THE JMT WILDERNESS CONSERVANCY

THE MISSION OF THE JMT WILDERNESS CONSERVANCY IS TO EXPAND AND RESTORE THE MEADOW ECOSYSTEMS AND RIPARIAN CORRIDORS OF THE CENTRAL SIERRA NEVADA ENCOMPASSED BY THE HISTORIC JOHN MUIR TRAIL, THE FIRST AND OLDEST RECREATIONAL TRAIL IN AMERICA. THIS HIGH ELEVATION TERRAIN IS COVERED IN SNOW DURING WINTERS AND BURSTING WITH ACCELERATED SPRING GROWTH IN SPRING/SUMMER. COVERING ROUGHLY 2.8 MILLION ACRES, IT IS VITALLY IMPORTANT TO ABSORB AND INFILTRATE WATER, AND HOLD IT IN THE SIERRA NEVADA WATERSHEDS FOR YEAR-ROUND RELEASE INTO CALIFORNIA'S MIGHTY RIVERS. IT IS ALSO CRITICAL HABITAT FOR AN ENORMOUS RANGE OF BIODIVERSE SPECIES, MANY OF THEM UNIQUELY ENDEMIC TO THIS REGION. STUDIES AND REPORTS INDICATE THAT OVER 60% OF THE WET MEADOW ALPINE TERRAIN IN CALIFORNIA HAS BEEN LOST IN THE LAST TWO HUNDRED YEARS. THE REASONS ARE MANY: VORACIOUS RESOURCE EXTRACTION, DEVELOPMENT AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION, SEASONAL GRAZING BY SHEEP AND CATTLE, THE DECIMATION OF NATIVE BEAVER SPECIES FOR FUR TRAPPING, AND THE FORCED (AND OFTEN VIOLENT) REMOVAL OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES WHO APTLY MANAGED THIS TERRAIN WITH TRADITIONAL PRACTICES. IN THE LAST 50 YEARS, INTENSE AND GROWING RECREATIONAL USE HAS ALSO TAKEN A SIGNIFICANT TOLL. JMT WILD WORKS WITH FEDERAL LAND OWNERS, SCIENTISTS AND SPECIALISTS, CONSERVATION CORPS AND INDIGENOUS TRIBES IN LOCAL AREAS TO ASSESS, MAP AND MODEL, DESIGN RESTORATION PLANS AND THEN IMPLEMENT AND MONITOR THOSE PLANS TO EXPAND AND RESTORE THESE MEADOW ECOSYSTEMS AND RIPARIAN CORRIDORS FROM MOUNT WHITNEY TO YOSEMITE VALLEY. TO OBTAIN THE REQUIRED FIELD DATA TO UNDERSTAND THE TERRAIN AND IMPLEMENT RESTORATION, JMT WILD OPERATES A SEASONAL MONITORING PROGRAM WHEN UNDERGRADUATES IN ENVIRONMENTAL FIELDS ARE RECRUITED AND TRAINED IN THE TECHNIQUES AND METHODS FOR ACCURATE AND REPEATABLE DATA COLLECTION. IN FY 2024, WE OPERATED UNDER A GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS GRANT FROM THE CALIFORNIA NATURAL RESOURCES AGENCY AND PRIVATE SECTOR FUNDING. IN ADDITION TO WATER RESILIENCY AND HABITAT RESTORATION, ANCILLARY BENEFITS FROM THIS WORK INCLUDE THE RE-OPENING OF NATURAL FIRE BREAKS TO IMPROVE FOREST HEALTH AND SLOW WILDFIRES, POWERFUL CARBON SEQUESTRATION TO MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE, AND MORE SUSTAINABLE RECREATIONAL ACCESS AND USE.