Can ranchers help save Sierra meadows?

More than just a beautiful Sierra meadow It's a refuge for rare wildlife. It helps bring pure water from the Sierra snowpack to lowland farms and cities. And it sustains livestock. But many of the remaining Sierra meadows are damaged after more than a century of logging, overgrazing and development. Photo by Mathew Grimm

Meet Sierra meadow cattle ranchers David Goss, Rick Roberti and John Matley are ranchers who are helping to restore the meadows. Work like theirs is essential -- ranchers own 40% of the remaining meadows. EDF experts are working with them to build support and best practices for successful restoration. Photo by Mathew Grimm

Sharing know-how: A tour of restoration projects Through a partnership funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, EDF coordinated a tour of meadow improvement projects. Over two days, 23 ranchers joined state agency staff and other experts to visit six restoration projects. Photo by Mathew Grimm

How to restore natural water flow This is John Matley's project. Here, a deeply-cut stream used to shoot through a dry, sage-covered meadow. Now the gentle flow nourishes wildlife and provides forage for cattle. Other projects include replanting native vegetation and improving grazing practices. Photo by Mathew Grimm

Building trust to reach common goals Environmentalists and ranchers have a strained past. EDF set out to change that. "EDF listened to ranchers without automatically blaming the cattle for the environmental damage,” says Elisa Noble of the California Farm Bureau. And ranchers are pleased with the benefits to their lands. Photo by Mathew Grimm

A safe haven for wildlife - throughout the seasons Restored meadows are hugely important for wildlife, providing a lifeline for the great gray owl, sandhill crane and other species. Says EDF project coordinator Ashley Rood: “Our goal is to build sustainable communities, keeping meadows healthy and ranches prosperous over the long term.” Photo by Forsberg/Minden

Reversing more than a century of damage "If we can get these fragile systems functioning properly, the benefits will be felt in cities and farms throughout the state,” says Ashley Rood. With your support, we'll continue working for the health of the remaining 400 square miles of Sierra meadows. Photo by Mathew Grimm