It’s Go Time for Redwoods Rising

In the far reaches of the North Coast of California, young redwoods await their moment to become ancient giants. Save the Redwoods League has been dedicated to protecting land in what is now Redwood National and State Parks since the early 1920s. We’ve protected and transferred to the parks more than 140 properties, encompassing more than 55,000 acres.

In 2002, we bought and transferred Mill Creek to state parks, setting in motion restoration work that, in essence, would be the seedling of a vision to restore the coast redwood forest to old-growth form and function. Now in partnership with the National Park Service and California State Parks, along with agency, NGO, and academic partners, we have been laying the groundwork for unprecedented, innovative work. Redwoods Rising is a long-term plan to regenerate second-growth forests into old-growth forests that will sustain and inspire future generations.

Recently we reached the culmination of years of planning and preparation, completing the compliance phase and pivoting to putting our restoration vision into practice, on the ground, over the coming decades. With the funding we’ve raised to date, we’ll be conducting restoration thinning on 4,000 acres of second-growth forests and removing nearly 13 miles of abandoned logging roads that threaten the aquatic ecosystem in Prairie Creek and Mill Creek.

Last week we celebrated beginning this restoration work in earnest with our partners and the local community. Chairman Joseph L. James of the Yurok was there to welcome us to his tribe’s ancestral lands. We look forward to learning from the Yurok’s stewardship of this redwood landscape. Director of California State Parks Lisa Mangat, Regional Director of National Park Service Pacific West Stan Austin, and our very own League President and CEO Sam Hodder shared stories to put in perspective the importance of restoring redwood forests.

What the League has accomplished with our partners so far, and the potential of what lies ahead, fuels us on our journey to bring the North Coast’s ancient forests back to their former glory. And to those who are following the progress of Redwoods Rising simply because you love this extraordinary place and its giants as much as we do: we’re happy to have you here to realize this vision right along with us.