Meadow Restoration Benefits People and the Environment

Historically, meadows in California’s Sierra Nevada Mountains covered nearly three times the area they do today. Livestock grazing, mining, and roadbuilding, however, altered the flow of water through many meadows, causing them to evaporate and disappear from the landscape. Meadows are key links in an interconnected ecosystem, providing habitat for wildlife, clean water for people, and critical fuel breaks during wildfires. 

Pacific Southwest Research Station Ecologist Dr. Karen Pope and Sierra National Forest Supervisor Dean Gould explain why meadows matter and the ongoing efforts to restore them.