redwood ecology

A hand holds up a giant sequoia cone in the foreground with a sequoia tree in the background

What’s the difference: coast redwoods vs. giant sequoias?

by Michael Kauffmann on

If you’ve ever confused a coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) with a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), you’re in good company. Mixing up these two redwood species is easy: Both trees tower high above, with reddish bark, immense trunks, and a sense …

A big bright yellow banana slug is turned to look at a tiny slug next it.

All hail the banana slug, California’s new state symbol

by April Kilcrease on

Slimy, yellow, impossibly slow, and so very beloved. The banana slug, humble hero of the redwoods, is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Thanks to Assembly Bill 1850, the iconic mollusk has been officially crowned California’s state slug. More than …