Author Archives: Sam Hodder

President and Chief Enthusiast for the Outdoors (CEO) of Save the Redwoods League, Sam brings more than 25 years of experience in overseeing land conservation programs from the remote wilderness to the inner city.

SCA crew, and their California State Parks supervisor.

Historic Redwood Grove Gets TLC Through Team Effort

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Have you ever thought about what it takes to take care of protected land at the landscape scale? Most of us don’t manage areas of land much greater than our own backyards — it’s difficult to think on the scale …

Giant sequoia forest photo by Tom Hilton, Flickr Creative Commons

The Pursuit of Happiness

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“There is nothing so American as our parks. The scenery and wildlife are native. The fundamental idea behind the parks is native. It is, in brief, that the country belongs to the people…Parks stand as the outward symbol of this …

The outdoor experiences we have as kids can help us be happier and healthier for our whole lives. Photo by rocket ship, Flickr Creative Commons.

Kids & Nature: Turning Around a Worrisome Trend

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Many of us who love nature have clear memories of meaningful outdoor experiences as children. At the Save the Redwoods League office, if you ask the staff why they chose careers in conservation, you’ll hear story after story about summers …

Sam and his family in the redwoods.

3 Ingredients For the Best Father’s Day Ever

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I’ve been a father for sixteen years. While I will always feel like I’m still learning the ropes, I have loved every minute of it. In the early years every day felt like Father’s Day, with the grand welcome when …

Celebrating National Trails Day

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I talk a lot about the importance of parks and wild places, the beautiful scenery and interesting wildlife they contain, but this week I’m putting the spotlight on one of my favorite features of our open spaces: trails. My appreciation …

Stories from Calaveras Big Trees

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I was at Calaveras Big Trees State Park over the weekend for an event celebrating the grand opening of the new visitor center and commemorating the 150th anniversary of California State Parks. I was there to speak at the event, …

You don't have to go far for great hikes and beautiful redwoods, like these in Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP. Photo by Julie Martin.

Magnificent Redwood Parks Close to Home

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It’s almost Memorial Day weekend, and if you’re like me, you’re looking forward to spending the long weekend outside. Like ninety-five percent of Californians, I live in an urban area, and a quiet escape to the redwoods — even for just …

What inspires you to be a redwoods champion? Photo by Julie Martin.

Why Join Save the Redwoods League?

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“I spent ten days hiking and camping in several coast redwood forests…I was overwhelmed by the foresight and generosity of Rockefeller, Kent, and the League’s founders. Inspiring.” – Donald Cooley “I’m 100 years old. I’ve never seen the redwoods. When …

Santa Mountains Old-Growth. Photo by Paolo Vescia

Conservation Success in the Santa Cruz Mountains

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Today, I’m pleased to announce another redwoods conservation success in the Santa Cruz Mountains! Save the Redwoods League and our Living Landscape Initiative (LLI) partner, Sempervirens Fund, have protected an old-growth gem with tremendous potential for public access. The Van …

Strong partnerships between the League, CSP and others will help our beloved parks thrive.

Charting the Course for California State Parks

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A report that will chart the course for the future of California State Parks (CSP) is closer to its final form. The Parks Forward Commission met in San Francisco last Wednesday to discuss the most recent draft of the Parks Forward …

Here at the League, we love learning about the forest! Photo of RCCI researcher collecting data, by Steve Sillett.

Top 5 Fascinating Redwoods Facts

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It’s National Environmental Education Week! This week is a celebration of environmental education and a special time to inspire learning and stewardship among students. I can’t say enough about how important outdoor education is to complete the circle of land …

Reconnecting families and future generations to nature is a critical priority. Photo by Paolo Vescia.

Kids in the Redwoods, Part 2

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Last week, I wrote about the value of bringing kids to the redwoods.  A family trip to the redwoods can be such an incredible gift to children, creating lifelong memories and a connection with nature that can improve life in …

Students collected data about the redwoods forest at BioBlitz 2014.

Kids in the Redwoods, Part 1

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Did you hear about the BioBlitz in the Bay Area last week? Scientists, community members, families and school groups converged on Muir Woods and Crissy Field to explore, catalog and discover our local ecology. I was at Muir Woods on …

Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr.: Conservation leader, parks pioneer, and Save the Redwoods League Councillor and collaborator.

Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. and the League

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I’ll be speaking at the Frederick Law Olmsted, Jr. Symposium at Stanford University today, on a panel about parks along with California State Parks Director Major General Anthony Jackson and Jack London State Historic Park Executive Director Tjiska Van Wyk. …

Change is in the air. Shady Dell photo by Paolo Vescia.

Conservation 2.0

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Happy first day of Spring!  While our thoughts  turn to rebirth and new beginnings of the season, I’m thinking about another kind of new beginning, because conservation as we know it is undergoing some substantial changes. It’s hokey, I know, but …

Stephen T. Mather and WIlliam Kent. Photo by F. Ransome

Celebrating the League’s 96th Anniversary

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On March 11, 1918, Save the Redwoods League received its first donation.* Let’s take this opportunity to celebrate all that we’ve achieved and learned together since. First and foremost, on behalf of the redwoods, I want to thank conservationists like …

Family hiking in a redwood park

NPS Economic Impacts Report: Parks Are A Great Investment!

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Conservation is important for so many reasons. It’s good for the land and wildlife, air and water, it’s good for our mental and physical health, it’s good for the soul — and now we know it’s great for the economy. …

Since 1918, Save the Redwoods League has safeguarded special places, including the pictured Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve.

What Is Our Land Ethic?

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Like many in the land conservation arena, I often use the term “land ethic” in discussing the vision and work of Save the Redwoods League and our partners.  As the League approaches its 100th anniversary, I’ve been thinking a lot …