Partners That Keep Tahoe Donner's Natural Resources Thriving

By Annie Rosenfeld

Among Tahoe Donner’s biggest draws is its proximity to breathtaking natural resources. Through support by the management and board, one of the association’s visions is to strategically and incrementally obtain funding to improve and enhance its land for fire mitigation, recreational use and stewardship responsibility. One of the most influential ways to enhance Tahoe Donner is to collaborate with local partners in the Truckee-Tahoe area, with noteworthy recent examples shown below.

BUCKNAM-SINCLAIR LAND PURCHASE
In 2010, Tahoe Donner, the Truckee Donner Land Trust and the Town of Truckee jointly purchased 240 acres that bordered the south side of Tahoe Donner – above I-80 and below Skislope Way – which ensured that forest health could improve, fire hazard mitigation could occur and recreational open space could be expanded.

Subsequently, the Tahoe Donner Forestry Department secured a CAL FIRE grant to establish a 300-foot fire break in front of Skislope Way homes. As part of the purchase agreement, a conservation easement was established that secured part of the southern alignment of the Donner Lake Rim Trail to run through this tract of land so the popular trail could be completed.

CRABTREE CANYON PURCHASE
In 2016, 632 acres known as Crabtree Canyon were purchased from the Truckee Donner Land Trust. This purchase allowed the association to continue offering unforgettable cross country trails in the winter. It also secured Tahoe Donner’s ability to provide additional fire hazard mitigation to open space in the northern area of the subdivision as well as expand both its open space and trail system.

A conservation easement on the parcels allows Crabtree Canyon to remain as open space except for recreation purposes. This easement additionally creates accessibility to Frog Lake and Lower Carpenter Valley from Tahoe Donner and the Truckee Donner Land Trust property.

EUER VALLEY RESTORATION | PHASE 1 PROJECT – COYOTE CROSSING
Tahoe Donner, in partnership with the Truckee River Watershed Council, has worked diligently in seeking grant funds for the initial phase of restoration and recreation enhancement projects in Euer Valley. The Watershed Council’s ability and reputation to obtain grants as well as implement and fulfill them makes them an invaluable Tahoe Donner partner.

A grant of $585,000 through the State Water Resources Control Board was awarded to Euer Valley to design, plan and partially construct the restoration of its meadow and stream area around Prosser Creek. It also granted the ability to improve the recreational crossing of Prosser Creek and Euer Valley through the replacement of its culverts with a bridge and elevated walkway. This restoration benefits the membership in an elevated recreational experience as well as the land as a necessary watershed enhancement.

PROSSER CREEK BASIN | WATERSHED ASSESSMENT
One of the association’s biggest collaborative projects today, in terms of total acreage of coverage, is participation with landowners for the Truckee River Watershed Council’s watershed basin assessment of the Prosser Creek Watershed. This assessment is similar to the Donner Lake Basin Watershed assessment completed in 2010, where Tahoe Donner also participated. This assessment is funded entirely through grant funding secured by the Watershed Council. Tahoe Donner, the Truckee Donner Land Trust and the United States Forest Service are the major owners participating in the assessment, and this two-year project is roughly one-third of the way complete.

This visionary assessment and base data can be looked at for  scientific data supporting any kind of restoration or enhancement opportunities. It will set the association up with preliminary data and draft improvement projects to go after necessary grant funding; improvement projects with said funding may be acquired alone or through joint efforts like the Euer Valley Restoration Phase 1 Project. With this one document, the base data found will offer insight for the next 10 to 15 years

Euer Valley and Carpenter Valley, which are within the Prosser Creek Basin, are not untouched lands. They have been disrupted and developed by ranching enterprises, a railroad and other human actions. The degradation that came from these practices will be identified by studying sediments, stream health and biological health of birds, fish, frogs, lizards and other species.

FUELS REDUCTION
In March 2020, the Truckee Fire Protection District was awarded $1.5 million by CAL FIRE. This grant represents a partnership for the application including Tahoe Donner, Truckee Donner Land Trust, Town of Truckee, Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation and others.

Tahoe Donner’s portion of this grant will be approximately $300,500 and will target 177 acres for fuels reduction in the western portion of the open space. This award is one of the largest grant awards the association has received to date. The largest awarded grant was for the previously mentioned Euer Valley restoration project.

BOARD SUPPORT
This critical and necessary work to keep our open space, trails and environment thriving could not be done without the actions taken by the successive boards over the years. We appreciate their support of sustainable stewardship and recreational opportunities through open space, land acquisitions and fire hazard mitigation as well as partnerships with our neighboring organizations.