Posts

Reflections on Biodiversity and Stewardship

I was thrilled to take the Biodiversity Stewardship course, with Professor Jim Egenrieder, as my first course as a Master's student at Virginia Tech. This course taught me numerous skills that can be transferred to future courses, along with future career opportunities.  Although this course was asynchronous, it definitely felt like a field-research course itself. With my classmates and myself each having specific 'study-areas' (as reflected in our class blogs), there was plenty of exploration and research to do and gather.  One thing that was quite enjoyable from this asynchronous course was that my classmates and I all had 'study-areas' from regions all over the United States. We all became regional, national stewards. Within the blog posts, you can see that assignments ranged from local, to regional, to international perspectives.  I gained extensive insight as to what resources there are when using mapping tools, such as the Web Soil Survey and Google's MyMa

Starting a 501(c)(3) Nonprofit Organization in California.

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  Steps to organize a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in California. With the right team and support, starting a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in California can be one of the most rewarding accomplishments. Before starting your own nonprofit organization, make sure there are no other already established similar organizations in your local area. If another exists, it may be helpful to join hands and utilize the existing support and resources. 1. Name Your Organization: Make sure that your organization name is available, the legal name of your nonprofit corporation cannot already exist in other organizations registered in the state. 2. Choose a California nonprofit corporation structure: Public benefit corporations - those seeking IRS exemptions 501(c)(3) and/or similar California state tax exemptions.  3. Formation of Members - Recruiting Incorporators and Directors: Recruiting directors  Minimum: 1. Qualifications: None. No residency or membership requirement. Term: 1 year, 4 yea

Keep Tahoe Blue - a nonprofit organization.

  The League to Save Lake Tahoe, also known by their slogan "Keep Tahoe Blue", is a 501(c)(3) private, nonprofit environmental advocacy organization. Donations are used towards community engagement and facilitation. The League works amongst local and state lawmakers, as well as local community members, to help protect Lake Tahoe's natural beauty and ecosystem by combating pollution, advancing restoration, and tackling invasive species.

Invasive/Native Species of the Lake Tahoe Basin

Invasive/Native Species of the Lake Tahoe Basin  

Invasive Species of the Lake Tahoe Basin

Invasive Species Lake Tahoe  

Lake Tahoe Basin Web Soil Survey

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Tahoe Basin Area Soil Survey (Updated May 2020) This was my first experience using the resource 'Web Soil Survey' provided through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The site has 95% of the nation's most updated soil data, with anticipating having 100% in the near future. Currently, NRCS has information about every county in the United States. The site has the ability to develop custom reports addressing specific questions or concerns within a specific property (<100,000 acres), also known as the "Area of Interest/AOI". As a beginning user of WSS, the 45-minute  tutorial  explained everything I would need to know to find my area of interest on the map. The Tahoe Basin has 328,118 acres within Placer county and 126,326.7 acres/38.5% of it was made up of its' watershed. I found WSS to be informative and quite helpful in being able to visualize all of the soil, sand, and gravel of the Tahoe Basin. NRCS is an extremely important resource that ha

Lake Tahoe Basin Climate and Weather Information

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                                                                                                                             Source: Kat Kerlin, UC Davis. August 2012. Since 2019, the changing climate affected by global warming has been a huge concern in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The report shows recent years' patterns in much more sporadic snowfall, along with the frequency of rain in the winter months. The following 2019 Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment was the first of Lake Tahoe.  Information of Climate 'Vulnerability Assessment'   Climate change within the basin will have effects on lake clarity, natural resources, communities and the economy (California Parks Service.)  Resources for Lake Tahoe's Climate Change Adaptation The following is a link provided by NOAA and NIDIS of the current U.S. Drought Monitor Conditions for California. The Lake Tahoe Basin, which lies in Placer County is in the 'D-3 Extreme Drought' category.  Current California Drought