Nestled in the wooded hills along the Sonoma coast within the ancestral land of the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians, there’s a hidden wonder that has remained intact for thousands of years—730 acres of forest and meadows known as Harold Richardson Redwoods Reserve. The complex, mixed forest found here features large redwoods towering above younger, healthy trees and is rich with wildlife, including a fish-bearing tributary of Haupt Creek.
The reserve contains more than 300 redwoods standing over 250 feet tall. One such giant is over 1,640 years old and has a trunk the width of a two-lane road; it’s the oldest known coast redwood south of Mendocino County, and it’s the largest diameter coast redwood south of Humboldt County.
This magnificent place is protected forever thanks to the generous supporters of Save the Redwoods League.
Hike the reserve
Together with the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians, the League is developing a public access plan for the reserve. Design is underway for park amenities that will provide for inclusive, inspirational recreational opportunities consistent with the conservation values of the forest and honoring the living culture of the Kashia.
Check back in Spring 2026 for a new season of staff-guided tours and any additional access opportunities. Please contact Alanna at TheReserve@SaveTheRedwoods.org
Purchasing the reserve
The reserve exists today because generations of the Richardson family stewarded the ancient forest for nearly 100 years. When Harold Richardson passed away in 2016 at age 96, he left the special land to his heirs, who in turn worked with Save the Redwoods League to protect it for future generations.
Funding for the acquisition of the reserve came from the generous support of League members, matching challenge grants from an anonymous donor and The Mattson Family Conservation Foundation, and from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
The reserve was one of the flagship projects of Forever Forest: The Campaign for the Redwoods, a comprehensive campaign achieved by Save the Redwoods League in 2022 to garner support for the organization’s ambitious vision for the next century of redwoods conservation.
Science and stewardship
The League is engaged in exciting projects to monitor and ensure the health of redwood ecosystems within the reserve.
In the fall of 2024, the League—along with partners including members of the Kashia Tribe—conducted the first prescribed burn on the property. Cultural burns have been practiced by Indigenous tribes for thousands of years to promote healthy and productive habitats. Prescribed burns follow this model and are an important tool to prevent severe wildfires. Data collected before and after the burn is helping our science team understand and quantify impacts of the treatment work. Surveys will also be completed periodically over the years following the burn to identify potential fire following plant species and help us understand how the fire supports forest health overall.
In addition, regular surveys are ongoing for sensitive and endangered species that find habitat here, including the marbled murrelet and northern spotted owl.
Tags: current, Harold Richardson Redwoods Reserve, Land Project, sonoma coast, Sonoma County, Vibrant Forest Plan