Page 21 - Sierra Meadows Strategy

This will be accomplished through a combination of protecting currently functioning but threatened meadows, and by enhancing and/or restoring degraded meadows. Those that currently
or potentially provide critical hydrologic, edaphic, and/or biodiversity bene ts should be prioritized.
The following goals are more speci c to ecosystem function, vulnerability, species, climate and other stressors, regulatory and funding requirements, participation of all lands, and contribution to the overall water supply in California.
GOAL 1
Desired conditions supporting the hydrologic and ecologic functionality of 30,000 acres
of meadows will be protected and restored (according to the conditions as described).
Emphasis to be landscape-scale, supporting downstream resources for humans and native species (e.g., supporting biological diversity through recovery and protection of native meadow and river-dependent aquatic, avian, plant and other wildlife species).
GOAL 2
Protect from threats those meadow soil resourcesthat are most vulnerable to rapid and unrecoverable loss (e.g., such as peat soils found in fens and wet meadows).
Threats include those ssociated with climate change,
land use change, and/or human manipulation of upstream and downstream water resources. Protection means that soils and native vegetation are intact within the next fteen years.
GOAL 3
Habitat conditions and ecosystem function for 30,000 acres are restored and/or protected
to support populations of meadow dependent species representing multiple phylogenetic classes and that are currently rare, threatened or endangered.
This is designed to support the broader goal of those populations being substantially recovered within the next fteen years,
with the recognition that recovery for those populations may hinge on conditions beyond what can be achieved through meadow restoration. Meadow type, location and connectivity
in the landscape is protected and restored to support recovery
of native meadow dependent species and downstream rare aquatic species. Protecting and expanding upon existing habitat and targeting areas which serve as critical landscape links among existing populations will support large and genetically robust populations of meadow and stream dependent species throughout their potential range.
GOAL 4
Stressors affecting the health and integrity of meadows are mitigated.
The existing and future potential distribution of meadow resources (including hydrology, biodiversity and soil resources) and their overlap with current and future stressors (including climate, re, land use change, water use infrastructure, grazing, and invasive species) is well articulated.
GOAL 5
Effective, ef cient and coordinated regulatory requirements are established for restoring and protecting meadows within the next fteen years.
Land management agencies (NPS, USFS, BLM, USFWS, CEDFW and State Parks) and Partnership parties provide training, resources and collaboration to support regulatory compliance under NEPA and CEQA to facilitate actions under the “all-hands- all-lands” approach. The necessary resources for regulatory compliance include suf cient budget for in-house labor, permit costs, and expertise required to perform surveys and assess ndings. Within the next fteen years, agreements are put
in place among land management and regulatory agencies that ensure that the regulatory requirements for protecting and restoring meadows are met in an effective, ef cient and coordinated manner.
GOAL 6
Suf cient and broad-based funding sources are secured necessary for meadow restoration, protection and on-going monitoring and adaptive management.
GOAL 7
Active participation of all lands in meadow projects and increased capacity of landowners to fully participate in the designs, and implementation is increased.
GOAL 8
State and regional water planning efforts re ect the key role meadow restoration can play in improving State water security.
Existing and future versions of the State Water Action Plan and Integrated Regional Water Management Plans) acknowledge the Sierra Nevada and it associated ecosystems as an important element of California’s water infrastructure and by extension
the key role meadows could play in improving California water security.
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