About 70% of Sierra meadows are degraded, with diminished capacity to hold water or store below-ground carbon. Similarly, vast tracts of forest where dead and dense tree stands predominate are vulnerable to catastrophic wildfire, counteracting their carbon benefits. CalTrout is developing a new approach to meadow and forest health in the Sierra Nevada – we are transforming meadow and forest restoration efforts into quantifiable carbon, water, and energy benefits on a landscape scale. This differs from traditional approaches which address only one or two primary causes of ecological degradation limited to the immediate project area, neglecting efficient use of restoration byproducts, facilitation of atmospheric carbon-reduction, and connecting local communities with sustainable energy resources. CalTrout recently received funding from the Sierra Meadows Partnership to start implementing this bold initiative through a pilot program in the Glass Mountains.