Taylor Creek Visitor Center hosts Native Species Festival

The U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit will host the third annual Native Species Festival on Sunday, June 9, 2013. Residents and visitors are invited to attend this free family event 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.

This popular local festival is a great way to spend the day outdoors and learn about the native species of the Lake Tahoe Basin. Attend walks led by field professionals and local students to learn about our native Tahoe Yellow Cress, the invasive Eurasian Water Milfoil, the Basin's native Lahontan Cutthroat Trout and the invasive American Bullfrog.

Visitors can also enjoy live music by the local band, Fugitive Dust. The festival will offer 14 different educational booths from various public and non-profit agencies, featuring topics like the American black bear, native bats, the American beaver, and Tahoe yellow cress. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will return this year with the popular large fish tank, which holds native Lahontan Cutthroat Trout, and the giant inflatable fish. Food will be available at the festival with vendors featuring sandwiches, snacks, drinks and ice cream.

This event is made possible by multiple partners, agencies and non-profits such as the California Conservation Corps, Camp Richardson Resort, Tahoe Institute for Natural Sciences, California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Lake Tahoe Wildlife Care, the Sugar Pine Foundation, Sierra Wildlife Coalition, League to Save Lake Tahoe, Nor Cal Bats, Tahoe Native Plant Society, UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, Lake Tahoe Unified School District and the Tahoe Expedition Academy.

For more information, contact Jean Norman at (530) 543-2694 or visit http://www.fs.usda.gov/goto/ltbmu/NativeSpeciesFestival.