“Best of” List for 2017
onAs 2017 comes to a close, it’s that time again for the “best of” lists to come out. Best movies of the year, best music, etc. So here is my own “best of” list for the past year.
Redwood Education Grants Program
onOne of our grantees, the Humboldt County Office of Education, worked with students this year from Fortuna High School’s videography class to create “art” in the redwoods after learning about redwood ecology.
Watching Ferns in the Redwoods for Signs of Climate Change
onThe sword fern, one of the most common redwood forest plants, has become prominent in my life over the past few years. This is mostly due to the League’s Fern Watch project, which monitors the health of sword ferns throughout the redwood range. Even though these ferns are common, little is known about their ecology and how they respond to climatic change.
Joaquin Miller Park Kiosks get an update!
onThe League recently worked with the City of Oakland to install new interpretive content and maps in the kiosks, so park visitors can learn more about the natural area they are visiting.
Experiencing Awe in the Redwoods and the Rainforest
onWhen one of my Ecuadorian friends, who works in la selva, came to visit me here in California, the one place he wanted to visit was our iconic forest, the redwoods.
Happy Birthday Mariposa Grove!
onToday marks the 153rd birthday of the spectacular giant sequoia grove in Yosemite National Park, Mariposa Grove. The protection of Mariposa helped inspire a movement of conservation at a time when sequoia were being cut, leading to the protection of the biggest trees in the world.
Summer Solstice Means Changes in the Redwood Forest
onSummer solstice reminds me of nature’s seasonal cycles and excites me for what’s to come. The study of these seasonal cycles, phenology, is used by the League in our science and education programs.
Watershed Mural Inspires Student Learning and Creativity
onThe League’s strives to integrate art into all of our environmental education programs. Art is such an important outlet for students to express what they learned in a creative way and to teach others about their experiences.
An Earth Day for Science
onThis year’s Earth Day theme was focused on environmental and climate literacy, which means that we need to make sure everyone is educated on the impacts of climate change on our planet and the actions we can take to protect and sustain our environment.
National Poetry Month Inspires Student Haikus
onDuring our redwood field trips with students, Save the Redwoods League tries to appeal to all the different ways redwood trees elicit inspiration for youth. The following haikus were written by students in our Redwoods and Climate Change High School Program.
Take the City Nature Challenge
onDo you like getting out into nature? Are you a competitive person? Do you enjoy taking pictures of plants and wildlife? Well, if you answered “yes” to any of the questions above, then we have an event for you.
NEW Educational Materials Now Available
onWe are excited to unveil our new coast redwood and giant sequoia educational brochures, “Life in the Coast Redwoods” and “Our Giant Sequoia Forests.” Save the Redwoods League has been working hard on these educational resources and are eager to share them with you.
New Canopy Exploration Display at Muir Woods
onThe visitor center at Muir Woods National Monument has something new to share – an exhibit on canopy exploration.
Historic ‘Tunnel Tree’ Falls in Storm
onWe lost an iconic ‘tunnel tree’ on Sunday as mother nature took down the over 1,000-year-old Pioneer Cabin Tree in Calaveras Big Trees State Park. This tree, made famous for the car-sized tunnel through its trunk, toppled over during the heavy storms that swept through California over the weekend. The Pioneer Cabin Tree and surrounding park, have a rich story to share — one that catalyzed the conservation movement in the U.S., where giant sequoia were first discovered.
Seeing Nature’s Calendar in the Redwoods
onThrough our Redwood Phenology Project, we are collecting data on how our redwood forest plants are changing with climate.
High School Students as Community Scientists
onIf you ask high school students what the impacts of climate change have been, they can tell you that the polar ice caps are melting, that we have extreme weather, and that California has been in a drought for the past few years. But if you ask them how climate change will affect our forests and the plants and animals that live in them, they find it harder to come up with an answer.
Unstructured Nature Time for Oakland Students
onWhen children have unstructured play time in nature, they are better observers, they ask questions, and they become more comfortable with their surroundings. Despite its benefits, all too often, unstructured play time is limited for kids today, especially in the outdoors.
Happy Book Lovers Day!
onThis week we celebrate our love of books and our love of reading! Some of my fondest memories have been relaxing in a beautiful place with a great book and getting so engulfed in the story that hours went by in the blink of an eye.
Drone’s-Eye View of the Orick Mill Site
onWhen you drive north on Highway 101, just past the small town of Orick, you will begin to marvel at the giant redwoods of Redwood National and State Parks. There is no sign letting you know you have arrived; you just slowly become shaded by the great canopies towering above you.
Lichens in the News
onYou cannot spend time in a redwood forest without coming across lichen. Only a few lichen species will catch your eye on the bark of a redwood but up in the canopy and on the forest floor an abundance of these organisms will surround you. A few years ago we conducted canopy research at Muir Woods looking at lichen diversity at the tops of the trees.
