Sierra Nevada Alliance, in collaboration with dozens of groups throughout the Sierra, is pleased to announce the official launch of Take Care Sierra – a recreational stewardship campaign designed to educate visitors and residents about how to take care of the treasured region. 

The campaign isn’t just about education. It also provides fun and easy ways to take action and step up to protect the Sierra. By mobilizing individual stewards, the campaign also creates a ripple effect to garner more awareness and support from legislators and agency decision makers to enhance protection for the region.

Jenny Hatch, Executive Director of the Sierra Nevada Alliance says, “Our vision is to share a consistent, well-known brand for the Sierra Nevada that will increase personal stewardship actions and raise the profile of the region for greater conservation investment.”

Why is this campaign relevant? Every year, the Sierra Nevada hosts more than 50 million people recreating in the region. And more people loving the Sierra means more litter, traffic, illegal campfires, and crowds harming forest health, water clarity, and public safety. This new reality of heavy tourism highlights the importance of educating local visitors and reminding residents to take care of this magical place. 

Take Care Sierra reaches folks in many ways. Visitors and residents can visit takecaresierra.org to learn about aquatic invasive species, living with bears, microplastics, wildfire preparedness, cigarette butts, litter, fire, dog doody, river use, broken sleds, and trails. There’s also information about the region, including maps, history, formation, flora and fauna, animals, a visitor center and conservation directory, and volunteer and event listings. In addition to the website, we have social media messages, e-blasts, literature, signage, billboards, and PSAs in store for the future. 

Take Care Sierra is modeled after the successful Take Care Tahoe campaign coordinated by the Tahoe Fund and other Lake Tahoe agencies and organizations. Take Care Tahoe is celebrating its tenth year, and the Sierra Nevada Alliance has been a partner since its inception.

“We are excited to see the Take Care campaign expand to the entire Sierra Region. It was designed to help grab the attention of visitors and residents and share ways they can help take care of our region,” says Amy Berry, Chief Executive Officer of the Tahoe Fund.

Be on the lookout for delightful characters encouraging us to Take Care of the Sierra and be good stewards. Together, we can be part of the solution and protect and preserve the Sierra Nevada now and for the future. 

Sierra Nevada Alliance extends gratitude to the Latrobe Foundation, which funds the campaign and supports our vision of sharing creative and consistent messages to Take Care of the Sierra Nevada.

If your group is interested in joining the Take Care Sierra working group to help coordinate the campaign and share stewardship messaging, please contact [email protected].

Article written by Jennifer Marshall, Sierra Nevada Alliance Development and Community Engagement Director