NEWS RELEASES
For Immediate Release: August 4, 2007 Contacts: Rochelle Nason, League to Save Lake Tahoe (530)541-5388 League to Save Lake Tahoe and The Tiffany and Company Foundation to co-sponsor Upper Truckee River watershed group The League to Save Lake Tahoe and The Tiffany & Co. Foundation announced today that the two organizations will provide support to foster the formation of an Upper Truckee River Watershed Group. The new group will provide information and support for enhanced community participation in environmental decision-making. "Such a group is needed to promote community education and participation in watershed issues, including public and private land management that integrates water quality, wildfire prevention and defensibility, and other key values" said Rochelle Nason, executive director of the League to Save Lake Tahoe. "Local conservation leaders are anxious to see the community more involved in decisions about land management, but keeping people informed and connected can be resource intensive. We are extremely grateful that The Tiffany Foundation is recognizing this need and providing support to get this critical effort underway. "This project could not be more timely in light of the recent Angora wildfire. Local residents are anxious to be involved in planning for the restoration of the burned area, and for the future of the watershed as a whole, to protect the Upper Truckee and the Lake as well as to protect lives and property from the threat of future wildfires. An active watershed group will give the community tools it needs to participate effectively in government processes at all levels. Our objective will be to bring people together to develop broadly supported solutions to land management challenges, and to foster volunteer leadership for a stronger local voice in conservation. "Fostering a community-based group at the local level is a new approach for the League to Save Lake Tahoe, which unites supporters of Lake Tahoe everywhere to address conservation issues at the regional level. We believe this will be a major positive step for this community and we hope to see it become a model for strengthening community participation in environmental decision-making throughout Lake Tahoe and beyond." Fernanda Kellogg, President for The Tiffany & Co. Foundation stated "The Tiffany & Co. Foundation is proud to support community stewardship of critical environmental resources.. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to support this community-based initiative at such a critical time for the recovery of this sensitive and important area." The League to Save Lake Tahoe, known for its motto "Keep Tahoe Blue", is a membership organization of over 4,000 families and individuals committed to the protection and restoration of the Lake Tahoe watershed. The Tiffany & Co. Foundation supports the conservation of natural resources in key areas of interest, including the promotion of collaboration and capacity building for comprehensive land protection strategies."
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