We proudly announced a bold commitment to invest in the health of logged redwood landscapes, so that the cutover forests can heal from the damage of the past and redwood giants can rise once again. In a collaborative called Redwoods Rising, Save the Redwoods League has teamed up with California State Parks and the National Park Service to do more redwood restoration together than we could individually within Redwood National and State Parks.
New initiative, Redwoods Rising, fast-tracks the growth of healthy redwood forests on 80,000 acres of parklands — providing clean air and water, storing carbon and fighting climate change
Protecting the redwood forest isn’t just about preservation — it’s also about restoration. Save the Redwoods League helps restore habitat for wildlife that depends on ancient forests. With your gifts, we also speed development of tomorrow’s beautiful old-growth groves. These groves will help mitigate climate-changing greenhouse gases, and they’ll provide clean water for people and animals.
When you drive north on Highway 101, just past the small town of Orick, you will begin to marvel at the giant redwoods of Redwood National and State Parks. There is no sign letting you know you have arrived; you just slowly become shaded by the great canopies towering above you.
For more than 100 years, this forest was a private, hidden treasure. Your generous gifts enabled Save the Redwoods League to buy the 957-acre Shady Dell and plan its restoration.
Building upon our founders’ dream of protecting and enhancing redwood parks, the League is now engaged in a wide range of activities — from saving threatened redwood landscapes and restoring forests, to upgrading park amenities, expanding education and interpretative programs, and finding new ways to benefit parks and visitors. One such project is under way at Limekiln State Park.
You’re closer to discovering our remote Shady Dell forest, home of the candelabra-shaped redwoods. Construction of the 2.3-mile trail will begin on June 15, 2015! The trail will feature about 50 feet of boardwalk, 231 steps, 30 feet of bridge, six interpretive signs, benches and a parking area. Construction is tentatively scheduled for completion by summer 2016.
Your generous gifts enabled Save the Redwoods League to purchase Shady Dell and plan its restoration. Now we’re working to open its wonders to you. But first Shady Dell needs work. Logging in the 1800s, 1950s and 1980s damaged this landscape. Before logging, this land embraced giant redwoods, clear streams and diverse, native plants and animals, including now-imperiled salmon, northern spotted owls and birds called marbled murrelets. These animals depend on ancient forest habitat. Our vision is to help restore the forest features they need.
Your gifts have been essential in our process of purchasing and protecting from further development the Orick Mill Site, which includes 45 acres of pavement in the heart of ancient redwood habitat (pictured). You can help remove this pavement to return this site to the surrounding forest.
Thanks to your gifts, California State Parks reinstalled a seasonal bridge across the Eel River, restoring visitor access for the first time in three years to 61 stunning redwoods campsites at Standish-Hickey State Recreation Area (external link). The bridge also allows access to the giant Standish tree, miles of forest trails, a sparkling swimming hole and day-use parking. The bridge and campground are open, so go enjoy the magnificent redwoods at Standish-Hickey and know that you made a difference here. Thank you!
SAN FRANCISCO, CA (June 18, 2013)—Save the Redwoods League, the only nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting ancient redwood forests throughout their natural range, announced today that it has reached an agreement with the Mendocino Railway, owners and operators of the famous Skunk Train, to provide $300,000 to acquire an option for purchase of a conservation easement that will permanently protect the ancient redwoods along the train’s famous “Redwoods Route” including the Noyo River Watershed. View and download the full press release.
Since purchasing the 401-acre property Cape Vizcaino property in 2008, Save the Redwoods League has been helping this Mendocino County landscape recover from decades of logging and ranching.
Restoration efforts are underway at remote and wild Cape Vizcaino, a property in Mendocino County sheltering old-growth redwood forest, grasslands, chaparral and beautiful, rugged coastline. The forest here was formerly managed for logging and ranching. Now, guided by an ecologically-minded forest management plan, the League and our partners are poised to begin healing this land. Learn more about the restoration efforts at Cape Vizcaino.
Unless we take care of the land and waterways around Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, the amazing 2,000 year-old giants at Stout Grove and other parts of the park will suffer. The streams running through the Mill Creek property just south of the park should nurture Stout Grove and imperiled salmon, but they’ve been damaged by 100 years of logging. See how Save the Redwoods League and California State Parks are restoring Mill Creek’s waterways.
It can be a long, winding even stressful drive to Stout Grove in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park at the northernmost tip of California. But it only takes moments to be completely at peace here. Step into this cathedral-like stand, and you’ll gaze upon immense redwood columns rising to a canopy that filters the sunlight. A thick carpet of needles and ferns traps every sound, creating remarkable silence.
The good news is that the redwood forest in Jed Smith has been protected since 1929. The bad news is that unless we take care of the land and waterways around this park, Stout Grove and other parts of the park will suffer. The Mill Creek property just south of the park should protect the rivers and streams that nurture Stout Grove and keep it healthy.
We thinned and restored dense forest to reduce fire risk and prepared the Beaver Creek property for transfer to Calaveras Big Trees State Park. The League also installed fencing to mark the new park boundary. This property will buffer Calaveras’ amazing giant sequoias.
Cleanup of a remote property that Save the Redwoods League purchased has protected endangered California condors, thanks to our members.
Cleanup of a remote property that Save the Redwoods League purchased has protected endangered California condors, thanks to our members. A helicopter recently removed 24 loads of refuse, each weighing up to 4,000 pounds, from the property acquired in 2010 for addition to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.
A reserve harboring some of the world’s tallest trees is easier to find and enjoy, thanks to our members. In November 2010, Save the Redwoods League and California State Parks finished the first $340,000 phase of improvements at Montgomery Woods State Natural Reserve (pictured), including new signage, improved parking facilities, new accessible restrooms and picnic tables under the giant trees. The work resulted from an extensive environmental design and review process to make the reserve more accessible while reducing impacts to the trees, creek and the forest landscape.
All gifts matched up to $100,000 for ‘O Rew Redwoods Gateway!
