News
ENLARGE
INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — While most visitors and locals are familiar with the scenic beauty of the lake and the mountains surrounding it, many are not as familiar with the natural history that is all around the Tahoe region.
Just waiting to be discovered are incredible wildflowers, birds and butterflies as well as other interesting creatures that make Tahoe home. The Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS) helps visitors, locals and students know what to look and listen for as they hike, snowshoe and enjoy Tahoe outdoor adventures. In the future, a world-class interpretive nature center and educational facility provided by TINS will be available for all.
"Most people know us as a bird group," said Kirk Hardie, co-founder of TINS along with Will Richardson. "But TINS offers a much broader understanding of the natural world."
Hardie and Richardson started in the spring of 2010. The organization is located in the Donald W. Reynolds Community Non-Profit Center and receives a grant from the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation for its office space.
Richardson has a doctorate in ecology, evolution and conservation biology from University of Nevada, Reno. Hardie has a master of science in biology from UNR and both have been all around the Tahoe region exploring, researching and studying natural science for a long time.
Hardie has coordinated the Wonders of Water program at the Incline Elementary School fifth-grade classes. The curriculum used for the program is from the South Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition for grades K-7. This curriculum is used in almost all of the K-7 classes in the South Lake Tahoe area and TINS coordinates classes in the South Shore area as well.
The Wonders of Water program focuses on water conservation. Hardie said through a hands-on approach, students learn just how much water actually is used in one day at school. This includes water for drinking, washing hands and flushing the toilet (one flush uses 3 gallons). Students also learn how much water is used at home and ways to conserve water.
"In most classes, students thought they used about two gallons of water a day on average," said Hardie. "The actual usage is 8 to 12 gallons per student at school."
Providing school educational programs is only a small part of TINS outreach.
"Citizen Science is a great way for researchers to get the general public involved in the data collection process," said Richardson. "For event-based programs like the Christmas Bird Count, the summer butterfly count, and our odonates blitz, it's also an excuse to have fun and socialize with other nature enthusiasts."
The Tahoe Christmas Bird Count Citizen Science Program is on Friday, Dec. 16, and is part of a nation-wide program that is the largest and oldest citizen science project in the world.
Each year between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5, tens of thousands of volunteers count birds for a day. It is a tradition that dates back to the 1900s and has a database on bird populations that is unmatched by other wildlife census.
To take part in the Christmas Bird Count at Tahoe, information along with a detailed map is available on the TINS website at tinsweb.org.
"One of the many highlights of our outreach programming has been helping to revive the local chapter of the California Native Plant Society," said Richardson.
"We have partnered with them for some terrific wildflower hikes over the last two years."
TINS also has studied cavity-nesting birds in the Angora burn area, pockets of breeding Swainson's Thrush, new species of odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) breeding at Tahoe and established long-term fall bird banding stations at several sites.
TINS also is investigating wildlife responses to fuels-thinning, conifer removal in aspen stands and the dog closure in the Upper Truckee Marsh.
Another research project has been uncovering important information on white-tailed jackrabbits and snowshoe hares.
"We're always learning a lot," said Richardson. "That's the best part of the job."
— Jean Eick is the communications manager at Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation. TINS is the recipient of one of the Parasol Celebrate Community Grants for 2011. To become a member of TINS or for more information go to their website tinsweb.org.
Just waiting to be discovered are incredible wildflowers, birds and butterflies as well as other interesting creatures that make Tahoe home. The Tahoe Institute for Natural Science (TINS) helps visitors, locals and students know what to look and listen for as they hike, snowshoe and enjoy Tahoe outdoor adventures. In the future, a world-class interpretive nature center and educational facility provided by TINS will be available for all.
"Most people know us as a bird group," said Kirk Hardie, co-founder of TINS along with Will Richardson. "But TINS offers a much broader understanding of the natural world."
Hardie and Richardson started in the spring of 2010. The organization is located in the Donald W. Reynolds Community Non-Profit Center and receives a grant from the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation for its office space.
Richardson has a doctorate in ecology, evolution and conservation biology from University of Nevada, Reno. Hardie has a master of science in biology from UNR and both have been all around the Tahoe region exploring, researching and studying natural science for a long time.
Hardie has coordinated the Wonders of Water program at the Incline Elementary School fifth-grade classes. The curriculum used for the program is from the South Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition for grades K-7. This curriculum is used in almost all of the K-7 classes in the South Lake Tahoe area and TINS coordinates classes in the South Shore area as well.
The Wonders of Water program focuses on water conservation. Hardie said through a hands-on approach, students learn just how much water actually is used in one day at school. This includes water for drinking, washing hands and flushing the toilet (one flush uses 3 gallons). Students also learn how much water is used at home and ways to conserve water.
"In most classes, students thought they used about two gallons of water a day on average," said Hardie. "The actual usage is 8 to 12 gallons per student at school."
Providing school educational programs is only a small part of TINS outreach.
"Citizen Science is a great way for researchers to get the general public involved in the data collection process," said Richardson. "For event-based programs like the Christmas Bird Count, the summer butterfly count, and our odonates blitz, it's also an excuse to have fun and socialize with other nature enthusiasts."
The Tahoe Christmas Bird Count Citizen Science Program is on Friday, Dec. 16, and is part of a nation-wide program that is the largest and oldest citizen science project in the world.
Each year between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5, tens of thousands of volunteers count birds for a day. It is a tradition that dates back to the 1900s and has a database on bird populations that is unmatched by other wildlife census.
To take part in the Christmas Bird Count at Tahoe, information along with a detailed map is available on the TINS website at tinsweb.org.
"One of the many highlights of our outreach programming has been helping to revive the local chapter of the California Native Plant Society," said Richardson.
"We have partnered with them for some terrific wildflower hikes over the last two years."
TINS also has studied cavity-nesting birds in the Angora burn area, pockets of breeding Swainson's Thrush, new species of odonates (dragonflies and damselflies) breeding at Tahoe and established long-term fall bird banding stations at several sites.
TINS also is investigating wildlife responses to fuels-thinning, conifer removal in aspen stands and the dog closure in the Upper Truckee Marsh.
Another research project has been uncovering important information on white-tailed jackrabbits and snowshoe hares.
"We're always learning a lot," said Richardson. "That's the best part of the job."
— Jean Eick is the communications manager at Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation. TINS is the recipient of one of the Parasol Celebrate Community Grants for 2011. To become a member of TINS or for more information go to their website tinsweb.org.
