Restoring Sierra Meadows: The Source of California’s Water

This project has been amended to incorporate several health and safety measures to allow responsible fielding of teams during the COVID-19 pandemic. These measures are referenced in each section in orange text and will remain in place until further notice. Please refer to the COVID Disclosure Form for more details.

Before Fielding

• In an effort to reduce possible transmission, we request that you take steps to limit your exposure to SARS-CoV-2 for at least 14 days prior to your expedition or program and while traveling to your expedition or program. This includes: 
  • limiting your travel and exposure to essential activities; 
  • practicing physical (social) distancing; 
  • wearing a mask or face covering when in public or when physical distancing is not possible; 
  • washing your hands frequently; and 
  • monitoring your health for symptoms of COVID-19. 
• Do not travel to your Earthwatch expedition or program if you have COVID-19 symptoms (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell), have been in close contact with someone suspected or confirmed as having COVID-19, or you are confirmed or suspected as having COVID-19 in the past 14 days.
• Plan your travel to the project to be as direct as possible, avoiding unnecessary stops, detours, or visits.
• Respond to Earthwatch’s pre-fielding COVID screening questions shortly before travel.
• Become familiar with and abide by the local COVID guidelines for your destination. This may include proof of testing upon arrival, mandatory quarantine, or other requirements.

Daily Activities

• Participants are asked not to approach or speak with unfamiliar people not associated with the project to reduce the risk of disease transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Participants and project staff will maintain physical distance, wash/sanitize hands frequently, and wear face masks as instructed by project leadership.
• All team members will participate in daily health checks
• Recreation time will be limited to activities that can accommodate Earthwatch’s distancing and sanitation protocols. Unstructured exploration of public spaces and community interaction will not be possible at this time.

Transportation

• All people must wear masks in vehicles at all times including participants, staff and driver.
• People will be spaced out as far as possible within the vehicle. This may involve multiple trips, or larger vehicles.
• Drives will be limited to shorter routes and lengths of time whenever possible.
• Windows will be rolled down when conditions allow; AC with external airflow will be used when available.

Accommodations and Food

• Participants will be assigned single bedrooms within the AirBnB accommodations.
• Bathrooms will be shared amongst 2–3 people, and a staggered bathing schedule will be employed.
• Ample hand soap and cleaning supplies will be provided.
• Common areas and high-touch surfaces will be cleaned daily.
• Team members will be physically distanced at mealtimes, which may require staggered meal schedules. Meals will be eaten outside whenever possible. One or two people will cook meals at a time to ensure that people are spread out and as few people are handling the food as possible. 

Immunizations and Travel Vaccinations

• Participants are required to have completed vaccination against COVID-19 to join this project. Participants will still be required to comply with all COVID-19 health and safety practices including mask use, hygiene, and physical distancing as described in the Project Risks and Precautions section below.

Project Risks and Precautions: DISEASE

• COVID-19 is an infectious coronavirus disease, which has caused a world-wide pandemic since its discovery in late 2019. Although most people who have COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness, COVID-19 can also cause severe illness and even death. Some groups, including older adults and people who have certain underlying medical conditions, are at increased risk of severe illness. The COVID-19 virus spreads from person to person via close contact, primarily through exposure to the respiratory droplets of an infected person.
• Projects and participants approved to field during the COVID-19 pandemic commit to a number of enhanced safety measures described in the COVID Disclosure Form, including physical distancing, wearing face masks, regular hand washing and surface sanitizing, adjusted accommodations and transportation logistics, and daily health checks.

Packing List 

In addition to the items indicated in the Packing List, please also bring:

• Enough face masks for the entire length of the project. (Must be made of two layers of fabric. No single layer neck gaiters or buffs, face shields or masks with exhalation valves are permitted. Assume limited or no access to laundry when deciding how many are needed). Fellows will be provided with 3 facemasks for the duration of the expedition.
• Personal toiletries—please do not share personal care products with others
• Pens and pencils for daily use

Each spring, melting snowpack flows from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, which run 400 miles long and 50 miles wide across eastern California. Some of this water is captured as groundwater by meadows before flowing into California’s Central Valley. These meadows function like sponges, collecting runoff during periods of snowmelt and high rainfall, reducing downstream flooding. Meadows collect and store water, and act as natural filters by removing excess sediment and nutrients. Streams that run through meadows slowly drain them, releasing clean water late into the summer and fall when it is needed most. The Sierra Nevada Mountains provide two-thirds of the water supply in California—a state experiencing the worst drought in recorded history.

These delicate ecosystems have been altered by human activities, including grazing cattle that can alter the landscape, climate change (Blankinship and Hart 2014), mining, and fire suppression. These factors can influence meadows in the region by introducing invasive species, degrading streams, and altering the tree species that border the meadows (Ratliff 1985).

Meadows are typically flat areas dominated by grass and flowers, with few woody plants, such as shrubs and trees. Meadows are open, sunny, and often wet, characteristics that attract flora and fauna that could not survive in other areas of the watershed. In a healthy meadow, the edges are typically lined with leafy aspen stands. But as human activities change the landscape, conifers—trees that often outcompete aspens for water and sunlight—have begun to encroach upon the edges. Aspen are an important part of Sierra meadows because they support a unique assemblage of plant species.

Assessing the response of meadow habitat to these alterations is an important step towards understanding how grazing, mining, and fire suppression have changed the size and function of each meadow and increased susceptibility to our changing climate.

The goal of the Tahoe National Forest and South Yuba River Citizens League’s (SYRCL’s) Sierra Meadows project is to quantify the benefits of meadow restoration actions on groundwater and surface water, vegetation establishment, aspen recruitment, carbon sequestration, and greenhouse gas emissions within the Yuba River watershed. We expect that these efforts will contribute significantly to the body of knowledge about Sierran Meadows.

Over the last five years the meadow restoration projects on the Tahoe National Forest have grown substantially. In partnership with SYRCL, the Tahoe National Forest is now in the process of restoring over 1,000 acres within 7 meadows in the Yuba watershed. We are currently collecting baseline data in newer projects that have yet to be restored as well as conducting post-restoration data collection in projects that have been completed. This data is helping us understand the current state of the meadows and to help identify how specific meadow attributes (like groundwater level or degree of conifer encroachment) responds to restoration actions after projects are complete.

Restoring meadows by improving removing conifers and repairing stream channel conditions is critical to the improvement of meadow ecosystem function, habitat health, and carbon sequestration. Each restoration project requires baseline and post-restoration monitoring to answer the following research questions:

• Is conifer encroachment more common or denser in meadows with impaired hydrology or where fire suppression practices have been in place?
• Are aspens returning to areas where conifers have been removed? Do restoration actions raise groundwater levels and overall meadow soil moisture within the meadow?
• Will meadow vegetation become more dense and dominated by wetland species after restoration actions occur?
• What is the carbon budget for different plant communities and hydrologic regimes within our study meadows?
• Do groundwater levels within the meadow drive what types of vegetation occur in our study meadows or how much conifer encroachment there is?
• How will vegetation, hydrologic regime, soil organic matter content, and GHG emissions change in response to meadow restoration activities? 
• Will we see more carbon being sequestered within meadows before or after restoration?

Each day you will work with a small group to survey the stream channels, measure groundwater levels, vegetation density, tree density, soil carbon, or aid in restoration activities within a meadow. You will be trained in all methods and will be supervised by a trained scientist throughout the entire duration of your expedition. After an initial orientation and introduction to the research tasks, you will receive daily basic training to ensure you and your team are comfortable and confident in accomplishing the tasks required of you and understand why the tasks are necessary to address the research objectives of this project.

• Streamline Evaluations: Streamline evaluations will be conducted by walking the middle line of the stream and taking cross-section measurements and water depth within the streambed. At some locations, stream velocity may be measured using a flow meter.
• Vegetation Density and Biomass: Vegetation sampling will include sampling within plots to identify all plants and how frequently they occur within the meadow. Additionally, we will be collecting clippings of the vegetation plots to determine above ground carbon content of plants and to conduct an invasive species removal experiment. 
• Groundwater Measurement: Groundwater measurements will include measuring water depth within groundwater wells. You may also be assisting with installing groundwater wells.
• Tree Plots Transects: Aspen and conifer transects and plots will be established within and adjacent to meadows and trees will be identified and measured.

In the first two days of the expedition you will receive an introduction to the research and a safety briefing. During the expedition, you will collect data in meadows near the upper sections of the South Yuba River and Donner Summit in the Tahoe National Forest. In addition to collecting data, you will also be given lectures on topics such as water use in California water and ecology of meadows and forests. Additionally, you will watch an environmental film focused on water issues that was featured at SYRCL’s Wild and Scenic Film Festival.

In the setting of ecological field research, there is often a blurry line between work and play. The “work” can be quite enjoyable, and some participants have found it to be a life-changing experience. You will most likely experience a steep learning curve over the first few days of the project and will be pleasantly surprised at how much you have learned and accomplished by the end of the project.

DAILY ACTIVITIES

Weather and research needs can lead to changes in the daily schedule. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding.

While there is no typical day in the field our ‘typical’ day will be: Breakfast, a briefing of the work to be done for the day, the safety considerations involved with the work, and how the scientists will be using the data we will be collecting. We will follow this up by assembling our field gear, preparing and packing our lunches, and heading into the field. We will collecting scientific data to assess streamlines by measuring water depth and velocity,vegetation transects by walking a straight line and recording all the flower and grass species you encounter, groundwater well depth by measuring water depths, soil samples for quantifying soil carbon and soil density, and aboveground plant biomass for establishing carbon budgets. We will have lunch in the field and complete our fieldwork before heading back to the field station to add our data to the database and debrief. After a down time for journaling, hiking, taking pictures, or hanging out we will have dinner and listen to a research talk, or watch a wild and scenic film.

COVID-19 Safety Measures

• Participants are asked not to approach or speak with unfamiliar people not associated with the project to reduce the risk of disease transmission during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Participants and project staff will maintain physical distance, wash/sanitize hands frequently, and wear face masks as instructed by project leadership.
• All team members will participate in daily health checks.
• Recreation time will be limited to activities that can accommodate Earthwatch’s distancing and sanitation protocols. Field staff will advise volunteers on public space to visit that are not busy during their unstructured time.

ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival

• Arrive at Reno-Tahoe International Airport
• Travel to accommodations (approximately a one-hour drive)
• Settle into the accommodations, group dinner, introduction to the research

Day 2: Introduction

• Travel to Van Norden, Loney or North Yuba Meadows
• Training on research tasks in a meadow: flower/grass transects, tree measuring, groundwater well monitoring, carbon sequestration monitoring.

Days 3–7: Data Collection

• Data collection in meadows across the North & South Yuba drainage basin
• Flower and grass transects, groundwater measurements, soil sampling, biomass sampling
• Evening lectures and videos
• Student presentations on the research
• You will also have a recreational day to take a break from research and do a group activity. 

Day 8: Departure

• Depart accommodations (approximate a one-hour drive)
• Drop off at Reno-Tahoe International Airport

Teams will stay in a comfortable rental home. The house has hot water and electricity. There is a shared kitchen, spacious common areas, and an outdoor patio. Ample hand soap and cleaning supplies will be provided. Common areas and high-touch surfaces will be cleaned daily.

SLEEPING

You’ll sleep in rooms furnished with double, queen, and twin beds. Each participant will have their own room. Bedding is provided.

* Earthwatch will honor each person’s assertion of gender identity, respectfully and without judgement. For both teen and adult teams, where logistics dictate single-sex accommodations or other facilities, participant placements will be made in accordance with the gender identity the participant specified on their Earthwatch Participant form and/or preferences indicated in discussions with Earthwatch.

BATHROOMS

There are bathrooms and showers at the accommodation. Please bring a bath towel. 

Bathrooms will be shared amongst 2–3 people, and a staggered bathing schedule will be employed.

ELECTRICITY

You are welcome to bring your own electronic equipment (cell phone, digital camera, laptop, etc.), but you will be required to limit your use of cell phones or laptops to recreational time only.

PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS

Free Wi-Fi might be available at the accommodations. Cell phone reception is spotty in the area.

Please note: The Ignite Fellowship allows fellows to fully immerse themselves in the program by interacting with the beautiful natural setting of their awarded expedition and to connect with their peers and the scientists. While photos and videos in the field are acceptable, Earthwatch encourages volunteers to immerse themselves in the experience by avoiding outgoing calls, texts, and social media presence during group activities, including fieldwork and facilitated activities; likewise, family and friends should restrict calls to urgent messages only. Program staff will designate times for contacting home if cell service or Wi-Fi is available. Outside of those designated times, we ask that you adhere to the Teen Behavior Agreement and Ignite Fellowship Guidelines regarding technology use and avoid any non-urgent contact to others outside the expedition.

DISTANCE TO FIELD SITE

Your team will travel to the general location of the research sites by van. The furthest site is approximately a 1-hour drive. Then, the team will walk on a trail to the road to the meadow, no more than two miles.

FOOD AND WATER

Team members will be physically distanced at mealtimes, which may require staggered meal schedules. Meals will be eaten outside whenever possible. One or two people will cook meals at a time to ensure that people are spread out and as few people are handling the food as possible. 

Cold breakfasts will be provided, as the team will be out in the field early. You will typically be out for the entire day, so each person will prepare his or her own bagged lunch to take along. The research staff will provide water to refill participant’s personal water bottles. We do not provide water bottles.

The following are examples of foods you may find in the field. Variety depends on availability. We appreciate your flexibility.

TYPICAL MEALS

• Breakfast: Oatmeal, cereal, toast, muffins, yogurt, or fresh fruit.
• Lunch: Bag lunches: sandwich fixings, fruit, chips, snacks, etc.
• Dinner: Classic American food
• Beverages: Juice, milk, iced tea, hot tea, coffee, water.

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUIREMENTS 

Please alert Earthwatch to any special dietary requirements (e.g., diabetes, lactose intolerance, nut or other food allergies, vegetarian or vegan diets) as soon as possible, and note them in the space provided on your participant forms.

We can cater for vegetarian diets easily, as well as vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free diets.

The information that follows is as accurate as possible, but please keep in mind that conditions may change.

July to September is typically very sunny, but afternoon thunderstorms are possible. The meadows in which you will work can be buggy and muddy. The evenings can be very cold at the station, even in the middle of summer. Rain is uncommon, but afternoon thunderstorms are possible.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

For weather and region-specific information, please visit Wunderground.com and search for your project location.

All participants must be able to:

• Follow verbal and/or visual instructions independently or with the assistance of a companion.
• Take an active role in your own safety by recognizing and avoiding hazards if and when they arise (including, but not limited to, those described in Earthwatch materials and safety briefings). Comply with project staff instructions and recommended safety measures at all times.
• Be able to effectively communicate to the staff if you are experiencing distress or need assistance.
• Be able to get along with a variety of people from different backgrounds and ages, often in close proximity, for the duration of your team.
• Be comfortable being surrounded by a language and/or culture that is different from your own.
• Enjoy working as a team, and function cohesively within a group.
• Independently follow verbal or visual instructions.
• Enjoy being outdoors all day in all types of weather, including high temperatures but usually low humidity.
• Walk over uneven, forested, mountainous, or hilly terrain for two to four hours for a distance of three to five miles per day, often in high temperatures.
• Enjoy being outdoors in the potential presence of wild animals, snakes, and insects.
• Carry personal daily supplies, such as lunch, water, and a camera.
• Tolerate working at high altitudes.
• Get low enough to access and collect samples on the ground and in the brush.
• Sit and ride, with seatbelt fastened, in project vehicles for up to approximately three hours per day.

EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS

Accommodations and vehicles all have first aid kits. In the event of a medical emergency, the Earthwatch scientists will administer first aid, and depending on the seriousness of the injury or condition, either take the participant to the hospital using one of the project vehicles (always available) or call emergency services by cell phone or by using a SPOT beacon. 

If a participant has to leave the expedition early for emergency reasons, the Earthwatch scientists will determine the most appropriate form of transport to the airport (either one of the project vehicles or ambulance).

Earthwatch has a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week emergency hotline number. Someone is always on call to respond to messages that come into our live answering service.

STAFF CERTIFIED IN SAFETY TRAINING:

• Rachel Hutchinson (First Aid/CPR)
• Alecia Weisman (First Aid/CPR)
• Monique Streit  (First Aid/CPR)
• Caitlin Edelmuth (First Aid/CPR)
• Mary McDonnell: CPR/AED for Professional Rescuers, Responding to Emergencies First Aid

IMMUNIZATIONS & TRAVEL VACCINATIONS

Please be sure your routine immunizations are up-to-date (for example: diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella and varicella) and you have the appropriate vaccinations for your travel destination. Medical decisions are the responsibility of each volunteer and his or her doctor. Visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention or the World Health Organization for guidance on immunizations.

If traveling from countries or regions where yellow fever is endemic, you must have a certificate of vaccination.

Participants are required to have completed vaccination against COVID-19. Participants will still be required to comply with all COVID-19 health and safety practices including mask use, hygiene, and physical distancing as described in the Project Risks and Precautions section below.

TRANSPORTATION

The team will be transported over some rough dirt roads, some of which have many curves and big drop-offs. If you get carsick, bring medication. You must always wear a seatbelt.

COVID-19 Safety Measures

• All people must wear masks in vehicles at all times including participants, staff and driver.
• People will be spaced out as far as possible within the vehicle. This may involve multiple trips, or larger vehicles.
• Drives will be limited to shorter routes and lengths of time whenever possible.
• Windows will be rolled down when conditions allow; AC with external airflow will be used when available.

HIKING

The fieldwork requires moderate hiking. The team may also hike on recreational days. Getting lost and tripping or falling are hazards; stay close to project staff and follow all instructions.

ALTITUDE

High altitudes can cause physical effects like dizziness, nausea, headaches, sleepiness, and shortness of breath. Different people react in different ways. Having good physical fitness (primarily cardiovascular health), ascending in stages, and drinking lots of water can help prevent altitude sickness; however, even some people in great shape can experience negative effects. The beginning of the project is designed to help you adjust. Report any signs of altitude-related illness (e.g., headache, nausea or fatigue) to staff immediately.

ANIMALS AND PLANTS

Hazards include scorpions, and stinging wasps and ants. Some plants and arthropods in the area are dangerous. Do not touch any animals. You might see rattlesnakes in the desert, but it is not likely. Always watch your step as you hike.

CLIMATE AND WEATHER

It will be hot and dry, so heat exhaustion, dehydration, and sunburn are serious hazards. You must drink plenty of water, wear protective clothing, and use lots of sunscreen. Nights will be cold so be prepared with a warm fleece, hat, and pajamas.

PROJECT TASKS/EQUIPMENT

Hands should always be washed after being in the field, especially before eating. Participants are encouraged to take regular breaks and to avoid overexerting themselves. Teamwork and attention to proper technique will keep you from wearing out or getting injured. Inform a staff member immediately if you are feeling tired or ill.

PERSONAL SECURITY

The accommodations are a rental home on Donner Summit, CA, which is generally safe for travelers. However, do not leave valuables unattended in public areas.

SWIMMING

Recreational swimming is an option. Drowning is a hazard. Swimming is permitted only in areas with lifeguards on duty and is not allowed alone or at night on any Earthwatch expedition.

DISTANCE FROM MEDICAL CARE

In the field, the nearest medical facility is about an hour away. At the accommodations, we will be about 30 minutes from the nearest hospital. There is no cell phone reception at our field locations, but each team will have a SPOT device with them in case of emergency.

DISEASE

Please see below for immunization recommendations. Most diseases are prevented with basic safety cautions. Please see the CDC (cdc.gov) or WHO (who.int) websites for more information. Diseases present in this region of the U.S. include, but are not limited to, Lyme disease, rabies, bovine spongiform encephalopathy, pertussis, and West Nile Fever.

COVID-19 DISEASE RISKS

COVID-19 is an infectious coronavirus disease, which has caused a worldwide pandemic since its discovery in late 2019. Although most people who have COVID-19 will experience mild to moderate respiratory illness, COVID-19 can also cause severe illness and even death. Some groups, including older adults and people who have certain underlying medical conditions, are at increased risk of severe illness. The COVID-19 virus spreads from person to person via close contact, primarily through exposure to the respiratory droplets of an infected person.

Projects and participants approved to field during the COVID-19 pandemic commit to a number of enhanced safety measures described in the COVID Disclosure Form, including physical distancing, wearing face masks, regular hand washing and surface sanitizing, adjusted accommodations and transportation logistics, and daily health checks.

RENDEZVOUS LOCATION

Reno-Tahoe Airport, Reno, NV (RNO) or the accommodations

* Additional information will be provided by Earthwatch to meet your team. Please do not book travel arrangements such as flights until you have received additional information from Earthwatch.

ABOUT YOUR DESTINATION

Earthwatch strongly recommends that travelers investigate their destination prior to departure. Familiarity with the destination’s entry/exit requirements, visas, local laws, and customs can go a long way to ensuring smooth travel. The U.S. Department of State's Traveler’s Checklist and Destination Guides are helpful resources. For LGBTI travelers, the U.S. Department of State's LGBTI Travelers page contains many useful tips and links.

COUNTRY AND PROJECT ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

You are responsible for reviewing and abiding by the local COVID guidelines and regulations for your destination. This may include proof of testing upon arrival, mandatory quarantine, or other requirements. For information regarding California, please visit: https://covid19.ca.gov/. 

Entry visa requirements differ by country of origin, layover, and destination, and do change unexpectedly. For this reason, please confirm your visa requirements at the time of booking and, again, 90 days prior to travel. Please apply early for your visa (we recommend starting 6 months prior to the start of your expedition). Refunds will not be made for volunteers cancelling due to not obtaining their visa in time to meet the team at the rendezvous. You can find up to date visa requirements at the following website: www.travisa.com.

If a visa is required, participants should apply for a TOURIST visa. Please note that obtaining a visa can take weeks or even months. We strongly recommend using a visa agency, which can both expedite and simplify the process.

Generally, passports must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry and a return ticket is required.

ARTICLES

• Restoring California Meadows Could Help Combat Climate Change and Increase Water Supply by Amy Quinton, Capitol Public Radio News
• Building Flux Capacity: Citizen scientists increase resolution of soil greenhouse gas fluxes.
• Montane Meadows: A Carbon Sink or Source?
• Carbon and Water Exchanges in a Mountain Meadow Ecosystem, Sierra Nevada, California
• Yuba Headwaters Meadow Restoration Monitoring Report

PRESENTATIONS

• Quantifying hydrologic benefits of meadow restoration while accounting for interannual and spatial variability, presentation to AGU. (link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Cz6Qz1qn3nH_dJUAWpxyy1AQy9PEMJGV/view?usp=sharing)

BOOKS

• California Rivers and Streams by Jeffrey F. Mount

FIELD GUIDES

• Northwest California: A Natural History by John O. Sawyer
• The Laws Field Guide to the Sierra Nevada by John Muir Laws

PROJECT-RELATED WEBSITE

• Restoration with South Yuba River Citizen’s League: yubariver.org/restoration/

LITERATURE CITED

• Blankinship, Joseph C. and Stephen C. Hart. 2014. Hydrological Control of Greenhouse Gas Fluxes in a Sierra Nevada Subalpine Meadow. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research. 46(2):355-364.
• Ratliff, RD. 1985. Meadows in the Sierra Nevada: state of knowledge. General technical report PSW-84. Berkeley: United States Forest Service.