Save the Sierras!

~570 vertebrate species (animals w/ a back bone) live in the Sierra Nevada Mntns, >30% of which are rare or threatened 🏔
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t is 1 of 36 Global Biodiversity Hotspots (areas with highest # of species) & among 10 places in the U.S. where climate change has the biggest impact on endangered species - BUT also where intervention can have the most effect if we act now!!

The Sierra’s watershed provides water >75% of Californians: Small Mntn streams and floodplains, soak up snowmelt, filtering and slowly releasing it—extending runoff longer into the dry California summer ❄️

Organizations like @sierraneavadaconservancy employ workers and volunteers to mitigate these negative impacts of climate change like: long-term drought, explosive wildfires, tree mortality, & melting snowpacks

Drought also makes trees more susceptible to mortality from other sources, like bark beetles, which led to a loss of 35 trees/acre 2014-2018 🌲

So properly MANAGED forests are not only less likely to burn in dangerous and damaging ways, but are more resilient to drought, and can even allow a deeper snowpack to develop.

Healthy, functioning ecosystems are critical to sustain life (ours and animals/plants)—every strand in the complex web of life plays a role and we need to fight to protect the remaining wilderness areas of the world!! 🌎

To support the world's biodiversity visit: wezwildlife.com/shop

OR: @conservationinternational @worldwildlifefund

#savewildlife #sierranevada #mammothlakes #mammothlakescalifornia #tahoe #mountainlife #outdoor #instanature #sierranevadamountains #sierranevadanationalpark #hiking #wilderness #endangered #johnmuir #dontfeedourbears #naturephotography #mountainphotography #laketahoe