ROADMAP & TIMELINE
“The way people access and rely on public lands is changing. In everything from hiking to skiing we are welcoming new and more diverse users, sometimes in growing numbers. Now is the time for us to come together to learn how we can better coordinate and improve the whole picture.”
— Erick Walker
Forest Supervisor, USDA Forest Service
Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit
“We have an opportunity to make a cultural shift. It starts with our residents and it permeates out to our visitors.”
— Carol Chaplin
Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority
Project Process
The Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan is tapping into a full range of perspectives and expertise to surface new ways of viewing recreation- and tourism-related challenges, from North to South Lake Tahoe and Truckee.
The first phase took place January – December, 2022 as the CREST project team created a framework for the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan core team to develop into action strategies.
The process outlined below is expected to be complete in June, 2023 with delivery of a final plan for the region that will help address recent pressures while optimizing the value of recreation and tourism in a changing world.
2023 Destination Stewardship Plan
May – June 2023
The core team of partners will bring forward the Destination Stewardship Plan and action strategies partners throughout the region can implement to harmonize the environment, communities, and outdoor recreation and tourism.
2022 Development of the Plan Framework
Project Kick-off
February 2022
Kickoff meetings were held with all members of the core team to review project plan and familiarize consulting team with the destination. Key one-to-one interviews began during this time.
State of Tourism Analysis in the Lake Tahoe Region
March – April 2022
The project team examined the state of tourism in the greater Lake Tahoe region including Truckee in detail. The analysis included review of existing data, development of visitor survey and profiles, and an analysis of strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and concerns.
Stakeholder Engagement
April – September 2022
This stage included multiple methods of gathering input from community stakeholders from public and private organizations, to residents, businesses, and underrepresented communities. Opportunities for engagement included public workshops in multiple locations around the lake in May, as well as targeted focus groups spanning diverse sets of people, Spanish language sessions, and targeted one-on-one interviews.
Public Visioning Workshops
First Round – May 2022
May workshops focused on gathering community input on vision. The project team listened for community members’ values as well as challenges, impacts, solutions, and ideas. Workshops provided an opportunity for diverse community members to provide input and ensure the plan is based on research and stakeholder engagement as well as best practices and core team input. View the workshop takeaways report here.
Public Visioning Workshops
Second Round – October 2022
The second round of workshops focused on gathering community input on Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan. The project team shared an initial draft of the plan and listened to community member suggestions, feedback, and solutions. These workshops provided an opportunity for the community to provide continued input during the process.
Shared Vision of the Future of Recreation and Tourism for Lake Tahoe
July – September 2022
Developing the long-term shared vision and values for the future of recreation and tourism in the greater Lake Tahoe region.
This comprehensive task consisted of multiple elements such as scenario planning for various visitor profiles, economic modeling to arrive at funding strategies, and an overall planning framework that includes the shared vision and values to guide plan implementation. This work included the Travel Foundation’s Optimal Value Framework, which is a methodical approach to help stakeholders define what harmonized recreation and tourism can look like by analyzing the various impacts and benefits of tourism and defining ways to measure and manage them going forward.
Visioning Sessions & Gaining Alignment
November 2022 – May 2023
This facilitated engagement involves the core team members in a discussion and series of visioning sessions that include review of findings from all stages of the process. The goal is to achieve alignment around action strategies and elements of the implementation roadmap, which lead up to the Lake Tahoe Destination Stewardship Plan.