Sierra Meadows Partnership
The Sierra Meadows Partnership was formed to expand and improve collaboration among partners engaged in meadow conservation. This increases the pace, scale, and efficacy of meadow restoration and protection in the Sierra, benefiting people and ecosystems.
Kate and Brock have been active participants in the Sierra Meadows Partnership’s annual meetings and bi-monthly calls since its inception in 2014. This vibrant restoration community has been a source of inspiration and learning for us. Our focus on beaver and process-based restoration as key elements in meadow restoration has yielded significant results. We have successfully shared our findings, initiated research, and collaborated on implementing innovative watershed restoration techniques.
Over the years, we have ensured the inclusion of beaver restoration as part of the Sierra Meadows Strategy and given input on the creation of the beaver assessment protocols for the Sierra Meadows Wetland & Riparian Area Monitoring Plan (SM-WRAMP). Many important working relationships and successful projects have emerged from this partnership, such as those we have carried out in collaboration with the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the US Forest Service, The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, CalTrout, Pt. Blue Conservation Science, The Institute for Bird Populations, The Sierra Fund, and many others.
Our collaboration with The Nature Conservancy initiated in 2014, and the subsequent research conducted by partners at the UC Davis Center for Watershed Sciences, have significantly advanced our understanding of the benefits of beaver, BDAs, and riparian fencing to carbon sequestration and biodiversity. This ongoing research project at Child’s Meadow in Tehama County, California, has provided valuable insights. Similarly, our partners at the Institute For Bird Populations and Pt. Blue Conservation Science has significantly contributed to understanding the relationships between willow flycatchers, and beaver-modified stream reaches in Sierra Nevada montane meadows.
We are grateful for the opportunity to work with and learn from diverse Sierra Meadows Partnership members over the years and look forward to many more years of fruitful engagement.
