Dear Truckee River Supporter,

Is it just us – or has our watershed and river felt extra-beautiful these past couple of weeks? While it’s far from swimming season, it’s the perfect time to explore, relax, and enjoy everything our region has to offer. Just as importantly, at One Truckee River winter is our season of planning ahead: mapping out our spring gardens, talking about native trout, and sharing the stories of our workforce development program.

Here’s what’s inside February’s newsletter:

1. Event Recap: Philanthropy in Practice Pitch Showcase

2. Plan Your Spring Garden: Native and River-Friendly Plants

3. Partner Feature: Nevada Department of Wildlife’s Trout in the Classroom Program

4. Share Your Input: 2026 Parks Service Plan Feasibility Survey

5. Thank You: Trout Unlimited Sagebrush Chapter

On February 12th, OTR Executive Director Iris Jehle-Peppard spoke alongside 5 other local nonprofit leaders to share One Truckee River’s mission, impact, and fundraising vision. She talked about the essential role clean water and the Truckee River play in every aspect of our lives and shared stories about our work. “We exist because people in Nevada want more for the river,” Iris began. “Our workforce plants trees. We also lead riverbank repair projects, install public restrooms, and create demonstration gardens. We hire people in recovery to get their starts in forestry careers. They gain skills and certifications, all while doing work along the river.”

Hosted by the Community Foundation of Northern Nevada, the event offered attendees the opportunity to learn about local organizations and help elevate and invest in mission-driven work happening across Northern Nevada. Did you have a chance to attend? Can you help support our work?

It might look wintry in the mountains, but spring is right around the corner! We hope you’re starting to plan your spring gardening with the Truckee River (and your wallet) in mind. 

There are so many reasons to incorporate native plants into your garden. Here in Northern Nevada, a River-Friendly yard often includes a small lawn with native plants that use water wisely, create wildlife habitats, reduce maintenance costs, and beautify your property!

Whether you’re planning to buy seedlings or plant from seed, now is the best time to get started mapping out your spring garden. Check out the resources below to learn more about where you can source native plants and seeds for your yard!

Margaret Lord is the Wildlife Education Coordinator for the Western Region Conservation Education Division of the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW), an OTR Partnership Council Member. She runs many educational programs for our community’s youth out of the Oxbow Nature Study Area, including Trout in the Classroom. 

By participating in Trout in the Classroom, 1000+ students get to raise rainbow trout from eggs, learning about their lifecycles before releasing them into the Truckee River. Teachers choose to participate, and 70 classrooms in our region and 40 classrooms in Reno are a part of the program.

The City of Reno, City of Sparks, Sun Valley General Improvement District, and Washoe County invite the public to participate in an online survey as part of the 2026 Parks Service Plan Feasibility Study. The survey aims to gather community input to help assess the feasibility of a regional parks service district that could provide dedicated funding for parks and recreation throughout the region. 

The survey takes approximately 10-12 minutes to complete and is open to all residents of Reno, Sparks, and Washoe County. Participation is encouraged whether or not residents actively use local park facilities or recreation programs.

We’d like to give a huge THANK YOU to the Trout Unlimited Sagebrush Chapter for their $5,000 donation to One Truckee River and the One Truckee River Workforce Program. With their support, we’re continuing to combine restorative vegetation management along the urban stretch of the Truckee River with education, on-the-job training, and certification opportunities for our crew of community members facing barriers to employment. Our crew is removing invasive plants and trees, adding native vegetation, and managing plant growth while benefiting local wildlife and improving outdoor recreation and quality of life for Northern Nevada families.

The Sagebrush Chapter of Trout Unlimited is the official northern Nevada affiliate of Trout Unlimited, America’s leading coldwater conservation advocacy. From local on-the-ground habitat protection to involvement at the highest levels of government, TU uses science as its key weapon in the fight to conserve, protect, restore & reconnect North America’s trout and salmon fisheries and their watersheds.