redwood research

Albino redwood chimera. Photo by Tom Stapleton

Pondering the Existence of the Mysterious Albino Redwoods

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Tom Stapleton’s research on albino redwoods started with searching for these rare trees in the wild and has led to the patent of three albino redwood varieties, named “Mosaic Delight”, “Grand Mosaic,” and “Early Snow,” which are albino redwood chimeras. Stapleton hopes to shed more light on understanding why these mutations exist.

Coast Redwood Science Symposium 2016. Photo of Redwood National Park by Michael Schweppe, Wikimedia Commons

Semi-Decadal Scientific Symposium Focuses on Iconic Coast Redwood Forest

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Coast Redwood Science Symposium 2016, hosted by the University of California. The three-day symposium will include general session speakers, concurrent presentations, poster presentations, a reception, and field trip opportunities to view current issues in redwood forest management on California’s North Coast.

The study found that although trees within 5 meters of each other (like these here) were more likely to be clones than trees farther away, they weren’t always. Photo by Jason Hollinger, Flickr Creative Commons

Some Coast Redwoods May Seem to Be Clones, but They’re Not

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If you’ve visited a coast redwood forest, you’ve probably seen these trees growing around the stump of a logged giant. These “fairy rings,” as they’re known informally, show how the coast redwood reproduces asexually by sending new sprouts up from the trunk base of a parent redwood. The mystery was whether these sprouts are genetically identical copies of the parent redwood. Because 95 percent of the current coast redwood range is younger forests, understanding the genetics of the coast redwood is critical for conservation and restoration.

Reese Næsborg and Cameron Williams of UC Berkeley climbing an old-growth Douglas fir. Photo by Tonatiuh Trejo-Cantwell

New York Times Spotlights New League Research

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Redwoods are in the news this week, reminding the world once again that Earth’s tallest trees are truly ecosystems in their own right. Teeming with life from quite literally their roots to their highest leaves, the magnificent coast redwoods are home to hundreds of other species.

New Study Provides Coast Redwood Climate Forecast

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Understanding how climate change impacts the world’s tallest forest is like assembling an incredibly large jigsaw puzzle; the full picture emerges slowly, one piece at time. But occasionally, a critical piece falls into place…

If Redwoods had Elephants…

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Recently, I had the honor of discussing research and forestry with guests from the Government of India and Michigan State University at Big Basin Redwoods State Park. This gathering was part of the US-India REDD+ Policy Exchange Tour and sponsored …

Coastal Trail, Skunk Cabbage Section, Redwood National Park, CA

Learn What You Know and Don’t Know

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As surprising as it may seem, the shaded areas on park maps indicating different kinds of habitat and vegetation do not always reflect the reality “on the ground.” This is true for Redwood National and State Parks, which contains a …

Students set up fern plots and learn scientific field techniques as part of Pepperwood Preserve's TeenNat program.

Conservation Scientists in the Making

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As an environmental educator, there is nothing better than seeing young people making observations and asking questions out in nature. Questions like, “Why do you think that bay tree and redwood are growing so close together?”, “Why are the tanoaks …

Redwood Creek flows through Redwood National and State Parks before reaching the ocean.

Redwood Creek Safe from Prolific Invasive Snail, For Now

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Good news is not always easy to come by in regards to the redwood forest. Whether it is the threat of development, water diversion or unsustainable logging, bad tidings are all around us. Even though they’re not always obvious, there …

(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 …

View of the coast redwood canopy. Photo by Stephen Sillett

BioBlitz is Here!

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The time we have been preparing for during the past few months, BioBlitz 2014, is finally here! For the next two days you will find us at Muir Woods National Monument and the Crissy Field Center as we explore, learn, …

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 …

Redwood Canopy – A Research Frontier

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Humans have walked through the redwood forest for millennia, but we first journeyed into the redwood canopy mere decades ago. Recent advances in climbing technology now enable canopy researchers to safely access the highest reaches of the redwood tree tops …

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 …

Enjoy summer’s sun-dappled trails, like this one in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve. Photo by Julie Martin

Parks, Planet, Pavement: Redwood Highlights of 2013

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While many year-end lists will highlight the accomplishments of 2013, for Save the Redwoods League, the year is best reflected with three major highlights. Together these stories speak of the focus and commitment of the League and its partners, the unique …

Students measure fern fronds through a Save the Redwoods League education program at Redwood Regional Park. Photo ©Save the Redwoods League.

Our Redwood Classrooms

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Bay Area residents got a sneak peek into the hopes and dreams of the Department of the Interior last week when Secretary Sally Jewell came to Crissy Field (external link) to announce the department’s new campaign to connect the next …

Deliberate burning as a restoration tool. Images by Leonel Arguello, National Park Service

Burning as a Restoration Tool

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Last week, the sky around the Bald Hills area of Redwood National Park was hazy beyond the normal shroud of fog.  Smoke filled the air.  The forest was burning.  Water trucks stood at the ready, fire crews and park staff …