Giant Thoughts Newsletter Issues

October 2018 proclaimed California Redwoods Month by Gov. Brown.

Governor Proclaims October California Redwoods Month

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Governor Jerry Brown has proclaimed October 2018 California Redwoods Month in honor of the redwood forests, “a globally significant treasure and a quintessential symbol of the Golden State.” With this Proclamation, Governor Brown and the State of California have taken an important stand for the redwoods!

Birthday Edition of 'Free Second Saturday' in 100+ parks statewide: 100 Parks for 100 Years

100 Parks for 100 Years on October 13

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To celebrate its 100th birthday during October, Save the Redwoods League invites everyone to #Stand4Redwoods and visit one of the 100+ redwood parks across California — for free! That’s 100 parks for 100 years. This expanded “birthday edition” of our Second Saturdays program will take place in October only. The October free entrance day is Saturday, October 13th, but you must first download your pass.

Peters Creek Old-Growth Forest. Photo by Paolo Vescia

Help Dedicate a Members Centennial Grove

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We’re doing something new and exciting in honor of our Centennial: inviting individual supporters to join together to permanently dedicate the Members Centennial Grove 2018 in Peters Creek Old-Growth Forest. And, I need your help.

Help Cover the Internet with Redwoods!

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You can stand for the redwoods by covering the Internet with these amazing trees in October. We’re calling all people and organizations to join us in sharing the redwoods in enewsletters, blog posts, Facebook, and other social media and using the #Stand4Redwoods hashtag. This is going to be big and fun!

Ron Artis II & The Truth

Stand for the Redwoods Festivals: Music Lineups Announced!

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Celebrate redwoods with us during the League’s Centennial Celebration Week from October 7 to 14. Get a first look at the bands who will be performing at our Stand for the Redwoods Festivals in Humboldt County and San Francisco.

Bring a Giant Sequoia into Your Classroom

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Everyone at Save the Redwoods League is so excited about the new giant sequoia curriculum for K-12 classrooms offered by the California State Parks PORTS® program, which stands for Parks Online Resources for Teachers and Students. This distance learning program features the giant sequoia of Calaveras Big Trees State Park in its new unit and uses an innovative system incorporating interactive media and virtual reality platforms to teach about the ecosystems, wildlife, and history of California State Parks.

Transamerica Redwood Park in San Francisco. Photo by TheWestEnd, Flickr Creative Commons

Places to See the Redwoods in San Francisco

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Fortunately, there are pockets in The City (as Bay Area residents know and love it) where locals and visitors can experience the redwoods, both virtually and tangibly. No need to even hop on any freeways or cross any bridges. ETA: less than an hour.

Train Station Takeover Raises Awareness for Redwoods

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Save the Redwoods League is bringing the beauty of the redwood forest to thousands of commuters at San Francisco’s Montgomery Street train station from September 17 through October 15, 2018. For this limited time, images of the coast redwood forest cover the walls, floor, and ceiling of a 180-foot tunnel accessible on Sansome Street just north of Sutter Street in the Financial District.

Albino redwood chimera. Photo by Tom Stapleton

Pondering the Existence of the Mysterious Albino Redwoods

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Tom Stapleton’s research on albino redwoods started with searching for these rare trees in the wild and has led to the patent of three albino redwood varieties, named “Mosaic Delight”, “Grand Mosaic,” and “Early Snow,” which are albino redwood chimeras. Stapleton hopes to shed more light on understanding why these mutations exist.

Marbled murrelet is listed as "Endangered." Photo by Tim Lenz, Flickr Creative Commons

The Endangered Species Act is Endangered

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The Department of the Interior is working to revise regulatory language in the ESA. The alarming proposal would allow for the analysis of economic impacts when considering listing species or considering protections — a reversal of the current statute.

Explore CA Redwood State Parks for FREE on May 12. Download your pass today!

Get Your Free Second Saturdays Passes for September Now!

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Every second Saturday of each month in 2018, Save the Redwoods League and California State Parks will be hosting a Free Redwoods Day. Parking passes are available on a first-come, first-served basis each month, ahead of the next event. Our next event is on September 8 — download your free pass now!

Smith River, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park. Photo by Jon Parmentier

Congressman Seeks to Protect Redwoods, Rivers, and Communities

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Congressman Huffman — whose district oversees more ancient coast redwoods than any other — introduced his vision for California’s northwestern forests and wilderness areas, The Northwest California Wilderness, Recreation, and Working Forests Act of 2018.

Redwoods Rising Botany Apprentice, Len Mazur, gazes up at the towering canopies of ancient coast redwood while mapping invasive plant species in Prairie Creek. Photo by Ryan Thompson

Notes from the North: Restoration in Action

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This summer launched the first season of the Redwoods Rising Apprenticeship, adding capacity to the effort of landscape restoration in Redwood National and State Parks. Len Mazur, a student at Humboldt State University and Redwoods Rising Apprentice on the botany crew, writes about his experiences helping to restore this fragile and resilient landscape.

Redwoods Rising Botany Apprentices take a break at an overlook of Redwood Creek in the Bald Hills area of the park. Photo by Len Mazur

Redwoods Rising Apprentices Help Restore Redwood National and State Parks

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Redwoods take thousands of years to grow, and as we look to the future, we recognize the importance of training the next generation of conservation leaders to continue caring for these forests. That’s why we started an apprentice program this summer. Meet the Redwoods Rising apprentices who gained hands-on field experience as they helped us study and restore the historically logged lands within Redwood National and State Parks.

Thick bark enables giant sequoia to withstand lower-severity ground fires

Status of Our Forests During Wildfires, Urgency of Restoration

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As major wildfires burn throughout California, our thoughts are with the affected communities and dedicated firefighters. The area burned by California wildfires has grown in recent years, and in many cases, the fires have been burning hotter than ever. Kristen Shive, the League’s new Senior Scientist, explains how our forests are faring, and how the League’s restoration and forest management efforts can prevent negative consequences of severe wildfires.

Photo by Mike Kahn, Save the Redwoods League

Major League Celebrations at Giants Game

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Two organizations that celebrate the giants of the West Coast are marking milestones together. As a Lead Centennial Partner, the San Francisco Giants are spotlighting the 100th anniversary of Save the Redwoods League. In turn, the League is celebrating the baseball team’s 60th anniversary. You’re invited to join these major league celebrations on Saturday, August 25, 2018!

Celebrations of the Century: Join us Oct. 7-14

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It has been 100 years since the founders of Save the Redwoods League first resolved to protect California’s redwood forests — a mission that would build momentum for America’s conservation movement and create and expand world-renowned redwood parks — crown jewels of the state and national park systems. So now, in our Centennial year, we’re hosting a week-long celebration October 7-14, 2018 to honor that legacy, renew our commitment to protecting and restoring these remarkable forests, and celebrate the dedication of all those who came before us to save the redwoods.

Legacy & Leadership: Celebrating 100 Years with our Supporters

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We’re just over halfway through the year, and 2018 has already proven to be legendary for Save the Redwoods League. As you have probably heard, this year is the League’s 100th birthday, which has been a joyous cause for celebration! I am so glad that we were able to share our festivities and show our appreciation for members of the Redwood Legacy Circle, who have committed to the long-term protection of the redwoods by including the League in their estate plans.

Students from Half Moon Bay High School collect plant data as part of our Redwoods and Climate Change High School Program.

Tracking Seasonal Changes in Our Parks

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What determines when shrubs bloom? The study of seasonal life cycle events such as this is called phenology, and gathering long-term data on these cycles is the focus of the California Phenology Project (CPP). Collecting data is simple, and anyone can participate. For the past couple of months, I’ve been tracking some plants in Redwood Regional Park as part of the Redwood Phenology Project by Save the Redwoods League and the East Bay Regional Park District.

The pristine South Fork of the Tule River rushes through Red Hill Grove. Photo by Paolo Vescia.

Red Hill Purchase: A Giant Conservation Win

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The purchase of Red Hill is a watershed event in giant sequoia conservation, and a particularly gratifying achievement for the League and our donors, given that 2018 is our Centennial year.