In 2011, Mount Rainier used helicopters to transport thousands of native plants into trampled meadows; more than 90% of about 85,000 plantings survived
Mount Rainier’s subalpine meadows faced damage from visitor foot traffic over decades. Helicopters transported thousands of native plants to remote restoration sites. This intensive effort aimed to repair fragile landscapes and exposed soil. Over ninety percent of the replanted vegetation survived the harsh conditions. Lasting recovery depends on preventing further disturbance to the recovering ground.
