Bizjournals reported that two environmental groups have managed to stop a developer from expanding a recreation area north of Lake Tahoe.
The Village at Palisades project has been scaled back due to a settlement with Palisades Tahoe, Sierra Watch, and Keep Tahoe Blue. It also means that Shirley Canyon will maintain some protection, historic Olympic Valley won't wind up home to "a massive indoor waterpark," and existing heavy traffic won't increase.
Jesse Patterson, chief strategy officer for Keep Tahoe Blue, told Bizjournals, "It demonstrates when we sit down and have meaningful conversations, we can get to a place."
For over 20 years, Sierra Watch has been doing what it did with this Lake Tahoe project — stopping environmentally damaging proposals around mountain landscapes. Other conservation efforts have included the campaign to save Martis Valley from development efforts that would have added 6,000 new houses on both sides of Highway 267, creeping into the Tahoe Basin. Stopping the construction of a Bear River dam in 2012 prevented the potential flooding of 2,000 acres of the Bear River Canyon and river blockage.
Then, there's Keep Tahoe Blue, which has been working to protect Lake Tahoe since 1957. The organization has protected the country's largest alpine lake from invasive species like aquatic weeds and pollution. One way they do so is by managing the Citizen Science Tahoe app, where anyone can take local action by reporting harmful observations in Lake Tahoe.
Elsewhere, other actions against natural resource damage include the over 2,000 citizens, businesses, and patrons who came together to protect over 250,000 acres of public land in Montana. Arizona's Big Chino Valley has also avoided overdevelopment and protected natural resources thanks to a partnership with various groups.
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The work that Sierra Watch and Keep Tahoe Blue do protects natural resources for people to enjoy, maintain sustainable businesses, and live in the area. Mammals, fish, and pollinators need habitat protection to thrive, maintain biodiversity, and keep the food chain going. When organizations protect water sources like Lake Tahoe and the surrounding lands, it's a step toward a cooler and cleaner planet.
According to a joint release, the settlement protects the Tahoe Basin from "upwards of 38% of daily car trips," thus cutting the amount of local air and water pollution. Anyone can lend support to these organizations by volunteering, donating to climate causes, and educating others.
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