Two South Lake Tahoe women win TRPA Lake Spirit Awards

Rebecca Bryson and Joy Barney of the South Shore were honored for their work in local schools that resulted in progress and environmental improvements in the Lake Tahoe region.

During Wednesday's Tahoe Regional Planning Agency's Governing Board meeting, the two South Shore women were given the Lake Spirit award along with a family and person from the North Shore. The award has been given to "real people making real progress" at restoring Lake Tahoe since 2011.

Rebecca Bryson is a member of the Community Mobility Working Group, which advocates for improved community connections. Bryson also spearheaded a composting program in Lake Tahoe Unified School District elementary schools and was the lead organizer for the Sierra House Growing Domes project, generating over $100,000 for its construction. She won in the category of "Exemplary Citizen."

Honored in the Exemplary Agency Representative or Environmental Scientist category, Joy Barney of the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit founded the Generation Green of Lake Tahoe Program. This program educates high school students about the environment and gives them work and volunteer experience through the Forest Service. She helped found the South Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition, providing 1,500 hours of environmental education in local schools annually.

“This year’s winners have shown amazing commitment by going above and beyond to protect Lake Tahoe,” said TRPA environmental education specialist Devin Middlebrook. “When it comes to creating environmental improvements on the ground, everyone has a role to play.”

The other winners were:

The Murphy Family, consisting of Shawn, Angie, Tyler, and Savannah, who are committed to fighting aquatic invasive species in Lake Tahoe. Through their business, Wet Leprechaun Dive Services, the Murphy’s have helped physically remove aquatic invasive weeds from iconic Tahoe locations, including Emerald Bay. The Murphy family also champions public education about aquatic invasive species in an effort to grow awareness of this threat to Lake Tahoe.

Madonna Dunbar of the Incline Village General Improvement District and Tahoe Water Suppliers Association promotes environmental programs in Incline Village and around the Region. Her work on the IVGID Waste Not Program reaches over 200,000 people every year. She promotes water conservation and encourages people to Drink Tahoe Tap.