redwood forest

What inspires you to be a redwoods champion? Photo by Julie Martin.

Why Join Save the Redwoods League?

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“I spent ten days hiking and camping in several coast redwood forests…I was overwhelmed by the foresight and generosity of Rockefeller, Kent, and the League’s founders. Inspiring.” – Donald Cooley “I’m 100 years old. I’ve never seen the redwoods. When …

A Pacific sideband found at Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park

Snails Play Cupid with “Love Darts”

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There are certain animals in the redwood forest that easily call attention to themselves. The banana slug is bright yellow, the Pacific giant salamander barks, the spotted owl hoots, and the yellow-spotted centipede has distinctive yellow spots on the sides …

Loma Mar Propety. Photo by Paolo Vescia

How Not to Get Lost in the Forest

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Spring and summer are popular times to visit the redwood forest. Are you prepared to find your way around? I thought I was, but I got lost. It was one of the few times I’ve been lost in my decades …

Calypso orchid. Photo by Justin Rohde, Flickr Creative Commons

Happy Mother’s Day!

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As a mom myself, I love the idea of having a special Mother’s Day tradition that I can do with my family for years to come. And, even better than those lovely Mother’s Day bouquets are the blossoms you find among the redwoods, and spring is the perfect time to see them.

Santa Mountains Old-Growth. Photo by Paolo Vescia

Conservation Success in the Santa Cruz Mountains

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Today, I’m pleased to announce another redwoods conservation success in the Santa Cruz Mountains! Save the Redwoods League and our Living Landscape Initiative (LLI) partner, Sempervirens Fund, have protected an old-growth gem with tremendous potential for public access. The Van …

With Global Forest Watch, you can check out the state of forests all over the world -- including the redwoods!

Conservation Meets Technology in Global Forest Watch

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Here at the League, we keep a close eye on the redwood forests. We monitor changes in ownership, regulations, practices, natural disturbances and more to understand the state of the redwoods. But, how can we tell how forests worldwide are …

Strong partnerships between the League, CSP and others will help our beloved parks thrive.

Charting the Course for California State Parks

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A 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 …

The canopy in Boulder Creek Forest provides nesting places for the marbled murrelet, an imperiled seabird. by Paolo Vescia

Harvesting Timber for Forest Protection

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There is a sad paradox to much of my work as a forester. I became a forester because I love the forest, yet much of my work requires me to kill trees. No matter what the larger goal is for …

(HSU) interns, Shawna and Jake, conducting weekly plant monitoring.

Looking for the Forest in Bloom

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While many people were searching for brightly colored eggs this past Sunday, I spent my Easter hiking in the forest looking for trillium and rhododendron flowers. As I walked along the Lady Bird Johnson Trail in Redwood National Park, I …

Here at the League, we love learning about the forest! Photo of RCCI researcher collecting data, by Steve Sillett.

Top 5 Fascinating Redwoods Facts

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It’s National Environmental Education Week! This week is a celebration of environmental education and a special time to inspire learning and stewardship among students. I can’t say enough about how important outdoor education is to complete the circle of land …

Small salamanders are having a big impact. Photo by Anthony Ambrose

Salamanders in the News

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It’s not often that salamanders make the New York Times.  But last week, the ‘Science’ section featured an article on a study investigating the role of salamanders in the global carbon cycle. Basically, salamanders are among the top predators in …

Reconnecting families and future generations to nature is a critical priority. Photo by Paolo Vescia.

Kids in the Redwoods, Part 2

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Last week, I wrote about the value of bringing kids to the redwoods.  A family trip to the redwoods can be such an incredible gift to children, creating lifelong memories and a connection with nature that can improve life in …

Deborah Zierten worked with junior high students from San Francisco to document species at Muir Woods during BioBlitz. Photo credit: Tonatiuh Trejo-Cantwell

BioBlitzing with students!

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On March 28th, over 4,000 visitors and volunteer scientists arrived at Muir Woods National Monument ready to learn, discover, and explore this absolutely amazing redwood forest. Thousands more visited the Crissy Field Center for the Biodiversity Festival. Whether or not …

Will wandering salamanders be among the creatures found in the canopy during the BioBlitz? Photo by Dan Portik

BioBlitz at Muir Woods: What Will We Find in the Canopy?

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The Muir Woods BioBlitz is just a couple weeks away, and folks around here are getting excited.  One of the hot topics of conversation around the Save the Redwoods League office is which species the scientists will find living in …

Marin high school students use their cell phones to participate in Redwood Watch, our citizen science program.

Using Cell Phones for Science

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These days, I think it’s a pretty safe bet that many people spend more time on their cell phones — checking email, posting to Facebook, playing games— than they do out in nature. This trend seems especially prevalent among our …

Bringing back clear, healthy waterways is one of the more challenging parts of restoration. Photo by Peter L. Buranzon.

Growing Back Big Trees? That’s the Easy Part (Well, Kind Of)!

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Compared to fifty or sixty years ago, logging practices in redwood country today are dramatically different and much kinder to the environment. Gone — thankfully — are the days when heavy equipment punched primitive roads into the forest, dragged heavy …

Couple hiking in a redwood forest

Your Romantic Redwoods Getaways

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Around Valentine’s Day, our thoughts turn to redwoods and romance. I’ve been to places where you can spend a magical weekend with your love among the redwoods. Here are three picks that span the range of the coast redwoods, from …

Bringing Back the Big Trees

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A recent discovery has been making headlines around the world: Trees don’t grow more slowly as they get older as was previously assumed. Rather, the older the tree, the faster it bulks up! This rapid growth in old age is …

The PORTS program connects students to their state parks through videos and interviews with a park ranger. Photo courtesy of California State Parks.

Visit a Redwood Forest… from Your Classroom!

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When students learn about a threatened plant, animal or environmental community, their desire to help often kicks in. They contribute to the cause by writing letters, raising money, and educating others about the issue. Once raised, their awareness can last …

Left, Cape Vizcaino in 1947, with meadows clearly visible. Right, the present view, with trees encroaching heavily.

Burning Cape Vizcaino

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The view from the picnic table was grand to be sure, the blue infinities of sea and sky meeting where the distant fog gathered offshore (and coastal fog, when you think about it, really is the perfect blend of the …