Aspen stands in the Sierra Nevada are in decline. After a century of fire suppression and grazing pressure, high elevation aspen populations are seriously threatened by conifer encroachment. Restoring aspen stands is a critical strategy of the US Forest Service (USFS) Pacific Southwest Region. Without treatment, these iconic high elevation aspen systems will continue to be replaced by conifer forests resulting in a loss of critical habitat for a diversity of wildlife, plants, and rare species.