Forest Futures Salon Series Kicks Off with Stories of Stewardship

Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation (TTCF) hosted the first salon in its newest Forest Futures Salon Series, “Stewarding Our Collective Home,” on Thursday, February 27th. More than 80 people attended the event, filling CoffeeBar Bakery to reflect on the question: How can we intentionally care for our collective home, and how can we do so together?

Erika Veidis, TTCF’s Forest Futures Program Director, set the tone for the evening and kept the crowd grounded in the conversation. The speakers’ presentations wove together personal narratives with clear calls to action for the audience members.

Stewarding Our Collective Home: The Newest Forest Futures Salon Series

TTCF began hosting Forest Futures Salons in 2018, and Thursday kicked off the first in-person salon since 2019. The four-part series features storytelling from local leaders, encouraging participants to think about what it means to protect our region’s natural resources and engage in forest stewardship. These gatherings provide community education around current topics in TTCF’s Forest Futures Impact Strategy and plant the seeds of action for addressing regional challenges.

Eric Horntvedt: Stories of Repair, Responsibility, and Community Connection

Eric Hornvtvedt, Wildlife Prevention Manager for Truckee Fire, started the evening’s presentations. Eric illustrated the responsibility we all share and the profound connection between individual actions and community well-being. He shared what he learned from time spent on a working farm, where he learned the value of rolling up his sleeves to do hard work, using tools until they’re broken, and then repairing what can still be useful. He also spoke to the history of humanity’s impact on Tahoe Truckee with the Washoe Tribe’s long-standing stewardship and care of this place. With particular attention to growing wildfire risks, exacerbated by the post-settlement departure from forest stewardship, Eric encouraged everyone to consider their roles in actively taking responsibility to care of this region rather than simply living here.

Call to action: Eric encouraged participants to join their local firewise communities, roll up their sleeves, work alongside their neighbors and fire department to remove hazardous woody biomass, and commit to protecting this place. Email firewise@truckeefire.org or call 530.582.7888.

Mayumi Peacock: The Art of Listening and Reciprocity

Mayumi Peacock is the Owner and Publisher of Moonshine Ink, Tahoe Truckee’s local independent news journal famed for holding the community accountable and protecting spaces of civic discourse. Mayumi spoke eloquently about the shared practice of storytelling, redefining stewardship as “deep listening.” She highlighted how empathy and the willingness to hear others can bridge differences and foster stronger, more resilient communities. She called upon the audience to listen deeply and respect the words of others despite possible differences. Her insights on approaching conflict with a desire to learn encouraged audience members to lean into learning from one another.

Call to Action: Mayumi invited audience members to learn from others, use their voices in civic discourse, and consider submitting op-eds in Moonshine Ink and other media outlets to share their perspectives and participate in the ongoing dialogue that shapes our society.

Will Richardson: Embracing Biophilia and the Urgency of Stewardship

Will Richardson, Executive Director for the Tahoe Institute for Natural Sciences, explored the concept of biophilia—the innate love for and curiosity about the natural world. His discussion emphasized the importance of connecting with our environment and how this cultivates a deep sense of understanding and responsibility. Will’s message underscored the urgency of building collective wisdom by integrating diverse experiences across the community and acting together to protect the world around us.

Call to Action: As a scientist, Will encouraged participants to seek reliable and validated sources of education and knowledge. He urged people to act with love for this place and recognize that it will take all of us to protect our natural resources. He suggested audience members learn about local environmental nonprofits and support their work as volunteers, donors, and advocates. 

Lydell Wyatt: A Journey Through Time and the Spirit of Home

Lydell Wyatt, the Washoe Tribe’s Tahoe Community Liaison, echoed humans’ inherent connection and understanding with the natural world. Lydell also has a career in forest and fire mitigation with a focus on protecting cultural assets of the Tribe. He shared that long before he was appointed to the position of Community Liaison, the Washoe have been returning to their traditional homelands – and strengthening their language, culture, and traditions. The Tribe has always played a vital role in acting as the region’s steward as ecologists, biologists, protectors, and advocates. 

Lydell intertwined a narrative about the Tribe’s strength and resilience, emphasizing the spiritual resonance of their homecoming. His stories encouraged everyone to reflect on their connection to their environment and consider how history, storytelling, and tradition shape our present and inspire our future. He finished with a Washoe story demonstrating the value of sharing our resources and the significance of fire in Washoe tradition to tend to the forest.

Call to Action: Recognize your role as a steward in living in the region and continue to connect deeply with the natural world. Participate in conversations like the Forest Futures Salons and learn from those who have come before you. Find opportunities to learn about the people who have historically lived in and stewarded the land and support their efforts.

Anna Klovstad: Concluding with Hope and Collective Vision

Anna Klovstad, Truckee’s Vice Mayor, wrapped up the evening’s presentations on a note of optimism and unity. Through her work advocating for climate solutions on a local scale, Anna highlighted how tangible solutions can come to fruition. She shared stirring messages of hope and highlighted the remarkable potential of collective action. Anna reminded us that this region is an example for broader state, national, and global communities. Her inspiring conclusion called on the audience to remember why they love Tahoe Truckee and emphasized that we are all together and that caring for our communities and natural landscapes is a shared responsibility.

Call to Action: Reflect on why you find yourself in the places you now call home and what deeper undercurrents of care you might already feel. Think big and act local—find the solutions that can make a difference here and now and trust how those solutions will ripple out into broader impacts, including through inspiring action elsewhere. Show up at Town and County meetings at the beginning of conversations, participate in visioning sessions, help shape the future of this place.

The Audience Shares Their Definitions of Stewardship

As the event came to a close, audience members filled out postcards posing the question, “What does stewardship mean to me?” These cards transformed personal reflections into a powerful display of community values. Participants shared their thoughts on responsibility, a deep connection to nature, and a profound respect for the environment. TTCF will continue to offer Forest Future Salon participants the opportunity to share their reflections in the coming salons.

Looking Ahead

Reflecting on this enriching evening, TTCF remains deeply grateful for our speakers’ wisdom and experiences. The first Forest Futures Salon was more than just an event—it was a call to embrace our roles as stewards of the earth and our communities. The thoughtful narratives, heartfelt discussions, and inspiring calls to action have energized many within the community to continue this vital work together. Please join us for the remaining salons! 

Wood Innovations: Building a Regenerative Sierra Economy through Forest Restoration

• Thursday, March 27, 2025
• 5:30-7:00 pm
• Location TBA
• Register here.

Free and open to the public upon registration. Space is limited. Refreshments will be provided.

We can’t restore healthy and fire-resilient forests in the Tahoe Truckee region without facing a critical bottleneck: a lack of places that can process felled timber and other hazardous material thinned from the woods. In this salon, we will explore how this challenge can be turned into an opportunity – creating new wood-processing infrastructure, innovations, and jobs that can diversify and strengthen our local economy while simultaneously fueling forest health. Our speakers highlight entrepreneurial timber and biomass solutions in the Sierra, including locally-owned ecological milling, fire-resilient construction, and green energy. 

When Fire Helps: Scaling Prescribed Burning Across the Sierra

• Thursday April 24th, 2025
• 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
• Location TBA
• Register here. 

Sierra forests once burned regularly. Naturally occurring and human-managed fires knocked back brush and dead trees, released seeds, and prevented catastrophic burns from destroying ecosystems. After decades of mismanagement and fire suppression, our forests are severely overcrowded and ready for dangerous ignition. In this salon, we will hear about prospects for returning beneficial fire to the land – and what impacts this has for forest health and community protection – from local fire and forestry professionals as well as tribal representatives revitalizing cultural burning practices.

Working in the Woods: Jobs in Forests, Fires, and Wood Innovation

• Thursday May 22, 2025
• 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM
• Location TBA
• Register here. 

Restoring health to Sierra forests is a big job. This salon highlights what kinds of careers are available in a growing forest economy – from fire mitigation to forestry to making wood and biomass into innovative products. Our speakers discuss not only emerging career pathways, but also what forest-based work could mean for a diversified and resilient local economy. For those looking to call the forest their office, those interested in supporting the workforce of tomorrow, or those who want to explore economic pathways towards a stronger Tahoe Truckee – join us in a conversation about win-win solutions for local jobs and our forests.

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