CENTER FOR RESPONSIBLE TRAVEL

TAHOE DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP PLANNING PROJECT: IN 2022, A CREST-LED TEAM ADVISORS BEGAN WORK TO SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF A DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP PLAN FOR THE LAKE TAHOE AND TRUCKEE REGION. WITH PARTICIPATION FROM A COALITION OF 16 MULTI-SECTOR STAKEHOLDERS FROM ACROSS THE TAHOE BASIN, WE SET OUT TO LAY THE FOUNDATION FOR A DESTINATION STEWARDSHIP PLAN AND GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE TO SERVE THE TAHOE REGION'S SUSTAINABILITY EFFORTS FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. OUR ROLE IN THIS TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT WAS TO FACILITATE COMPREHENSIVE DATA COLLECTION AND STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT, BUILDING A DECISION-MAKING FOUNDATION DEEPLY ROOTED IN LOCAL INSIGHTS AND REAL-TIME DATA. IN 2022, THIS ENGAGEMENT INCLUDED AND RESULTS SHARED TO SUPPORT LOCAL PARTNERS INCLUDED 1) A NEW ECONOMIC IMPACT MODEL TAILORED FOR THE TAHOE BASIN, 2) AN OPTIMAL VALUE FRAMEWORK TO IDENTIFY THE GREATEST BENEFITS FOR THE COMMUNITY, 3) A COMPREHENSIVE SITUATION ANALYSIS PROVIDING A SNAPSHOT OF THE REGION'S CURRENT TOURISM STATE, 4) A FUNDING FEASIBILITY STUDY TO IDENTIFY POTENTIAL SUSTAINABLE TOURISM INITIATIVE SUPPORT, 5) A STAKEHOLDER MAP DETAILING THE REGION'S KEY PLAYERS AND THEIR INTERACTION DYNAMICS. FURTHERING THIS EFFORT, WE CONDUCTED 31 IN-DEPTH INTERVIEWS, UNEARTHING NUANCED INSIGHTS INTO THE COMMUNITY'S ASPIRATIONS AND CONCERNS RELATED TO TOURISM. THIS WAS BOLSTERED BY EXTENSIVE RESIDENT AND VISITOR SURVEYS, WHICH RECEIVED A SIGNIFICANT RESPONSE RATE OF 1,100 AND 2,300 RESPECTIVELY. THIS WEALTH OF DATA PROVIDED INVALUABLE INSIGHTS INTO COMMUNITY SENTIMENT AND VISITOR BEHAVIOR.

TORRES DEL PAINE LEGACY FUND PROGRAM: THROUGHOUT 2022, THE TORRES DEL PAINE LEGACY FUND, A SIGNATURE INITIATIVE OF CREST, UNDERTOOK NOTABLE STRIDES IN CONSERVING CHILEAN PATAGONIA'S BIODIVERSITY AND ENHANCING THE SUSTAINABLE TOURISM INFRASTRUCTURE IN TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK. VOLUNTEER TEAMS CONTRIBUTED TO A LARGE-SCALE RESTORATION EFFORT, MONITORING OVER 1,200 FRESHLY PLANTED LENGA SEEDLINGS AND DISMANTLING SEVERAL HUNDRED METERS OF DEFUNCT FENCING WITHIN THE PARK. IN AN EXCITING MILESTONE FOR THE LEGACY FUND, WE SECURED A 2-YEAR PROJECT GRANT FROM THE U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE TO PRESERVE THE ENDANGERED HUEMUL (SOUTH ANDEAN DEER) AND MITIGATE THE HUMAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICT WITHIN TORRES DEL PAINE NATIONAL PARK. WORKING HAND-IN-HAND WITH CHILE'S NATIONAL FORESTRY CORPORATION (CONAF) AND NUMEROUS PROJECT COLLABORATORS, THE LEGACY FUND IS POISED TO EMBARK ON A THREE-FOLD PROJECT TO CONSERVE THE HUEMUL CHILE'S NATIONAL ANIMAL. THE AIM IS TO ALLEVIATE DOMESTIC ANIMAL THREATS IN HUEMUL HABITATS WITHIN THE PARK, SECURE COMMITMENT TO BEST CONSERVATION PRACTICES AMONG TOURISM PRACTITIONERS, AND IMPROVE TRAIL INFRASTRUCTURE AND INTERPRETATION ALONG THE BASE OF THE TOWERS TRAIL. IN 2022, THE LEGACY FUND, IN COLLABORATION WITH CONSERVATION VIP AND EARTHBOUND PROJECTS, ALSO INITIATED TRAIL MAINTENANCE AND REALIGNMENT EFFORTS ON PATAGONIA'S MOST TRAVERSED HIKING TRAIL THE PUBLIC PORTION OF THE BASE OF THE TOWERS TRAIL. WORKING IN THE PARK'S HIGH BACKCOUNTRY, THE TEAM, INCLUDING TEN DEDICATED CHILEAN VOLUNTEERS, BUILT 30 METERS OF ROCK STEPS ON AN EXPOSED MORAINE. THIS CRITICAL WORK ENHANCES VISITOR SAFETY, ENRICHES THE HIKING EXPERIENCE, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, CREATES A CONTROLLED BARRIER BETWEEN VISITORS AND THE SURROUNDING HUEMUL HABITAT.