Redwood Genome Project
onThe Redwood Genome Project is a five-year effort that will sequence the coast redwood and giant sequoia genomes and develop tools to assess genetic diversity.
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Executive Order Threatens National Monuments
onWith the Trump administration passing its first 100-day mark, there came a whirlwind of commentary about how those first 100 days stacked up. Given that the 100-day measure coincided with Earth Day, the March for Science, Arbor Day, and the Climate March, much of the attention focused on the new administration’s stance on the environment. Last week, at the confluence of these events, the administration released an executive order, revealing a great deal about its perspective on the purpose and value of our public lands.
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Leaf to Landscape Project
onAfter the fourth consecutive year of severe drought in California, a team of scientists came together in the summer of 2015 to study the impacts of the historic drought on the world’s largest trees, the giant sequoias.
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Giant Sequoia Cones Provide an Unexpected Home for Lichen
onWolf lichen (bright green) and tube lichen (gray-green) on a sequoia cone I often think of lichen as slow movers. Although they may be the first organisms to colonize a new area, they need a stable substrate to grow on … Continued
Lower Genetic Diversity Puts Giants at Risk
onRecent League-funded research by Richard Dodd, an Environmental Science Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, confirms that northern groves (north of the Kings River drainage) have lower genetic diversity than central and southern groves. This could have profound consequences for long-term conservation strategies for the species, especially considering the changing global climate. Learn more about this research.
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The Power of Photography: Connection and Conservation
onFor almost a hundred years, Save the Redwoods League has been protecting and restoring redwood forests and enabling people to connect with their peace and beauty. Photographers and painters began connecting people to redwoods decades earlier, beginning with Carleton Watkins’ … Continued
Love in a Redwood Forest
onIt’s no surprise the redwoods inspire people in many different ways. The biodiversity of plants and animals inspires scientists, the towering red-hued trunks of the trees inspire artists, and the fallen logs and clear creeks inspire an adventurous spirit in … Continued
Charting the Course for California State Parks
onA report that will chart the course for the future of California State Parks (CSP) is closer to its final form. The Parks Forward Commission met in San Francisco last Wednesday to discuss the most recent draft of the Parks Forward … Continued
Top 5 Redwood Parks to Visit This Winter
on5. Calaveras Big Trees State Park As the story goes, in 1852 a hunter named Augustus T. Dowd wounded a grizzly bear and chased him into this forest, only to find trees that were three times bigger than any he’d … Continued
Editor’s Notes: The Family Guide to the Giant Sequoias
onFor almost a year now we’ve worked on developing and producing the first-ever family guide to the redwoods. Initially we were going to produce a single edition, but after the writing and editing were underway, we soon realized that we … Continued
Setting Fire to the Forest
onWe’ll do all the law’s allowin’/Tomorrow I’ll be right back plowin’/ settin’ the woods on fire —Hank Williams In a recent post, I discussed the role of natural disturbance in creating the forests we see today. This week, I’d like … Continued
Finding Patterns in the Redwoods: It’s Easy as 1, 1, 2, 3…
onNature’s patterns are everywhere. Sometimes they’re obvious – we mammals, for instance, almost always have five fingers and five toes on each hand and foot. Sometimes these patterns aren’t nearly so apparent, but they’re still there nonetheless. The Fibonacci sequence … Continued
Sequoias Suddenly Snowless
onI fastened on my snowshoes and set off for a wintertime hike among the giant sequoias. I quickly realized the snow in the forest was patchy at best and completely melted at worst, and it’s only March! It was shocking … Continued
You Have a Chance to Speak for the Trees
onThere’s a lot of buzz in the news today about the proposed restoration of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias in Yosemite National Park, including a front page article in the San Francisco Chronicle by Peter Fimrite.
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Grove Protected by Lincoln Offers Historical Perspective
onNext week will be my second visit in eight months to the Mariposa Grove of giant sequoias in Yosemite National Park. That makes me a lucky guy. My wife Joanne and I visited the Grove in May, while our traveling … Continued
Giant Sequoias Protected
onYou helped protect an important parcel of giant sequoia forestland that was recently transferred to the US Forest Service. Your support helped save this property from development, protecting a critical water source for wildlife and the forest, homes for animals and the amazing trees in the surrounding Giant Sequoia National Monument.
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25 Years of Controversy amid the Monarchs
onI just got back from a trip to see the cinnamon-colored giants of Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest in the southern Sierra. It was a real treat to explore a giant sequoia grove for the first time, especially when accompanied … Continued