Sequoia National Park

Two climbers wearing hard hats shimmy up ropes along the trunk of a massive giant sequoia

First climb of General Sherman Tree reveals health status

by Kristina Malsberger on

The iconic giant sequoia, which stands in California’s Sequoia National Park, is the largest living tree on the planet and has withstood two millennia of storms, drought, and wildfires. But it has never had a proper check-up.

On May 21, researchers with the Ancient Forest Society used climbing ropes to ascend to General Sherman’s upper crown in the first-ever climb of the 275-foot-tall giant sequoia. Their mission: to visually inspect the ancient tree for signs of infestation by sequoia bark beetles—an emerging threat that has already killed as many as 40 mature giant sequoias since 2015.

A person stands between two huge giant sequoia trees.

Going solo in Sequoia National Park

by Christin Campbell on

From childhood, many of the stories we’re told about nature are cautionary tales. These bedtime stories frighten us with the horrors one may find if we dare venture into the woods alone. Especially for young girls and marginalized folks, these …

Two firegfighters stand on a ridge with fire and smoke

Backburning: fighting fire with fire

by Linnea Hardlund on

Fire crews use backburning to protect important values such as homes, giant sequoia groves, and infrastructure like the Sequoia National Parks headquarters during the KNP Complex fire.

Sequoia National Park. Photo by Anthony Ambrose

Startling Report Highlights Issue of Air Pollution Among National Parks

by Shelana deSilva on

According to a recent report from the National Parks Conservation Service, that last part of the equation is problematic at several national parks, including Sequoia, Kings Canyon and Yosemite National Parks. Startlingly, the report names Sequoia and Kings Canyon as among the parks with the worst air pollution in the country, meaning that the parks “had unhealthy air for most park visitors and rangers to breathe for more than two months of the year, mostly in the summer months.”

Latino Conservation Week 2017. Photo courtesy of Hispanic Access Foundation

A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity in the Sequoia

by Martin Martinez on

On July 15-16, 2017, Latino Conservation Week was in full swing and we had the privilege to participate in visiting this beautiful national park with a group of city youth, young adults and youth leaders ranging from different backgrounds and ages from Los Angeles.

Sequoias Suddenly Snowless

by Emily Burns on

I 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 …