You’re Invited!
Whether you live, work, or spend time along the urban stretch of the Truckee River – or simply want to lend a hand – we can’t wait to see you at one of our upcoming events! This fall and winter, One Truckee River is planning a series of volunteer days, river-education walks, and community workshops.
We just launched the event series with a Native Plant Walk with Trash Panda Permaculture on September 14th, and had a great time identifying local plants and learning about their medicinal uses together. Next, we’ll be planting trees with the Truckee River Urban Tree Workforce Program on October 11th and learning about wildlife with the Northwest Nevada Bird Alliance on October 25th.
We’ll have regular community-building, educational, and volunteer events scheduled over the next few months. One Truckee River’s Program crew has been out and about along the Truckee River since Fall 2024, removing invasive Tree of Heaven, planting new native trees, and protecting mature native trees from beaver damage. Get to know our team, their work, and how your action can care for the Truckee River.
Click here for our event schedule for the next few months and for additional event details.
“I’m excited for everybody who comes out, helps out, and learns more about the Truckee River and the innovative work that’s being done to protect it,” notes Sky Hart, Outreach Coordinator for One Truckee River coordinating with the Truckee River Community Advisory Team. “Volunteering is a fun way to get to connect with our neighbors while making a real difference in our community and for our river.”
The Truckee River Community Advisory Team
This event series is an extension of a collaboration with One Truckee River and the Truckee River Community Advisory Team’s (TRCAT) work. Established in 2024, the TRCAT set out to engage community members more deeply along a degraded stretch of the Truckee River east of downtown Reno, between Broadhead Park (just east of Reno’s City Plaza) to John Champion Park (neighboring the RSIC Tribal Health Center) The group brings together residents who live and work near the river east of downtown Reno, as well as representatives from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony (RSIC) and Reno Initiative for Shelter and Equality (RISE).
This small, focused community group aims to increase understanding of the community’s perceptions and experiences along the river – and work together to identify and make the changes that will have the greatest benefits for the local community.
Meet Our Organizer: Sky Hart
Sky Hart (they/them) is organizing this event series. Hart was born and raised in Reno and studied physics and Chinese at Yale. They completed a year of language study after graduation before returning to the US to work as a translator and tutor.
Their work is greatly inspired by River Justice – the understanding that “if we fight for justice for the river itself, then other things will fall into place.” Sky continues, “Without this river, there is no Reno, no Sparks. The river is the soul, the lifeblood, of this whole valley. There’s a quote by Norm Harry, the late Chairman of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, ‘What is good for the fish is good for the people.’” To honor Norm Harry’s life and passion for water protection, his family created the River Justice initiative.
During COVID, with a little extra time on their hands, Sky began collecting trash on neighborhood hikes and enjoyed it a lot. So, their sibling recommended finding a local event to volunteer at. Which is exactly what Hart did. “When I showed up for my first river cleanup, I had a great time, felt like I learned a lot, and connected with new people,” they shared. “I think for most people, everything starts with showing up. I went to that first event, and then another. It all started with just showing up – and over the next six months, I look forward to finding people who have that energy to give back to the river and just need an invitation.”
Looking to get involved in protecting the Truckee River alongside your community? Click here to learn about our upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.