“Wherever we go in the mountains, we find more than we seek.” – John Muir
The primary objective of project activities is to facilitate the natural regeneration of aspen colonies within a portion of the Big Meadows complex. To address the suppression of aspen in the project area due to competition of conifers, Ecotrust Forest Management (EFM) with the assistance of project partners, Jefferson Resource Company and Pat Johnson Logging, removed encroaching conifers. Conifer harvest include removal of whole trees (trunks and limbs) which will be hand-piled and burned on site with support from the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Subsequently, SRWC and its project partner, North River Construction and Gallagher Fencing, constructed 1.6 mile seasonal electric fence to reduce browse from cattle on newly aspen regenerating aspen. The fence also included large areas of mountain meadow, totally approximately 75 acres.
Monitoring for this property has been supported by the wonderful staff from the Yreka branch of the. United States Fish & Wildlife Service, SRWC’s Youth Environmental Summer Studies (YESS), a youth program that is in partnership with the Klamath National Forest, Quartz Valley Indian Reservation and Salmon River Restoration Council and the Klamath Bird Observatory (KBO).
This project is funded by the United States Fish & Wildlife Service, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the landowner, EFM. The project is located on private land however the meadow is continuous with the Marble Mountain Wilderness area and aspen restoration activities may extend into this area in the the future.
Big Meadows Summary Report 2017 – 2023
Big Meadows Botanical Survey Report 2019
Klamath Bird Observatory Report 2019
Big Meadows Photo Points 2020, 2021, & 2023