From the soaring redwood forests of the North Coast to the magical groves of giant sequoia in the Sierra Nevada, the state trees of California rank among the planet’s most spectacular natural wonders. But the existence of these magnificent conifers shouldn’t be taken for granted. Their protection was never guaranteed, and is the result of the unflagging efforts by the generations of conservationists determined to protect them.
Save the Redwoods League has led this effort, protecting more than 200,000 acres of redwood and giant sequoia forests and helping to create and expand 66 redwood parks and reserves over the past century. Throughout all these efforts, a longstanding and dedicated partner has been California State Parks, the largest state lands management agency in the nation and a dedicated advocate of resource conservation and public access.
Now, in recognition of the League’s Centennial Year and the League’s long association with California State Parks, California Governor Jerry Brown has declared October “California Redwoods Month”. His proclamation follows:
As the Governor notes, coast redwoods and giant sequoia are both foundational elements of California’s natural heritage and global treasure. Our redwood and giant sequoia parks are prime destinations for both resident and international visitors. They are cornerstones for unique ecosystems that support a wide suite of imperiled species. Ancient redwood forests help sustain us, storing more carbon than any other forest in the world.
Their ongoing protection and the restoration of forests that have been degraded due to clearcut logging or other destructive activities stands at the core of the League’s mission. It is a charge placed on us by posterity, by our grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and it’s a challenge we’re determined to meet.
Save the Redwoods League and our Centennial partners are hosting a series of specials activities throughout the month of October in observation of the League’s Centennial Year and the Governor’s proclamation. Included are family-friendly festivals in Humboldt County and San Francisco, a marathon along the Avenue of the Giants in Humboldt Redwoods State Park, free passes to California redwood parks, the launch of a new K-12 digital field trip featuring the giant sequoia of Calaveras Big Trees State Park, a premiere of a film about the last remaining old-growth coast redwood in the Oakland Hills, a night of stargazing amid the giant sequoia at Calaveras Big Trees State Park, and a fundraising gala in San Francisco. We invite any and all to attend these events and help us celebrate.
The long association between Save the Redwoods League and California State Parks is a long-standing, exemplary public-private partnership, resulting in the protection of vast acreages of redwoods and giant sequoia now accessible to the public. But we must look to the challenges facing these iconic trees in the near future: climate change, development, and catastrophic wildfire among them. To address these threats, we need broad public support. As we celebrate the League’s Centennial Year and our partnerships to save these remarkable forests, please help us ensure that our next century will be as productive as the first. Learn more about our vision for next century and how you can take a stand for the redwoods.
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