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League CEO Sam Hodder

Election results and the future of our forests

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Across the US, there’s a shared commitment to conserve forests, beaches, open spaces, and sources of clean water. Sam Hodder, president and CEO of Save the Redwoods League addresses what the election results mean for California’s redwoods.


Yes on Prop 4

Proposition 4 win brings $10 billion to climate fight

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Prop 4 delivers $10 billion to prevent wildfires, protect clean water, and conserve California’s forests and beaches. This historic funding prioritizes restoration, public access, and long-term sustainability—a transformative win for the environment.



trailhead

360-acre addition will make Armstrong Redwoods stronger

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Each of California’s redwood parks is a treasure in its own right. But there’s something uniquely precious about Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve. Crisscrossed by footpaths and the burbling Fife Creek, this sublime grove of ancient redwoods contains several notable giants, including the uniquely shaped Icicle Tree and the 1,400-year-old Colonel Armstrong Tree. The reserve is also one of the few intact stands of old growth within easy reach of the San Francisco Bay Area.


pipe cleaner trees at big basin

Three parks, multiple fires, one bold restoration plan

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The newly unveiled Forest Management Strategy helps ensure that future wildfires will not be as destructive to places like Butano State Park, which has provided recreation and renewal for generations of visitors.


A line of middle-aged hikers follow a path through a redwood grove

Redwood field trips: Not just for little kids

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On a sunny summer morning, I met up with a group of two dozen adults for a hike through Butano State Park in San Mateo County. Some of the participants had gone on previous hikes with me, but others were …


A rain-swollen stream flows through a redwood forest.

Why Dark Gulch is the “missing puzzle piece”

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Dark Gulch fills a critical hole in the Montgomery Woods Initiative, particularly from a fire resilience perspective. Protecting the nearby Dark Gulch property will help buffer the reserve’s old-growth redwoods from fire and encroaching development. Consolidating ownership helps us implement fuel reduction projects more efficiently and reduce the severity of wildfires. By connecting Atkins Place to Weger Ranch, Dark Gulch helps secure the region’s redwood footprint and creates a new protected corridor for fish and wildlife. It allows us to be better stewards within a changing climate.


Close-up of a shoulder badge that reads "California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection: CALFIRE since 1988" in an emblem that includes the outline of the state of California and a sun on the horizon.

Prop 4 could be a game changer for redwoods 

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California’s redwood forests have long been a symbol of the state’s natural beauty. But these majestic trees also provide incredible ecological benefits to our water quality, wildlife habitat, and the health and well-being of local communities. With Proposition 4—”Prop 4″—on …


Overhead view of a few firefighters watching smoldering burn piles in green scrub in the shadow of tall trees.

Banned for 100 years, cultural burns could save sequoias 

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Orange flames crackled to life as Tübatulabal Tribal Chairman Robert Gomez bent to light a pile of dry brush. Wisps of smoke drifted upwards, framed by the tawny bark of the giant sequoias standing watch. On this cloudless June day …


Three young people stand in front of a large giant sequoia tree against a bright blue sky

Could your organization use $6k for field trips?

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Fall always signals fun changes. The school year beginning, the foliage shifting to shades of gold and red, the window opening to apply for Redwood Connect Grants. Now is the time to think about how a $6,000 grant might support …


A hiker wearing a bright red jacket and a gray backpack walks through a redwood forest carpeted with giant ferns.

Redwoods backpacking, the antidote to stress

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Sometimes modern life can feel like a daunting list of deadlines, debt, and difficult decisions. But all it takes to unzip from these everyday stresses is to walk deep into a redwood forest to live for a weekend, sustained by …


Giant sequoia seedling

Can the giant sequoias recover on their own?

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In August of 2020, the Castle Fire swept through the Board Camp Grove, a small, remote stand of giant sequoias at the southern end of Kings Canyon National Park. The fire burned through the crowns of many trees and left …


People walk along a dirt lane lined with tall trees.

Discovering dawn redwoods on Nami Island

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On a sweltering June day, I stepped off a ferry and onto Nami Island, one of the most popular tourist destinations in South Korea, 33 miles outside of Seoul. Hundreds of needle firs and Korean pines welcomed me, my husband, …


Visitor hiking in redwood forest

California voters to decide on $10 billion climate bond

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While question marks remain around the November election, one thing is certain: Californians will have the chance to vote on a historic $10 billion climate resilience bond—now referred to as Prop 4—which the state legislature approved on July 3. If …


A group of Asian Pacific American schoolchildren climb on the base of a large redwood

How Redwood Rides helps close the nature gap

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On a Wednesday morning in June, a bus pulled into the campground at Samuel P. Taylor State Park, a 2,882-acre expanse of redwood trees, oak-dotted grasslands, and chaparral in west Marin County. Out shuffled 22 kids, accompanied by three young …


A large brown sign reads "Sue-meg State Park" in yellow letters with a small "campground full" sign above

The power of reclaiming Indigenous place names

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In a deep voice, Yurok Tribal chairman Joseph James began a traditional song. ‘O Rew, the Yurok name for the surrounding land, was about to make history. That day, Save the Redwoods League, Redwood National and State Parks, and the …


Yosemite cabins: Getaways to the giant sequoias

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For those who long to wake up and head out for a hike among towering giant sequoias (and who doesn’t?), Yosemite is an evergreen dream come true. The national park is home to three unique groves of giant sequoias—Mariposa Grove, …


A group of people pose for a photo in a photobooth

Redwood fans unite for “Take Me to the Trees” celebration

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As the fog rolled in over San Francisco, nearly 300 guests arrived at the Presidio dressed in fabulous shiny puffers and handknit beanies—a fashionable nod to their shared love for the outdoors. They had come for Save the Redwoods League’s …


Two climbers wearing hard hats shimmy up ropes along the trunk of a massive giant sequoia

First climb of General Sherman Tree reveals health status

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You could say the General Sherman Tree was overdue for a physical—by at least 2,000 years. The iconic giant sequoia, which stands in California’s Sequoia National Park, is the largest living tree on the planet and has withstood two millennia …


A close up selfie of a young man of Yurok heritage with a goatee wearing a yellow construction hat, orange Redwoods Rising hoodie, red vest with a camelback attachment standing in a redwoods forest.

League podcast explores jobs in the redwood forest

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Ever spent your day staring at a computer screen and wondered, “What it would be like to work outside in a redwood forest instead?” Season 4 of the League’s acclaimed podcast I’ll Go If You Go explores this question, delving …


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