Wildfire action plan unveiled in response to record-breaking fire season
onstate unveils new fire action plan
On the Front Lines of Redwood Forest Restoration
onA recent partnership was announced between the State of California and the U.S. Forest Service, which will work together on state and federal forests and rangelands to reduce wildfire risks, restore watersheds, protect habitat and biological diversity, and help the state meet its climate objectives.
Our Redwoods Rising Apprentices Had a World-Expanding Summer—and So Did I
onAs the manager of the Redwoods Rising Apprenticeship program, I don’t get out in the field very often, but I get to see growth in the apprentices in snapshots. It’s remarkable to me how a short 11 weeks can contribute to a young person’s life. I’m so grateful that I can help to provide an invaluable experience to people only just beginning their careers.
Spectacular View of Big River-Mendocino Old-Growth Redwoods Project
onAnthony Castaños, the League’s land stewardship manager, recently captured this drone footage above our ongoing restoration at the Big River-Mendocino Old-Growth Redwoods project.
Notes from the North: Restoration in Action
onThis 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.
A Bright Future for Redwoods
onWe 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.
Leonel Arguello Seeks Restoration of Redwood Ecosystems in RNSP
onArguello has worked at Redwood National and State Parks ever since, and he is now Joint Chief of Resource Management and Science, often collaborating with partners such as the League to implement restoration projects. Today, his foremost task as chief is much the same as when he was hired as a student so many years ago: help restore the park’s world-renowned redwood ecosystems.
Restoring the Forest to Benefit Wildlife, People, Climate
onProtecting 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.
Drone’s-Eye View of the Orick Mill Site
onWhen 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.
Westfall Ranch
onThanks to our donors’ generous gifts, Save the Redwoods League has forever protected the scenic 77-acre Westfall Ranch and buffered the famous Headwaters Forest Reserve just south of Eureka, California.
Shady Dell
onFor 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.
Steve Prokop: Guardian of a Park that Belongs to the World
onBefore his appointment in 2013 as Superintendent of Redwood National Park, Steve Prokop supervised Kalaupapa National Historical Park in Hawaii. Most people would consider the two parks greatly dissimilar. Kalaupapa, located on the island of Molokai, is tropical. Its essential …
Justin Faggioli: Developing Strategies for a Leafy Future
onAfter college earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Earth sciences at Stanford University, Justin Faggioli spent three years working as a geologist, primarily on projects in Alaska. His job took him to some of the most remote areas of the state, most of the time in a helicopter. In addition to the geologic work, Justin was able to enjoy the beautiful flora, amazing fauna and spectacular scenery.
Work Showcases Limekiln, a Big Sur Treasure
onBuilding 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.
Revitalizing Mariposa Grove with Rx Fire
onAt Yosemite National Park this week, you may see smoke curling up from Mariposa Grove, the spectacular giant sequoia forest that catalyzed the conservation movement 150 years ago. This smoke is part of a planned prescribed burn in the forest to lower fuel loads that have accumulated over many decades of fire suppression.
John Montague: Finder of the Tallest Trees and a Dedicated Supporter
onWhen redwoods enthusiast John Montague first volunteered at Save the Redwoods League, he began by assisting with chores at the office. He’s so dedicated to the forest that soon after he volunteered out in the field, mapping, taking measurements, and identifying notable trees under the League’s direction.
Blake Williams: Love for Forest Stems from Father’s Work
onBlake Williams inherited his love of the forest from his father, a research entomologist and forester and the first African American in the United States to earn the trifecta of a BA, Masters, and PhD in that research area. “Growing up in Berkeley with that family background, I’ve always been interested in natural resources and forests,” said Williams.
Peter Comanor: An Investment to Protect ‘A Beautiful Earth’
onFor botanist and plant ecologist Peter Comanor, the redwood forest is about receiving and giving. He first saw a redwood tree in an exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History in New York. It was, he recalled, an interesting and informative display, but it didn’t prepare him for his first visit to the redwood forest.
Oracle Employees Take to the Forest
onSince about 92% of the redwood forest is second and third growth, restoration will be a key strategy. Restoring young forest so that it can become old growth once again is essential for the future of conservation. Restoration at San Vicente Redwoods started recently with a volunteer day. Twelve volunteers from the Oracle Corporation spent the morning pulling invasive weeds amongst the redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Tim Bean: Measuring Ecosystems’ Health through Rodents
onResearcher Tim Bean holds a vial of white-footed vole scat. Dogs sniff the scat to help him detect the elusive rodent’s presence in the redwood forest.