Massive Meadow Is Being Restored to Its 19th Century State

An ambitious plan is underway in the heart of Yosemite National Park in California, the United States, to restore a former property used as cattle pasture for generations to its natural conditions not seen since before the 1880s.

“Ackerson Meadow [one of the largest mid-elevation meadows in the Sierra Nevada, and the largest in Yosemite National Park] is a regionally critical wildlife corridor that supports an amazing amount of biodiversity,” explains Yosemite spokesman Scott Gediman. “The project truly exemplifies what can be achieved with a dedicated partnership.”

The $17.7 million restoration project constitutes the most extensive wetlands restoration in Yosemite’s history. Massive amounts of erosion will be filled, including a 4.8-kilometer-long gully that is 4.3 meters deep and 30 meters wide, with hundreds of truckloads of dirt and mulch. Also, 425,000 native plants and 318 kilograms of wildflower seeds will be planted. The San Francisco-based non-profit group, Trust for Public Land, paid $2.3 million for the 162-hectare property in 2016 before donating it to Yosemite, becoming the most significant expansion of the 303,514-hectare park since 1949. The work began last year and should be complete by next summer. Ackerson Meadow is home to great gray owls, black bears, and at least 55 species of birds, including the endangered little willow flycatcher.