Fall Workday: SYRCL Volunteers Take Down Fencing Around Sierra Aspen Stands

What goes up in June must come down in October… at least when it comes to protecting aspen stands from grazing cattle.  

Six South Yuba River Citizens League staff and volunteers spent Friday, October 10th dismantling cattle exclusion fencing in Loney Meadow. The team worked through hundreds of feet of cattle panels and barbed wire, carefully removing the barriers that had protected aspen stands throughout the grazing season. 

This exclusion fencing was installed in June by students in SYRCL’s Youth Outdoor Learning Opportunities (YOLO) program before cattle arrived on the site. Removing fencing over the winter, and after the cattle are removed, is essential due to the potential for heavy snow loads in the meadow to bend and break the fencing. 

The South Yuba River Citizens League fences these aspen stands as part of a long-term research project studying how cattle grazing affects aspen health. Since 2014, we’ve been conducting a side-by-side comparison: half of each stand at Loney Meadow is fenced to exclude cattle, while the other half remains open to grazing. 

This design is critical to getting accurate results. By splitting each stand in half rather than comparing separate groves, we can directly measure grazing impacts without worrying about natural differences between locations, like soil type, water availability, or climate conditions. Any differences we observe come from grazing, not from environmental variation. 

Each year, we collect data in both the fenced and unfenced sections, tracking overall growth, age-class diversity, and the survival of young aspen stems. Over time, this research will inform livestock management decisions and deepen our scientific understanding of how grazing affects aspen ecosystems in the Sierra Nevada. 

Aspen stands are a biodiversity hotspot in our forests; aspen preservation and health are important to the overall forest ecosystem. To find out more about the work that SYRCL is doing to protect Aspen in the Yuba River watershed, check out our Salmon & Packer Creek Aspen Restoration Project.

Research like our aspen grazing study depends on community support. Here’s how you can help: 

• Volunteer at upcoming restoration workdays and see science in action. 
• Donate to fund long-term monitoring that guides watershed management decisions. 
• Stay informed by subscribing to updates on restoration projects and research findings. 

Together, we’re building healthier forests and stronger climate resilience across the Yuba River watershed.