Our efforts aim to improve ecological function and protect biodiversity across high-priority landscapes in Northern California. Project work includes meadow restoration, streambank stabilization, road improvements, and culvert replacements—each focused on protecting habitat for native fish, wildlife, and rare plant species, and safeguarding regional water supplies. These efforts also help maintain access for recreation and land management, ensuring that ecological restoration is compatible with human use and stewardship. Through strong partnerships and adaptive, landscape-scale strategies, Sierra Institute leads watershed and meadow restoration projects nested within multiple large landscapes and cross-boundary restoration initiatives.

Robbers Creek Watershed Restoration

Overview

Within the Robbers Creek watershed, meadows have been degraded by channel incision and compacted soils. This restoration project addresses those impacts at Swain Meadow, by rehydrating the landscape by slowing and spreading water using rock riffles and beaver dam analog structures. These interventions support the recovery of native wet meadow vegetation and help protect one of the last & largest populations of the rare Lassen paintbrush (Castilleja lassenensis). In other locations upstream of Swain Meadow restoration actions include removing encroaching Lodgepole Pine from meadows and adding woody debris to the channel.

Partners

Point Blue, Forest Creek Restoration, Symbiotic Restoration, Lassen National Forest – Almanor Ranger District, The Institute for Applied Ecology

Overview

In the aftermath of the 2021 Dixie Fire, Sierra Institute and partners launched an assessment of 60 meadows and 13 miles of stream habitat in the West Lassen Headwaters Project area. This project prioritizes sites for future restoration with a focus on anadromous fish recovery by evaluating the hydrological function of meadows and integrating road and infrastructure data.

Partners

Point Blue, Forest Creek Restoration, Symbiotic Restoration, Feather River Trout Unlimited, Lassen National Forest – Almanor Ranger District

Overview

This planning effort targets three ecologically important meadows for future restoration. By developing 100% design plans and securing CEQA and federal permits, the project sets the stage for reclaiming lost wet meadow acreage, enhancing habitat, and restoring natural hydrology in critical headwaters of the North Fork Feather River.

Partners

Plumas National Forest – Mt. Hough Ranger District, Collins Pine, additional technical and Tribal partners forthcoming, Collins Pine Company

Overview

This work includes two complementary efforts:

• The Southwest Lassen Watershed Infrastructure Assessment conducted intensive, site-specific surveys of road-stream intersections and non-system routes identified in the SWLWIP NEPA. These surveys prioritized crossings for future restoration and infrastructure improvements to reduce sediment delivery and road-stream connectivity across key anadromous watersheds.
• The Dixie Watershed Improvement Project supports this broader effort by assessing road and stream crossings impacted by wildfire and post-fire erosion. The project helps identify erosion-prone routes threatening water quality and aquatic habitat, and informs efforts to reduce sedimentation and long-term restoration strategies.

Partners

Feather River Trout Unlimited, MTN Consulting, Butte County Resource Conservation District, Wildscape Engineering, Lassen National Forest – Almanor Ranger District, South Lassen Watersheds Group

Overview

At Nanny and Lost Creeks, existing culverts are undersized and misaligned, contributing to erosion, sediment delivery to waterways, streambank instability, and migration barriers for fish and other aquatic organisms. This project addresses these challenges through robust site assessment & completion of engineered designs, laying the groundwork for full implementation.

Partners

Feather River Trout Unlimited, Wildscape Engineering, Lassen National Forest – Almanor Ranger District