frequent repetition of key messages through the public media. Rochelle Nason, League to Save Lake Tahoe, and Jerry Dion, TRPA, stressed the need for more creative use of electronic media through the Internet. Several speakers hailed the role of Tahoe’s local newspapers in building public awareness of environmental issues. Information about the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) can be disseminated through Web sites, articles, utility bill newsletters, and informative signs at project locations describing what benefits will be achieved upon completion. Donahoe and Teshara both endorsed the idea of a regular column in local and regional newspapers as far away as the Bay Area to explain the purpose and rationale for Tahoe’s many restoration programs, regulations and planning processes.

LTEEC’s Role is to Support
Collaborative Efforts of all Partners

The Steering Committee and staff of the Lake Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition organized this forum to stimulate communication and cooperation among Tahoe’s many dedicated scientists and environmental educators. We will use the recommendations that came out of the forum to help direct upcoming needs assessment and work plan development for 2004-2005. The suggestions from this forum were combined with the suggestions from a similar exercise conducted with the Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee (FAC). These suggestions are listed below.

Goldman commended the efforts of LTEEC partners for helping to mold environmental interests together in the Basin. In addition to the thought-provoking forum, this year’s annual meeting once again set aside plenty of time for socializing and networking.

LTEEC staff would like to thank all the people who helped make this year’s gathering a success. Not only did Goldman and our panelists present a scintillating discussion, but several organizations donated food and beverages to make it possible to offer this event free of charge. These organizations included Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada, IVGID Waste Not, Lake Tahoe Brewing Company, Michael Donahoe of the Sierra Club, Parasol Community Collaboration, Project MANA, Sierra Club, Tahoe Rim Trail Association, Tahoe-Baikal Institute, and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. Volunteers who contributed their time to this event included Ann Larquier, Bob Richards, Jill Sarick, and many others.

last modified: August 30 2004

Proposed 2004-05 Work Plan Items
The proposed projects below are a compilation of the suggestions from the 2003 LTEEC Annual Meeting Forum and from a similar forum conducted at the Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee (FAC). The LTEEC Steering Committee is seeking further input from the membership about which of these items are high priorities and whether LTEEC or other groups should take the lead and direct these efforts. We will be sending out a survey to FAC members and to the panelists of the Annual Meeting. If you would like to participate in this survey call Heather Segale, (775) 832-4138.

  • Conduct a LTEEC Member Survey – How is LTEEC doing? How can we better serve the needs of the community?
  • Conduct a Marketing Survey – What marketing strategies and methods would be most effective for disseminating these messages? Include an opinion survey of residents’ ideas, fears, and concerns. Get an independent, unbiased group to conduct the survey.
  • Develop a comprehensive regional EE Plan as part of Pathway 2007. Develop one plan for all agencies. Make it a simple, easy to understand publication.
  • Coordinate a comprehensive “Lake Tahoe” marketing campaign involving the private and public sectors.
  • Follow the guidelines from a national media campaign such as the new “Erase the Waste” campaign (http://www.erasethewaste.com/).
  • Develop an Eco-Literacy Challenge or Tahoe Environmental Literacy Assessment to determine the level of understanding of environmental issues by locals.
  • Develop a “stewardship pledge” similar to the Coastal Stewardship Pledge (see http://www.coastal .ca.gov/publiced/steward/pledge_form.html).
  • Gather Tahoe area Public Information Officers (PIOs) for collaboration on outreach.
  • Work with local media contacts to discuss their roles and responsibilities in building and supporting environmental restoration.
  • Create videos on “How to Install BMPs” and “Native Landscaping.”
  • Collaborate with the Shakespeare Festival to develop entertaining skits about the local environment (i.e. GreenShow or opening announcements).
  • Develop a “Lake-friendly” Business Program.
  • Develop and market a “Lake-friendly Fertilizer.”
  • Develop a Homeowner or Welcome Packet about environmental issues and practices for new homeowners or renters. Create a Welcome Packet for visitors outlining “do's and don'ts” in the Tahoe Basin.
  • Organize an event celebrating Lake Tahoe in support of the proposed Lake Tahoe stamp.
  • Support environmental education for kids, work together and educate local students, provide courses specific to Tahoe environmental issues (e.g. science for elementary, middle and high schools in the basin).
  • Develop content for Tahoe Interagency Information Management System (TIIMS) – promote this central environmental Web site with links to each organization.
  • Provide educational “placards” in every motel room by collaborating with the resort industry to get the message out.
  • Increase media outreach efforts to reach second homeowners living in San Francisco, Sacramento, San Jose, the Bay Area, and Sacramento Valley.
  • Conduct outreach to the Hispanic community. Break language barriers.
  • Put up educational booths at local farmers markets.
  • Put up educational booths at local ski resorts.
  • Establish a hotline for questions and frustrations.
  • Issue an Annual Report Card to determine success of local agencies and projects and compare from year-to-year.
  • Create partnership with ski industry and local businesses.
last modified: August 30 2004

LTEEC Performs Needs Assessment Survey to Aid Educational Planning
By John Cobourn

The LTEEC staff is dedicated to serving the needs of environmental educators and public information specialists in the Tahoe Basin. This winter, we completed a Web-based survey of our membership and other “key informants,” with remarkable results. We received 198 responses to our Needs Assessment survey during December 2003.

Assessing the Needs for Outreach Education in the Tahoe Basin

As described in our last issue (Fall 2003) LTEEC held forums last summer at our Annual Meeting and at the June meeting of the Lake Tahoe Federal Advisory Committee (FAC) in order to stimulate creative ideas for improving outreach education in our region. We asked the audience and panelists the open-ended question: “What educational steps are needed to increase public awareness and support for efforts to restore Lake Tahoe?”

This kind of needs assessment uses what is called a Delphi Technique. In the first round, we collect a large number of suggestions or proposals for new and improved educational programs. Very similar or identical suggestions are combined. The suggestions are then worded in concise statements and grouped into categories by common themes.

The second round involves a survey, and in this case we used the Web-based instrument, “Survey Monkey.” We asked respondents to rate each of the 55 proposals from 1 to 5 for their importance and potential effectiveness, with 1 being low priority and 5 being high priority. We also asked them to rate the importance of the eight categories. Respondents rated Environmental Education in Schools as the top category, followed by BMP education and development of an interagency strategy for outreach education.

Here are the top 20 proposals out of the 55 in the survey, with their average scores:

  1. Contractors’ BMP Workshop (scheduled for April 1) [4.06]
  2. Obtain funding to support the LTEEC Coordinator position [4.01]
  3. Create an educational brochure for visitors with Tahoe dos and don’ts [3.89]
  4. Train homeowners and property management firms about proper fertilization [3.88]
  5. Comprehensive environmental education plan for all agencies [3.85]
  6. Welcome packet for new residents on environmental issues and practices [3.84]
  7. Promote BMP retrofit through realtors with seller disclosure ordinance [3.83]
  8. Create easy-to-read fact sheets on current and new research findings [3.82]
  9. Distribute Home Landscaping Guide through stores and site evaluations [3.73]
  10. Develop a plan for sharing information among agencies [3.72]
  11. Host citizen monitoring annual event: Snapshot Day [3.69]
  12. Develop simple, consistent public messages for all agencies to use [3.65]
  13. Fund yearly Erosion Control/Restoration Workshop for staff and volunteers [3.65]
  14. Translate educational materials and distribute in Hispanic communities [3.64]
  15. Provide public with information on EIP projects and overall EIP goals [3.63]
  16. Fund the LTEEC “Lake Tahoe Report” weekly TV segments and articles [3.63]
  17. Continue to expand the scope and effectiveness of Earth Day Festival [3.63]
  18. Create BMP service learning projects for students on school sites [3.61]
  19. Support Adopt-A-Watershed Regional Coordinator in reaching teachers [3.59]
  20. Lake-friendly business program for implementing BMPS and other tasks [3.59]


Of the top 20, 12 are already underway (# 1-4, 7, 9, 11, 15, and 16-19). Several others are in the development stages. There are also many other good projects from the top 40 that are underway, and new project ideas arise with changing needs. A complete summary of our Needs Assessment survey results can be found on the Web at http://www.surveymonkey
.com/Report.asp?U=32139220676.

One of the goals of the Needs Assessment is to inform LTEEC partners about promising educational initiatives for the future. The 5th-rated proposal, a “Comprehensive Environmental Education Plan” (CEEP) for all agencies, is a goal that LTEEC has been working on for the past two years. Such a comprehensive plan could be nested, with smaller plans within it. For example, a CEEP could contain the LTEEC three-year work plan, a plan for expanding environmental education in schools, and a TRPA communications plan, among others.

The full results of our Needs Assessment were presented to the LTEEC Steering Committee at our Jan. 16 meeting in order to receive their direction on development of such a comprehensive plan. Most of the 25 participants agreed that LTEEC partners would benefit from such a plan. Rex Norman, public information officer, Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit of the US Forest Service, stated that the development of a comprehensive plan with simple consistent educational messages (#12) is the key to saving the lake. Julie Regan, new public affairs officer, TRPA, agreed that we need to work out a structure, a “strategic plan 101” with the basic message of how to protect the lake. Mark Kimbrough suggested that LTEEC take the lead to get academia and researchers together with resource managers. Lauri Kemper, Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, stressed that our plan should address and inform the process called, “Pathway 2007.” Pathway 2007 is the coordinated effort of Lahontan, the US Forest Service and TRPA to revise their Management plans by the year 2007.

John Singlaub, new Executive Director, TRPA, expressed support for comprehensive environmental education planning. He said we need to help all people understand the consequences and interconnectedness of their actions. He believes we have a unique opportunity for success in this regard, because unlike many communities, everyone at Lake Tahoe shares the basic goal of saving the lake. John also said he thinks many people don’t appreciate what TRPA is trying to do, and he quipped that his new job is a bit like “steering the Exxon Valdez.”

The LTEEC Steering Committee urged the staff to schedule a special meeting in February to continue analysis of the Needs Assessment results and to begin development of both the LTEEC Workplan and the Comprehensive Environmental Education Plan. This meeting is currently scheduled for Feb. 20. Please contact Heather Segale if you would like to attend.
last modified: August 30 2004

Members Express Strong Support in Evaluation of LTEEC
During the fall of 2003, LTEEC staff conducted a survey of the membership to seek evaluation of our programs and to request suggestions for how we can serve environmental educators better. This survey was administered over the Web using Surveymonkey.com, in much the same way as our Needs Assessment survey. This survey elicited even greater participation, with 245 respondents completing the survey.

A key question asked of the membership was to rate the effectiveness of the four core functions performed by LTEEC. Strong support for the value of our efforts are shown in Table 1 (below). Complete ratings of other aspects of LTEEC’s programs can be viewed at http://www.surveymonkey.com/Report.asp?U=30051897271

We also asked open-ended questions, which evoked a variety of thoughtful responses. Asked for additional comments on the LTEEC functions, one person wrote, “It would be nice if agencies would turn to LTEEC more to assist in public education about regulatory and restoration based programs.” Another wrote: “LTEEC is saddled with too much responsibility and too few people/staff to fulfill that responsibility.” A third wrote, “I would like to be involved in more committees!”

Regarding this newsletter, one participant wrote, “I think it’s a great idea to incorporate tidbits from various agencies.” Another said, “Continue a diversity of articles that exemplify the good work the agencies are doing.” (We always are delighted to receive news from Tahoe agencies). Another respondent said, “We need to continue to educate local property owners to the reality that the future of the lake is in their hands. The government can only do so much.”

Several people responded on the effectiveness of LTEEC’s environmental education coordinator, Heather Segale. A typical response was, “Heather is one of the most effective leaders I know in the environmental movement. She’s knowledgeable, organized and enthusiastic. On top of that, she’s upbeat and fun to work with.”

Of course, we welcome feedback and suggestions from our readership at any time. The LTEEC staff acknowledges that the coalition and subgroups belong to you, the community members who want to spread the ideal of environmental stewardship to all who live and visit here.

last modified: August 30 2004

Progress Report on Priority Environmental Education Projects
By John Cobourn and Heather Segale

Tahoe’s educators are collaborating more than ever to get science-based information out to Tahoe’s stakeholders. The common goal is to help people to understand Tahoe’s environmental problems and what we can do about them, and to motivate them to become part of the solution. Since the Lake Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition (LTEEC) conducted its 2003 Delphi-technique survey to gather and prioritize needed educational messages and programs, several such programs are now underway.

2004 Annual Meeting to Focus on School-Based Programs

LTEEC’s 2003 survey rated schoolchildren as the most important and underserved target audience in the basin. On Sept. 28, the fifth LTEEC Annual Meeting will shine a spotlight on improving environmental education programs in schools. We will highlight success stories from Tahoe schools where teachers are working with natural resource managers and getting children involved in solving real-world problems in their local communities. One of the best ways to get environmental protection messages out to the community is to involve children. (Recycling education provides a good example of the success of school-based programs.) LTEEC’s partners want to connect interested scientists and agency personnel with teachers and students.

Sierra Watershed Education Partnerships (SWEP) has made remarkable progress in establishing place-based learning and service learning in the Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District. Following this model, LTEEC’s K-12 subgroup (including the Nevada Leadership Team and South Lake Tahoe Leadership Team) has assumed the lead on stimulating such progress basin-wide. This partnership includes Adopt-A-Watershed, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA), Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board, SWEP, Marine Research, Tahoe Rim Trail Association, and teachers from Tahoe’s four school districts.

Partners Teach Property Owners How to Install Required BMPs

The second most important target audience/category from the 2003 survey was educating property owners about best management practices (BMPs) for water quality. LTEEC staff has been helping agencies to spread the word about why and how property owners must manage their lands to prevent fine sediments and nutrients from reaching the lake. The BMP Retrofit program is considered the private sector’s main contribution to the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP). Working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), Tahoe Resource Conservation District, Nevada Tahoe Conservation District, and TRPA’s Erosion Control Team, LTEEC has hosted five annual Contractor’s BMP Workshops. These workshops were rated as the highest priority educational program of the 55 programs listed in the 2003 educational program survey.

Community Impacts: More than 230 professionals in the building trades attended the 2004 Contractors Workshop. The evaluation survey showed that contractors who attended previous Contractors Workshops have completed more than five times as many BMP jobs as contractors who had not attended before.

Lake Tahoe Report Reaches the Mass Audience

Another high priority for educators was “broad-based, general outreach programs” for the public. LTEEC has continued to air “The Lake Tahoe Report,” consisting of weekly 90-second news segments on the ABC-TV channel in Reno KOLO, News Channel 8. These weekly newscasts have featured over 70 knowledgeable individuals from 35 Tahoe agencies and nonprofits. Each topic has been approved by an advisory group of public information officers and educators. Each TV segment is accompanied by a 650-word article that appears the same week in four Lake Tahoe newspapers. LTEEC has completed 78 consecutive weekly programs and articles. Videotapes of the shows are currently being compiled and edited for use by local teachers.

Welcome Packet Targets New Residents with Messages about Tahoe’s Environment

The Parasol Community Collaboration Environment Team in Incline Village has made progress on a “welcome packet” that targets new property owners. This packet will contain brochures about regional environmental issues and urge new residents to take personal responsibility for protecting the natural environment of their new home. Partners in this effort include the League to Save Lake Tahoe, the Incline Village General Improvement District WasteNot program, the Tahoe Rim Trail, the North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District, the North Lake Tahoe Demonstration Garden, the Incline Village Board of Realtors, and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. We will target Incline Village and Crystal Bay for a pilot project. We will evaluate program effectiveness and hope to expand the program basin-wide.

last modified: August 30 2004

Lake Tahoe Deserves a Full-Scale Watershed Outreach Campaign
TRPA has recently been engaged in research to determine educational needs and strategies to help us reach our common goal of attaining Tahoe’s Environmental Thresholds. This background information is needed to develop a successful local watershed outreach campaign. A comprehensive outreach strategy was rated as one of the highest priority projects in the 2003 survey.

LTEEC partners, including TRPA, have been working for years to increase coordinated planning for reaching audiences with consistent, science-based messages. LTEEC staff and it’s partners continue to set objectives in a variety of educational arenas, from citizens monitoring and K-12 programs to BMP Retrofit, scientific research symposia, fire prevention, and outreach about the Lake Tahoe Environmental Improvement Program (EIP).

However, funding constraints have prevented a full-scale watershed outreach campaign from being conducted in the Tahoe Basin. While thousands of dollars are spent each year on worthy research and capital improvement EIP projects, funding for outreach education remains minimal. Unfortunately, there are not many grant sources that will fund outreach and education efforts alone, so funding for these programs must be pieced together. Too often, grant funding is sporadic, and when funding gaps occur or funding runs out, important, effective, educational efforts are discontinued.

Lake Tahoe’s environmental educators are a diverse group. They include hydrologists, soil scientists, botanists, transportation engineers, wildlife specialists, fire prevention specialists, restoration specialists, science teachers, geography teachers, and elementary school teachers. They work for schools, universities, agencies, non-profits, businesses, and advocacy organizations. For many, outreach education is a small part of their job or something they contribute on their own time.

While these dedicated individuals are grateful for the many small grants they have received over the years, they seek a more predictable and sustainable source of funding in the future. They appeal to the elected officials, agency directors, federal, state and local jurisdictions, and to the business community to address this funding dilemma. Since public understanding and support are critical to the success of the EIP, these educators ask the Basin Executives and other Tahoe leaders to work together to determine a way to fund a full-scale, comprehensive watershed outreach campaign.

last modified: August 30 2004

Building Blocks for an Outreach Campaign
Examples of the messages, audiences, distribution methods, and evaluation tools currently being employed by the LTEEC partners are listed below.

MESSAGES

  • Avoid wasteful water use
  • Don’t rake pine needles down to bare soil
  • Fertilize properly to keep harmful fertilizers out of the lake
  • Implement defensible space to reduce fire risk
  • Install Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce the impacts of erosion
  • Keep lawn areas limited and use native vegetation
  • Pick up after pets to prevent nutrients and bacteria from reaching Lake Tahoe
  • Reduce nonpoint source pollution to prevent the loss of clarity in Lake Tahoe
  • Students should participate in service-learning projects
  • Sweep driveways into a dust pan instead of using blowers or hosing with water to reduce dust and runoff
  • Teachers can use Tahoe’s local environment as an integrating context for learning


AUDIENCES
Current efforts are aimed at reaching the following audiences:
  • Boat Owners
  • Contractors
  • Local homeowners
  • New homeowners
  • Pet Owners
  • Students
  • Teachers


Future programs will need to be aimed at reaching :
  • Businesses
  • Seasonal employees
  • Second homeowners
  • Visitors


DISTRIBUTION METHODS
  • Internet
  • Newsletter
  • Posters
  • Presentations (e.g. homeowner associations, classrooms)
  • Print media (4 Tahoe newspapers)
  • Publications (i.e. Home Landscape Guide)
  • Symposium
  • Television (Lake Tahoe Report)
  • Video/DVD
  • Volunteer events
  • Workshops


EVALUATION
  • Evaluation surveys
  • Focus groups
  • Longitudinal telephone surveys
  • Measuring impacts (number of BMPs installed, number of phone calls received)
  • Phone calls and E-mail contacts
  • Pre- and post-tests
  • Web site hits
last modified: August 30 2004

Outreach Education: A Powerful Tool
Outreach education is a powerful tool that can be used in watershed protection efforts.

Outreach programs can help develop an awareness of the value of our natural resources, educate people on what is threatening the resources, and encourage protective action. For example, because polluted runoff is the major source of contamination in our nation's waters, there is a need to educate individuals on pollutant sources and show them how their daily activities degrade water quality. The goal of outreach education is to help change behaviors and promote responsible attitudes in the watershed.

Excerpts from Getting In Step: A Guide to Effective Outreach in Your Watershed (EPA, 2004). http://www.epa.gov/watertrain/gettinginstep/index.html

last modified: August 30 2004

Lake Tahoe is Losing Water Clarity
Lake Tahoe waters have been losing transparency at an average of about one foot each year since the late 1960s.

Lake Tahoe’s exceptional clarity is a result of the absence of suspended sediment and free-floating, single-celled algae in the water. Given undisturbed conditions, the lake’s water quality would change so slowly the changes would be undetectable over a human lifetime. Human settlements and logging activities that began in the late 1880s have contributed to the rapidly declining clarity. Lake Tahoe’s clarity has decreased by more than 33 percent since the 1960s and is steadily declining at the rate of one foot a year. Scientists say that the rate of water quality deterioration at Lake Tahoe has been steady for so long it may become irreversible in 10 years.

Lake Tahoe’s water quality problems are not caused by industry or by wastewater treatment plants. The causes of water pollution are the daily activities of the thousands of residents and visitors in the Lake Tahoe watershed. We all need to learn to reduce our impact on the environment—impacts like erosion, over-fertilization, spills, leaks, and disturbances of soils and stream environment zones.

last modified: December 27 2005

Fish Species of the Lake Tahoe Basin
Lake Tahoe Report #151
January 9, 2006
By John Cobourn and Heather Segale

In terms of lakes, Tahoe is a relatively harsh environment for fish. It was cutoff from other bodies of water many thousands of years ago, so as it evolved, only seven species of fish evolved in it. However, since the introduction of humans and human intervention at Lake Tahoe, that number has changed.

According to Brant Allen, fisheries biologist with the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, “The original native game fish was the Lahontan cutthroat trout, which is no longer in the lake. But, there are still six native species of fish swimming in Tahoe.” The Lahontan cutthroat trout, named for the distinctive red streak under its chin, once topped Lake Tahoe’s food chain and weighed as much as 40 pounds. This fish thrived in the Tahoe Basin and migrated the length of the Truckee River between Tahoe and Pyramid Lake.

The native fish that still survive in Lake Tahoe include:

· The mountain whitefish (Prosopium willaimsoni) is Lake Tahoe’s only native game fish. It lives near the bottom to a depth of about 100 feet.

· The Lahontan redside shiner (Richardsonius egregious) is a native minnow that is abundant in the shallow shorezone and can usually be seen in large numbers around marinas and rock crib piers. It grows to 3 to 4 inches long.

· The Lahontan speckled dace (Rhinichthys osculus) is another native minnow that grows to about 2 to 3 inches long. It is difficult to find, as it seeks the cover of rocky substrate on the bottom of the lake.

· The tui chub (Gila bicolor) is a bottom-oriented chub that feeds on zooplankton or sediments on the bottom of the lake.

· The Tahoe sucker (Catostomus tahoensis) is a bottom feeder that grows to about 16 inches long.

· The Paiute sculpin (Cottus beldingi) grows to about 3 inches long. It lives under rocks and is rarely observed in less than 10 feet of water.

The native Lahontan cutthroat trout went extinct in Lake Tahoe in 1939, due in part to overfishing, competition with nonnative species, and the development of dams. In particular, Derby Dam below Reno and Sparks and the Tahoe Outlet Dam in Tahoe City isolated the Tahoe population of cutthroat trout from other populations within the historic range.

Beginning in the late 1800s, when the effects of human environmental changes had reduced the numbers of Lahontan cutthroat in the lake, humans began introducing nonnative fish species in hopes of increasing Tahoe’s yield of game fish. These introductions included lake trout from the Great Lakes, Chinook salmon, Atlantic salmon, golden trout, Arctic grayling, Great Lakes whitefish, brook trout, brown trout, and rainbow trout. Of these fish species, the lake trout, brown trout, brook trout, and rainbow trout were able to establish self-supporting populations in the Tahoe Basin.

In the 20th century, additional introductions of nonnative invertebrates and fish further altered the Tahoe Basin ecosystem. Using the best available science at the time, exotic species were introduced with the intention of adding a recreational component or supporting an existing fishery. Unfortunately, not all of the species behaved as expected in the clear, cold waters of the Tahoe Basin.

After 70 years of alteration, the aquatic ecosystem now supports nonnative lake trout (Mackinaw) as the top predator. They are accompanied by rainbow trout, brown trout and kokanee salmon, providing multiple recreational fishing opportunities for shallow and deep-line anglers. The native Lahontan cutthroat trout is now among the most endangered western salmonids. Fortunately, as noted above, the other six native Tahoe fish species have survived the planned exotic introductions and continue to thrive within the Tahoe Basin.

In recent years, new threats to Tahoe’s remaining native fish have arisen. A number of warm-water fish species have been illegally introduced to Lake Tahoe, including largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, and sunfish. While these fish are typically associated with warm-water environments, their populations are able to grow and spread within the Tahoe Basin. Taking advantage of seasonally warm water in bays and marinas, the fish feed on native minnows and successfully spawn.

Scientists from University of California Davis and University of Nevada Reno plan to study the potential expansion of these species, and with help from the USDA Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, implement a plan for their control. “The warm-water invasive species appear to pose a great risk to Tahoe’s remaining native species,” states Brant Allen a research biologist for UC Davis. “Their ability to consume large numbers of fish and the apparent overlap with native minnow spawning areas is a big concern.”

Warm-water fish invasions are not new to California. Nearby Lake Davis continues to experience problems resulting from the illegal introduction of northern pike, a voracious predator. Controlling the spread of similar species in the Tahoe Basin could go a long way to preserving native fish and assist the recovery of Tahoe’s once great Lahontan cutthroat trout.

The Lake Tahoe Report is a collaboration between John Cobourn, Water Resource Specialist with University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, and Heather Segale, Education and Outreach Coordinator for the University of California, Davis. For more information, contact Heather Segale, (530) 583-3279, or logon to www.lteec.org, www.tahoe.unr.edu, or terc.ucdavis.edu.

last modified: January 10 2006

Bald Eagle Viewing More Likely During the Winter
Lake Tahoe Report #153
January 23, 2006
By Heather Segale and John Cobourn

Sighting a bald eagle is a magnificent experience, especially after the bald eagle’s near extinction in the not-so-distant past. The bald eagle population fell to endangered levels of less than 500 pairs in the early 1960s due to hunting, habitat loss and contamination of waterways and food sources by various pollutants and pesticides, most notably DDT.

There was a similar drop in eagle populations at Lake Tahoe during the late 1980s, when the two nest sites in the basin were both inactive. There are usually only one or two pairs of bald eagles in the Tahoe Basin during the summer. However, during the winter, bald eagles migrate to Tahoe because it is more temperate than Alaska and Canada. According to wildlife biologist Stewart McMorrow, “as many as 20 eagles have been counted in the Tahoe Basin during the winter months.”

Bald eagles live near large bodies of open water, such as lakes, marshes, seacoasts and rivers, where there are plenty of fish to eat and tall trees for nesting and roosting. Bald eagles feed primarily on fish, but also eat small animals, such as ducks, coots, muskrats, turtles, rabbits, and snakes. Occasionally, they also eat dead animals. They are a kind of predator called raptors. They swoop down to seize fish in their powerful, long and sharp talons. They exert approximately 1,000 pounds of pressure per square inch in each foot. They can carry their food off in flight, but can only lift about half their weight. Bald eagles can fly at speeds of about 65 miles per hour in level flight, and up to 150 or 200 miles per hour in a dive.

Bald eagles are monogamous and mate for life. A Bald eagle will only select another mate if its faithful companion dies. They build large nests, called eyries, at the top of sturdy, tall trees. The nests become larger as the eagles return to breed and add new nesting materials year after year. Bald eagles make their new nests an average of 2 feet deep and 5 feet wide. Eventually, some nests become 10 feet wide and weigh several tons. When a nest is destroyed by natural causes, it is often rebuilt nearby. Bald eagles line their nests with twigs, soft mosses, grasses and feathers.

The female lays one to three eggs each spring, which hatch after about 35 days of incubation. Feathers of newly hatched bald eaglets are light grey, and turn dark brown before they leave the nest in about 12 weeks. When they are 3 or 4 years old, bald eagles have mottled brown and white feathers under their wings and on their heads, tails and breasts. The distinctive white head and tail feathers do not appear until they are about 4 to 5 years old. Their beaks and eyes also turn from dark brown to yellow during this time.

Bald eagles are about 29 to 42 inches long, can weigh 7 to 15 pounds, and have a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet. This makes them one of the largest birds in North America. Females are larger than males, but both have white heads and tail feathers and yellow beaks.

The bald eagle is our national symbol, so when it became threatened with extinction in the 1960s, people took notice. Strong endangered species and environmental protection laws, as well as active private, state and federal conservation efforts, have brought back the bald eagle population from the edge of extinction in the United States. The use of DDT pesticide is now outlawed in the United States, which has contributed greatly to the return of the bald eagle to America's skies. There are now over 5,000 nesting pairs and 20,000 total birds in the lower 48 states. There are over 35,000 bald eagles in Alaska.

There are several other common raptors living at least part of the year in the Lake Tahoe Basin. One of the most common is the osprey, which is somewhat similar in appearance to the bald eagle, having white markings on its head and throat and a dark brown back and tail. It also preys mostly on fish. Most nests that you see in the Tahoe Basin are osprey nests. Sometimes eagles will steal freshly caught fish from the slightly smaller ospreys.

Forest hawks, which do not fish for food, include the sharp-shinned hawk, the Cooper’s hawk, and the northern goshawk. Such raptors are called accipiters. Other raptors in the Basin include the merlin, the great horned owl, the western screech owl, the flammulated owl, the northern Pigmy owl, the northern Saw-whet owl, and the rare California spotted owl. Red tail hawks also frequent Tahoe, and peregrine falcons sometimes pass through the region.

For more information about the birds of the Tahoe Basin, visit http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/ltbmu/recreation/wildlife/birds.shtml.

The Lake Tahoe Report is a collaboration between John Cobourn, Water Resource Specialist with University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, and Heather Segale, Education and Outreach Coordinator for the University of California, Davis. For more information, contact Heather Segale, (530) 583-3279, or logon to www.lteec.org, www.tahoe.unr.edu, or terc.ucdavis.edu.

last modified: January 23 2006

Lake of the Sky - The Lake Tahoe Story
A Robust Multimedia Presentation by David C. Antonucci

Amazing Facts and True Stories About Lake Tahoe:

Lake of the Sky — The Lake Tahoe Story brings the mysteries and science of Lake Tahoe to everyone. Using state of the art multimedia techniques, the viewer experiences an exciting and informative journey of discovery. Accompanied by live narration from a qualified environmental scientist, the audience will explore the mystique of Lake Tahoe. Participants will have greater understanding, leading to a deeper appreciation and lasting memories of Lake Tahoe.

Centered around the most frequently asked questions and mysteries of Lake Tahoe, the 45-minute presentation covers the Lake’s most fascinating and timely aspects. Viewers will learn about the natural forces that created Lake Tahoe and take a virtual dive into the underwater world. They will experience the pioneer movement, follow historic trails and live through Tahoe’s Gilded Age. Using simple and easy to understand concepts, scientific concerns are explained together with the future plans to protect the Lake. Live narration complemented by ample graphics, video and animation scenes make the presentation lively and interesting. The presentation is fully customizable to provide more detail or additional subjects of interest to the audience. Examples are recreation, geology, water resources and biological resources.

  • How was Lake Tahoe formed?
  • How large and deep is Lake Tahoe?
  • How much water is in Lake Tahoe?
  • Where does the water go?
  • Why is it so blue?
  • How cold is the water?
  • Does it ever freeze?
  • Is Lake Tahoe's clarity threatened?
  • What is the history of Tahoe?

Learn the answers to these and many more exciting facts about Lake Tahoe in Lake of the Sky — The Lake Tahoe Story.

Fees and Charges: Base fee is $295 for groups up to 150 persons in the Lake Tahoe area and includes audiovisual equipment and setup.
About the Presenter: David C. Antonucci is a 30-year resident of Lake Tahoe. He holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in environmental engineering. He has been directly involved with plans and activities to protect Lake Tahoe throughout his 32-year career and is considered an expert on Lake Tahoe environmental issues. He has served on many boards and organizations dedicated to visitor interpretation and preservation of Lake Tahoe.

Contact information:
David C. Antonucci
Phone: 530-525-5410
Fax: 530-525-7745
Email: dcantonucci@msn.com
P. O. Box 1050
7205 Antelope Way
Homewood, CA 96141-1050
last modified: January 24 2005

Parasol Community Collaboration Environment Team
By Rachel Sigman

Thanks to the innovative ideas and diligent work of the Parasol Foundation, North Lake Tahoe’s nonprofit community is growing bigger, stronger, and more effective with every passing day. The fountainhead of their work — the Donald W. Reynolds Community Non-Profit Center in Incline Village — provides office space for 12 “resident collaborator” organizations and enables over 80 “nonresident collaborator” organizations to use the center’s resources and facilities. The Parasol Foundation’s goal is that all member organizations will work cooperatively to improve existing services throughout Lake Tahoe communities, fill gaps in services currently offered, and increase the capacity for intergroup collaboration, thereby augmenting collaborator efficiency and effectiveness. To attain this goal, member organizations have formed the Parasol Community Collaboration (PCC). PCC members have formed teams to address community issues in the following four program areas: 1) Social Services, 2) Education, 3) The Regional Environment, and 4) Arts and Culture.

It should come as no surprise that shared environmental concerns unite a number of nonprofit groups around Lake Tahoe. The PCC Environment Team has brought together several of the key nonprofit groups from the larger Lake Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition (LTEEC). Using the excellent Community Needs Assessment compiled for the Parasol Foundation in 2000, this team has focused on assessing environmental services currently offered in the North Shore community. It has formulated a set of objectives and identified ways to track progress on addressing community needs.

Comprising representatives from LTEEC, Tahoe Rim Trail Association, UNR Cooperative Extension, The League to Save Lake Tahoe, Tahoe-Baikal Institute, Tahoe Area Sierra Club, Waste Not (Incline Village General Improvement District), Adopt-a-Watershed, Nevada Conservation Corps, North Lake Tahoe Demonstration Garden, and the Southwood Research Institute; the PCC Environment Team’s first task was to identify common themes in each group’s mission. The team derived objectives based on common environmental concerns including: efforts to protect, preserve and restore nature; promotion of watershed stewardship; reduction of erosion and improvement of lake clarity, and provision of environmental education. Team objectives include:

1. Increase number and effectiveness of collaborative educational events, including outings and lectures.
2. Increase number of properties with properly installed Best Management Practices (BMPs) to reduce runoff and erosion.
3. Provide and promote low-impact recreation, such as interpretive hikes.
4. Create and provide input for effective media campaign (public outreach).
5. Encourage collaborative fundraising for environmental programs.
6. Create and distribute an environmental “welcome packet” for visitors and new residents.

In addition to these six objectives, the PCC Environment Team recognizes the need to incorporate sound environmental education into our local public schools. We are also working with our newest member, The Southwood Research Institute, to develop an objective that addresses the impacts of environmental contamination on human health.

Like LTEEC itself, the PCC Environment Team is dedicated to advancing environmental work around the basin by providing a network of support and a means to improved communication to ensure that environmental groups continually seize opportunities for meaningful & productive collaboration.
To find out more about the PCC Environmental Team, feel free to contact any of the member organizations listed above or stop by the DWR Community Non-Profit Center in Incline Village.

last modified: June 17 2003