Nature Corps volunteers received the "George B. Hartzog, Jr." award for their support of the Halstead Meadow Restoration Project. The award was presented last fall by the Pacific West Regional Office. It is the highest recognition the National Park Service can bestow upon a nonprofit organization.

In 2007-2008, Nature Corps volunteers had the privilege of participating in this historic meadow restoration project. After heavy equip was used to re-contour the meadow, the volunteers built dams and installed diversion pipes to fine tune the even distribution of water across the meadow. They also laid acres of erosion blankets and dozens of straw wattles to stabilize the soil. Lastly, the volunteers planted over 4,600 plants (primarily Scirpus microcarpus) to reestablish the meadow's lush plant community.

This historic and important restoration effort was truly impressive. With the help of employees from Chevron, Pacific Gas & Electric and Warner Bros. Entertainment the meadow bounced back to life in an extremely short period of time.

Now that the upper portion of Halstead Meadow has been restored, it becomes clearly evident and all the more critical that the lower half of the meadow be restored. It is one of the few meadows that the public can access easily and learn about the important role of meadows in the Sierra Nevada ecosystem. In view of its rarity and ecological significance, Nature Corps looks forward to supporting the ongoing efforts to restore Halstead Meadow.

To all of our donors, sponsors and volunteers, thank you for your support of this important conservation effort.

Mark Landon, Executive Director