Tahoe Environmental Research Center

We invite you to help Lake Tahoe thrive by making a charitable contribution to TERC. Help fund innovative research solutions to challenges facing the lake and forest; educate the next generation of environmental scientists and leaders; and provide vibrant public outreach programs for thousands of students and visitors each year. Gifts at every level support research, education programs, outreach, and students, and give the flexibility to address emerging needs and opportunities.

TERC brings science to life for more than 14,000 students, teachers, and visitors each year at two science centers. TERC offers public tours, interactive exhibits, a 3-D theater, community events, lively lectures and an array of hands-on activities and programs for K-12 students and educators. Inspire a love of Lake Tahoe and environmental stewardship by supporting access to TERC's education and outreach programs.

Forests and forest health issues are the central focus of TERC’s forest and conservation biology lab. Gifts to the Forest and Conservation Biology Fund helps to save, reforest, and improve populations of Tahoe's most vulnerable trees. Thank you for your support of science to sustain the Lake Tahoe basin. 

TERC is at the forefront of restoring Lake Tahoe's clarity and its scientists are internationally recognized for their multi-disciplinary research on lakes and their watersheds. Ever since Professor Charles Goldman lowered a Secchi disk into Lake Tahoe more than five decades ago, UC Davis research has driven the scientific advances for the lake. Be a part of preserving Lake Tahoe's iconic beauty for future generations by supporting TERC's scientific research through support of graduate students and post-doctoral researchers.

Help us remove non-native Mysis shrimp from Lake Tahoe to restore clarity and the native ecosystem! TERC found that when Mysis shrimp disappeared from Emerald Bay and the native Daphnia returned, clarity increased by almost 40 feet. The reverse occurred when the Mysis shrimp returned. Help us to develop a sustainable method of removing non-native Mysis shrimp from Lake Tahoe and restore Tahoe's clarity and native ecosystem. The removed Mysis will be transformed into the world's healthiest and purest dog treats, and future proceeds will support student research. Thank you, David and Dana Loury Foundation, for your generous support of Lake Tahoe's clarity! 

TERC is at the forefront of restoring Lake Tahoe's clarity and its scientists are internationally recognized for their multi-disciplinary research on lakes and their watersheds. Ever since Professor Charles Goldman lowered a Secchi disk into Lake Tahoe more than five decades ago, UC Davis research has driven the scientific advances for the lake. Be a part of preserving Lake Tahoe's iconic beauty for future generations by supporting TERC's scientific research through support of graduate students and post-doctoral researchers.

After almost 50 years, the R/V John LeConte is nearing the end of its useful life. Our requirements and aspirations for a research vessel have also changed. Our desire is for a custom-designed vessel that maximizes our ability to do cutting-edge research while minimizing our environmental impact on the lake. We have formed a team to design and build the first high-speed, hybrid-electric research hydrofoil. This investment in the future health and science of Lake Tahoe will leave a lasting legacy, supporting impactful research for decades to come!