tahoe institute for natural science

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - If they were flowers on the ground or money in trees, most would welcome them. But they aren't. And love them or hate them, they’re back!

Miller moths, or the army cutworm, have become a nuisance in many parts of Lake Tahoe over the last few weeks, but not all areas have been affected. Those who have them around their homes are seeing dozens each night, swarming around their lights both inside and outside.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Vail Resorts EpicPromise has selected 76 local nonprofits in the Lake Tahoe area to receive one of their 2019-20 community grants, totaling $2.8 million in grant support.

Heavenly Mountain Resort and Kirkwood recently held a breakfast to honor the recipients. The followed with a similar celebration at Northstar, the third area Vail resort.

Celebrate Bat Week. Sarah Hockensmith from the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science will share her love of Bats. Learn about these wonderful mosquito-eating creatures, their presence in our area and the contributions they make to the ecosystem. There will be bat specimens and we will listen to echolocation. Bring the kids! There will be treats but no tricks. Free and open to all.

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SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - It's Wild Tahoe Weekend at the US Forest Service's Taylor Creek Visitor Center June 21-22! On Saturday it's the Native Species Festival and on Sunday, the 10th annual Lake Tahoe Bird Festival.

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The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) will host the seventh annual Native Species Festival on Sunday, June 22 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This free family event is at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center, located three miles north of South Lake Tahoe on Highway 89.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - A full day of earth-friendly events and activities returns to South Lake Tahoe on Saturday, April 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Bijou Community Park, located at 1201 Al Tahoe Boulevard.

Earth Day recognizes, celebrates and promotes our region’s unique beauty while educating people about its environmental issues. South Lake Tahoe’s free event includes children’s activities, local vendors, environmental booths, nature walks with Tahoe Institute for Natural Science, and live “river rock and mountain blues” by Boot Juice.

Join the Friends of the Library as we host a very informative Bird Talk. Sarah Hockensmith of the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science will share with us all the birds that were discovered during the 2018 Tahoe Big Year. This year-long birding event celebrated the hundreds of bird species that occupy the Tahoe Region, and brought together birding beginners and enthusiasts alike. This presentation will show you what was found including common and unique birds of Lake Tahoe. Come learn how exciting (and addicting) birding can be. Free and open to all.

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The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) will host the eighth Wild Tahoe Weekend 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., on Saturday and Sunday, June 23-24, 2018 at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center, located three miles north of South Lake Tahoe on Highway 89. The weekend event consists of the Native Species Festival on Saturday and the Lake Tahoe Bird Festival on Sunday.

Ninety-two different nonprofits recently received cash or product donations from Vail Resorts through their EpicPromise grant program. The beneficiaries all serve communities around Northstar, Kirkwood Mountain and Heavenly Mountain resorts.

EpicPromise grants and donations were given away on Wednesday to dozens of non-profits who serve the communities around both Heavenly Mountain Resort and Kirkwood.

Grants and donations are given by Vail Resorts in all of the communities where they have operations and go to programs who serve youth or environmental initiatives.

This year's recipients:

Alpine County Unified School District
Alpine Watershed Group
American Youth Soccer Association #282
Austin's House
Barton Memorial Hospital Foundation (3)
Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe
Bread & Broth
CASA El Dorado

Light and sound affect people and wildlife. Find out more when the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science hosts the next TERC talk and movie screening in Lake Tahoe on Thursday, July 13 at 5:30 p.m.

"The Smog of the Sea" will be shown. It is a short film that chronicles a one-week journey through the remote waters of the Sargasso Sea to assess the fate of plastics in the world's oceans. As the crew sieves the water they find a fog of microplastics permeating the world's oceans.

Sarah Hockensmith of the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS) returns to introduce us to the diverse wildflowers of the Tahoe region. To celebrate the hundreds of plant species in the region, Sarah will cover the basic structures of flowers, some of the best locations to find wildflowers at Lake Tahoe, and what wildflowers to expect at those locations. We hope to see you there! Free and open to all. Presented by the Friends of the Library.​

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Tahoe's Natural Diversity: Lakes Edge to Summit. Join Sarah Hockensmith of the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS) as she introduces attendees to the diverse landscapes of the Tahoe region from lake level to the tops of the mountains.

To celebrate the Tahoe's natural history, TINS is hosting the Tahoe Nature Chase during 2017. The presentation will cover how different flower, tree, bird, and mammal species adapt as they go up in elevation and what unique creatures you can find around specific elevations in the area.

Free and open to all.

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Join Tahoe Heritage Foundation and Tahoe Institute for Nature Science on Friday July 14 for "Birds of Lake Tahoe" and the "Tahoe Big Year." This event will be held at Taylor Creek Visitor Center at 8:00 p.m. and is open to the public. There is a $5.00 donation to the Tahoe Heritage Foundation.

The Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS) in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit (LTBMU) will host the sixth annual Lake Tahoe Bird Festival on Saturday June 13, 2015 at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center, located three miles north of South Lake Tahoe on Highway 89.

Residents and visitors are invited to attend this free family event from 10 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.

As part of their mission to give back to the community and protect the environment, Vail Resorts gave away 49 grants to Lake Tahoe area groups during a ceremony on Tuesday at Heavenly Valley.

Join the Tahoe Rim Trail Association and the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS) for a night dedicated to our grand celestial sphere. The Geminid Meteor Shower will be making its appearance during this time, and it is expected to see many shooting stars throughout the night.

You will be taken into a snow covered Tahoe Meadows to relax and gaze at the sky and TINS staff will illuminate the mysteries of the night.

This event is perfect for sharing with your whole family! It is free and only open to the first 30 signups.

Join novice and expert birders alike for the South Lake Tahoe Christmas Bird Count (CBC), Dec. 14, sponsored by the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS). The Christmas Bird Count, begun in 1900, is widely regarded as the largest and oldest citizen science project in the world.

The CBC makes a valuable contribution to conservation, collecting critical data on bird population trends and building a database. The Audubon Society and other organizations use the CBC database to assess the health of bird populations — and to help guide conservation action.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science will host the fourth annual Lake Tahoe Bird Festival on Saturday, June 8, followed by the third annual Native Species Festival on Sunday, June 9.

Residents and visitors are invited to attend these free family events from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center, located three miles north of South Lake Tahoe on Highway 89.

June 8 event:

Alpenglow Sports has teamed up with Tahoe Cross Country to present the first-ever Lake Tahoe Nordic Festival Friday, February 8 through Sunday, February 10. All events are free, open to the public and take place at Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area in Tahoe City, California. A full schedule of events is available at www.tahoenordicfestival.com.

Nine beautiful West Shore gardens and educational talks on conservation landscaping topics highlight the fifth annual Conservation Landscape Tour, one of the signature events produced by the sustainable landscaping experts with the Tahoe Resource Conservation District. Maps for the tour can be picked up on Sunday, August 19 between 1 and 3 pm at the corner of Wilson and Pine Streets in Tahoma, Calif.

Go birding with an expert. Kirk Hardie, Co-Executive Director of the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science will lead a bird-watching walk on Saturday, June 16, 2012 (8 – 10 am, $5 donation suggested), beginning at the UC Davis Tahoe City Field Station. Bringing binoculars is recommended.

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit and the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS) invite residents and visitors to attend the third annual Lake Tahoe Bird Festival on Saturday, June 2, 2012, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. The event is free and takes place at the Taylor Creek Visitor Center, located three miles north of South Lake Tahoe on Highway 89.

Do you love Lake Tahoe and have an interest in learning more about the lake? Do you enjoy science, learning new information, and sharing your knowledge?

Residents who would like to help people learn about the region's environmental assets and challenges are needed to serve as volunteer docents at the Thomas J. Long Foundation Education Center and the UC Davis Eriksson Education Center. Located in Incline Village and Tahoe City respectively, the two UC Davis education centers are well positioned along the North Shore of Lake Tahoe.