Yosemite meadow restoration shows soil gains but remains a net carbon source

Scientists planted 40,000 native sedge seedlings in Yosemite National Park's Tuolumne Meadows to restore soil historically damaged by sheep grazing. After three years of monitoring, researchers observed improvements in the soil's organic matter. However, their measurements indicate the meadow is still releasing more carbon into the atmosphere than it is capturing. The team estimates that a full ecological recovery for the meadow could take between 25 and 50 years.