Change in Wildlife Habitat due to Human Encroachment:
Lake Tahoe Basin
In the years between 1873 and 1875, John Muir, America's leading advocate of national parks, traveled through the beautiful Lake Tahoe Basin; he wrote that, “Lake Tahoe is the king of all lakes in the Sierra, not only in size, but in surpassing beauty of it's shores and waters” (Strong, 1984). Not very many people would argue with Mr. Muir on that statement. Before John Muir passed through Tahoe it was home to the Washoe Indian Tribe and wildlife, in the early to mid 1800's. Tahoe became a pit stop for traders in the 1860's, there was around one hundred inns and lodging stations from Placerville to Virginia City to accommodate those traders and word also got out that it was a perfect vacation spot. In the 1860's, Tahoe was a convenience to traders and a vacation spot for those wanting to enjoy the mountains, nature and lakes. Today there's more commercial and human-made entertainment in Tahoe that takes away from beauty and nature it held in the 1860's. Tourist from all parts of the world visit the Lake Tahoe Basin and some even decide to make it their residence for its five-star ski resorts over looking spectacular clear blue waters, the relaxation and the fresh pine-scented air, professional lake side golf courses, and of course the entertainment. We have to remember with more commercialization; hospitality for tourist, homes for residence, airports and new roads, there is more waste that usually goes down the drain and into streams and rivers that flow into Lake Tahoe. Lake Tahoe has a unique ecosystem, giving it the clarity of the Caribbean Sea, but Tahoe's over six thousand feet above sea level. With all the waste, invasive species and the pollution entering the lake, it could turn into just another dirty lake without any clarity. The popularity of the Tahoe Basin has lead to the state, federal, and local governments to regulate growth and development to protect Tahoe's lake clarity,...