Forest Restoration
Through forest planning and community collaboration with Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions, the Stanislaus National Forest identified 23,915 acres of the Rim Fire burn area in need of reforestation.
Using approaches designed to restore a complex forest mosaic, TRT has been (and continues to be) the lead on thousands of acres of these reforestation efforts - coordinating with volunteers, AmeriCorps members, interns, and contractors to get the work done.
Restoring mixed conifer forests that either have been or are at risk of being burned by high-intensity wildfire reduces soil erosion, improves wildlife habitat, increases structure and thermal cover for wildlife species, and improves stream habitat for fish, and lowers water temperature in riparian areas, while simultaneously increasing carbon sequestration.
While many areas within the footprint of the 2013 Rim Fire lost their forest structure, some areas within or adjacent to the burned landscape and throughout the Stanislaus National Forest are still intact, providing an array of ecological and societal benefits. However, these forests have been impacted by drought and tree mortality and an era of fire suppression, and in many cases are also vulnerable to catastrophic forest fires. Be it through low-intensity prescribed fires or thinning the undergrowth of smaller trees and shrubs to decrease competition, TRT actively works on forest projects that help ensure their long term ecological health.
Restoring Our Forests
Our journey began amidst the ashes of the 2013 Rim Fire, the largest wildfire the Sierra Nevada had ever witnessed. The fire mercilessly consumed 257,000 acres of precious forest land, leaving behind a scar that spoke volumes about our climate crisis. Since then, we've worked tirelessly alongside Stanislaus National Forest, Tuolumne County, and Yosemite Stanislaus Solutions to secure millions of dollars in funding to implement restoration projects of all sizes.
But healing the land isn't merely a matter of planting trees. It requires extensive planning, leveraging cutting-edge technologies, traditional field-based knowledge, and strong collaboration. Our work ranges from landscape-level forest health planning to prioritizing meadows most in need of restoration. Through this comprehensive approach, we maximize our impact on the ecological health of the central Sierra Nevada.
Our mission transcends mere numbers. Each of these trees embodies our collective ability to breathe life back into our planet. This milestone illuminates the extraordinary power of unified action.
Healing the Scars of the Rim Fire
Explore a decade of restoration work in our in-depth story map.
