On a hot and crowded Saturday in Kings Beach, environmental organizations and agencies from around Tahoe, Truckee, and Reno took over a small patch of sand for Family Science Day. The goal of the August 3rd event was to bring science to families throughout the region in a fun and engaging way. The event was organized by the North Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition (NTEEC), a group of organizations with the mission of fostering environmental stewardship through education and collaboration.

Summers can be a great break for students. They are able to take their minds off school and just enjoy being kids. Keeping science relevant and fun fosters a spirit of continual learning. Environmental science is all around us, and the activities at Family Science Day helped bring that message to beach-going families.

The science-focused event was full of interactive activities for visitors of all ages. Trout Unlimited offered fly casting lessons and information on native trout, while the Tahoe Institute for Natural Science provided specimens of local species. Nevada Floods demonstrated the critical role that floodplains play in the life of a watershed through their Floodplain Model. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service brought their larger-than-life inflatable Lahontan Cutthroat Trout and taught visitors about the native fish’s lifecycle. Guests could look through a microscope to see tiny zooplankton at the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center booth, and also learn about microplastics, where they come from, and how they are affecting Lake Tahoe.

 

This year’s participants included Great Basin Outdoor School, KidZone Museum, Nevada Floods, Placer Mosquito and Vector Control, Sierra Watershed Education Partnerships, Tahoe Institute for Natural Science, Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, Tahoe Resource Conservation District, Tahoe Water Suppliers Association, Take Care Tahoe, Trout Unlimited, UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Special thanks to our donors, volunteers, and all participants in this year’s event!