Clovis, CA August 9, 2023 — The Sierra National Forest and the North Fork Mono Tribe have entered into a $150,000 agreement for work to be complete on several meadows in the footprint of the Creek Fire, on the Bass Lake Ranger District.
The project will supplement additional gully and stream restoration work by Trout Unlimited.
Over 8,200 meadows have been identified in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, 70% of which need maintenance, restoration, or repair.
With only 5% of the meadows in good health, there are 25% that are no longer functional meadows.
Restoring the meadows largely improves the watershed, providing higher predictability, and more evenly distributed water content to the San Joaquin Valley floor.
Restoring the meadows requires bringing the water table up to the surface allowing the precipitation to fully reach the surrounding watershed.
This is done by removing invasive plant species, encroaching conifers, and/or repairing erosion to gullies and culverts on roads that cut through the meadows.
The North Fork Mono Tribe has been burning and maintaining their homeland acreage for thousands of years on the western Sierra Nevada Range.
They’ve also conducted ecological restoration on the Sierra National Forest since 1991, including directing meadow, oak, and cultural resource restoration.
Will McCullough
Public Affairs Specialist
Sierra National Forest
Clovis, CA 93611
(559) 297-0706