3 minute read
TRWC— How Do Meadows Mitigate Climate Change
Healthy meadows, like Perazzo meadow, can hold water longer into the year, resisting fire, until the snows arrives.
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Degraded meadow soils resemble the carbon-depleted soil on the left, while healthy ones look like the carbon-rich soil on the right.
How Do Meadows Mitigate Climate Change?
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Healthy meadows provide critical habitat for all kinds of wildlife, support native vegetation, and improve water quality – but they also play an important role in mitigating the effects of climate change. This role will only become more important in the future, highlighting the importance of restoration and our mission- to protect, enhance and restore the Truckee River Watershed.
Defend from drought and floods
Meadows are nature’s sponge - they absorb rainwater and snowmelt, and release it slowly throughout the summer and fall. This function helps to both prevent flooding downstream during wet years, and sustains flows year-round in droughts.
Protect Against Wildfire
A healthy meadow has a high water table, wet soils year round, and lush grasses. These conditions protect against wildfire, slowing progress and acting as natural firebreaks. On the other hand, degraded meadows can worsen the danger, with dried-out soils and flammable brush instead.
Carbon Sequestration
In addition to all their other benefits, meadows are carbon sinks, capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Plants capture CO2 from the air and sequester it in healthy meadow soil. As meadows degrade, however, they release their stored CO2 and become a carbon source. Restoration can reverse this process, helping mitigate climate
How Watersheds Work
A watershed is a process. Not just a place. Every raindrop,
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change.
every snowflake that falls into our watershed is on a journey. And everything in its path plays a role.
The watershed process is an intricate balance of four key factors: filtration and storage, erosion control, flood attenuation and habitat. But when outside forces—from human intervention—interfere, this natural process is often impeded.
To learn more about this restoration project and others, go to: www.Meadowsforever.org
@TruckeeRiverWatershedCouncil
@trwcnews
Visit our website to learn more about the Truckee River Watershed Council www.truckeeriverwc.org
Fending Off Erosion— Meadow by Meadow
Expanding the Floodplain
By restoring streams to their natural channels, we allow the meadow to once again ‘hold water’—a natural function of a healthy meadow.
Revegetating Meadowlands
Bringing back wetland plant species—like sedges and rushes— restores the meadow’s ability to sustain life.
Re-establishing Habitats
Numbers of native species— like Willow Flycatchers and Sandhill Crane—are on the rise.
Nurturing Diversity
Improving habitats for wildlife— including bugs, birds, fish, deer, even black bear—has made Perazzo the most diverse meadow system in the Tahoe National Forest.
What is the power of philanthropy?
In 2010, a group of passionate leaders came together to start an organization that would use the power of philanthropy to improve the Lake Tahoe environment. Now, ten years later, the Tahoe Fund has helped complete more than 40 environmental improvement projects working with more than 30 partners, helping to secure more than $50M in public funding along the way. Projects like the new East Shore Trail, the acquisition of Johnson Meadow, and the Take Care Tahoe stewardship program. Now that is the power of philanthropy.
To join us, visit tahoefund.org
