Researchers just unlocked the genetic codes of our coast redwood and giant sequoia forests, a remarkable milestone in the effort to protect California’s iconic redwood forests and regrow historically logged areas through the protection of the forests’ genomic diversity.
At the California Academy of Science’s new Giants of Land and Sea exhibit, you can explore the forest canopy virtually through an immersive video experience, walk through a fog room to feel how this fixture of coastal climate bathes the redwoods during the summer, and learn about the intrinsic connection between the forest and Pacific Ocean.
Another secret of the world’s tallest forest is revealed today with the discovery of a new inconspicuous lichen — Xylopsora canopeorum.
Beginning January 16, 2018, visitors will need reservations to park at or ride the shuttle to Muir Woods National Monument. The new reservation system will prevent visitor overcrowding and help keep the forest green and vibrant for generations to come.
We are sequencing the coast redwood and giant sequoia genomes. While the first steps in this project will happen in the laboratory, the goal is to rapidly put this new understanding of redwood DNA to work for conservation. To support vigorous coast redwood and giant sequoia forests in the decades ahead, we will need to protect not only the remarkable structure of the forest, but also protect the genetic diversity that underlies it.
I can’t think about the majestic northern spotted owl without also thinking of one of their greatest allies, biologist Lowell Diller.
Coast Redwood Science Symposium showcased a tremendous amount of progress in the field of redwood science in topics ranging from genetics to wildlife.
I came across a fallen redwood recently that had been severely strangled by English ivy. The redwood had fallen across the road and a cross-section had been cut through the redwood’s trunk, revealing a shockingly think mass of ivy branches tightly wrapped around the tree’s bark.
The beautiful Alerce trees, Fitzroya cupressoides, grow in the cool rainforests of Chile, just to the west of the Andes. The Alerce are members of the same conifer family as the redwoods (the Cupressaceae) and the two species share many striking similarities.
New research by Redwoods and Climate Change Initiative scientists Robert Van Pelt and colleagues reveals no forest on Earth has more biomass – wood, bark, and leaves – then the ancient coast redwood forests of Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP).
Redwoods are in the news this week, reminding the world once again that Earth’s tallest trees are truly ecosystems in their own right. Teeming with life from quite literally their roots to their highest leaves, the magnificent coast redwoods are home to hundreds of other species.
Many of you probably have heard of Arbor Day, the holiday when people plant and care for trees. In the United States, National Arbor Day is always celebrated on the last Friday in April. But did you know that many …
In the depths of winter, an amazing emergence of emerald green ferns appear on cliffs, rocks, and forest tree trucks throughout the coast redwood forest. These delicate beauties are Polypodium glycyrrhiza, commonly known as licorice fern. The species name, glycyrrhiza, means sweet root in Greek and is aptly named because the fern’s rhizome tastes faintly of licorice.
Did you know that the coast redwood forest is home to a native rose? The wood rose or dwarf rose, is known botanically as Rosa gymnocarpa. It grows throughout Western North America and commonly grows on the forest floor of …
Warning: this topic is gruesome, and awesome. Last week, Land Project Manager Christine Aralia and I walked the Orick Mill Site with Texas State researcher Butch Weckerly. Butch has studied the Roosevelt elk in Redwood National and State Parks since 1997, witnessing local extinctions and population explosions of the elk over the years…
Often during the night I wake to hear the distinctive sound of my neighborhood’s Great Horned Owl calling out. It’s a lovely deep call that sounds like, “hoo-HOO-hoo-hoo” and while I’ve heard it often, I only first laid eyes on the bird last week.
Many Native Americans tribes in the coast redwood region use ferns in their traditional basket-making.
At Yosemite National Park this week, you may see smoke curling up from Mariposa Grove, the spectacular giant sequoia forest that catalyzed the conservation movement 150 years ago. This smoke is part of a planned prescribed burn in the forest to lower fuel loads that have accumulated over many decades of fire suppression.
Hiking with kids can sometimes feel like a forced march, we’ve all experienced kids complaining about walking for walking’s sake. Obviously, the best remedy for reluctant young hikers is regular doses of candy, but the next best remedy is also super fun and does not contribute to cavities! This is a nature color game that is a trade secret of environmental educators and is really easy to play.
Understanding how climate change impacts the world’s tallest forest is like assembling an incredibly large jigsaw puzzle; the full picture emerges slowly, one piece at time. But occasionally, a critical piece falls into place…
