PROTECT OPEN SPACE

In the Truckee-Tahoe region, MAP is actively working to protect and create open space. Our efforts are focused on conserving biologically sensitive land for the benefits of wildlife, watershed management, climate change, wildfire, recreation and community health. MAP helps create opportunities for open space acquisitions by working with property owners, developers, residents, land use planners, government jurisdictions and our land trust partners to preserve and protect critical natural resources for present and future generations.

MAP’s land use advocacy efforts have helped to create important open space acquisitions in the Truckee-Tahoe area. To date, MAP’s grassroots advocacy work has spared 7,000+ acres from the threats of poorly planned development. Special places such as Martis Valley, Donner Summit, Brockway Summit, and Eastern Truckee have been permanently protected through grass-roots advocacy, land use negotiations and collaboration with our conservation partners. 

MARTIS VALLEY

Since 1999, MAP has been actively working to protect open space and minimize the impacts of poorly planned development in the Martis Valley. By challenging Placer County’s Martis Valley Community Plan, MAP was able to reduce a thousand housing units from being placed on the valley floor, while negotiating with resort developments to preserve open space, and reduce housing units in the valley. Negotiations created funding opportunities for future restoration, open space and workforce housing through real-estate tax transfer fees and the formation of The Martis Fund.

DONNER SUMMIT

Donner Summit is an iconic landscape and natural resource in the Sierra Nevada with an elevation of 7,056 ft and endless recreation opportunities. Development proposals for ski resorts, high rise condos, water mining facilities and natural resource extraction have plagued the summit since the 1990’s. MAP, along with conservation partners, homeowner associations and private developers have helped to protect thousands of acres of land, fragile natural resources and wildlife habitat on the summit through open space acquisitions and real-estate tax transfer fee negotiations.

TRUCKEE-TAHOE

Lake Tahoe is one of America’s most treasured natural resources. It’s the largest alpine lake, straddling California and Nevada at an elevation of 6,255 ft. While nearly 75% of the land surrounding Lake Tahoe is National Forest, there are many sensitive landscapes in North Lake Tahoe, Martis Valley and Truckee that are owned privately and face the threats of poorly planned growth. MAP has been successful in creating open space collaboratively, and we are actively pursuing large-scale open space in North Lake Tahoe and Truckee in an effort to protect sensitive wildlife species and preserve thousands of acres of land.