Update on 2020 wildfire in the giant sequoia range
onSQF Complex Fire in the giant sequoia
Wildfire policy is forest policy is climate policy
onredwoods are an important part of climate change policy
Save the Redwoods League and Mendocino Land Trust Reopen the Peter Douglas Trail to the Shady Dell Candelabra Redwood Trees
onSave the Redwoods League and Mendocino Land Trust today announced the reopening of the Peter Douglas Trail through the Shady Dell candelabra redwood trees in Mendocino County. This reopening follows more than a year of restoration and repair efforts to Usal Road and the Peter Douglas Trail that were damaged in the 2019 Usal Fire.
Field Notes From a Sequoia Forest Fellow
onThe League’s giant sequoia forest fellow shares her story about how she came to work in giant sequoia conservation, and what needs to be done to protect the forest and restore its fire resilience.
Post-Fire Alder Creek Update
onFollowing the SQF Complex Fire, the fire impacts on the giant sequoia of the Alder Creek property appear to be beneficial.
Resilience of giant sequoia put to the test in the Sierra
onWe remain hopeful as SQF Complex Fire moves through Alder Creek “And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, in fact, whether the storm …
Donors rally to jumpstart recovery of beloved Big Basin Redwoods State Park
onNews that wildfire had destroyed most of the buildings and facilities at Big Basin Redwoods State Park created an outpouring of generosity over the past two weeks from donors looking to speed up the iconic park’s comeback.
Fire at Big Basin Redwoods State Park derails nature museum project
onFire destroyed the Big Basin Redwoods State Park Nature Museum. Work on the project was well underway in the original building when the CZU August Lightning Complex Fire came through the headquarters on Aug. 18, destroying everything.
Sequoia Complex Fire nearing giant sequoia grove
onFire nearing giant sequoia: We’re continuing to closely monitor the Sequoia Complex Fire in the Sequoia National Forest. As of right now, it appears the fire has started to move west, and is now about a mile away from the Freeman Creek giant sequoia grove.
Out of destruction, hope
onSince the League joined with Sempervirens Fund last week to create the Big Basin Recovery Fund, so many generous people have stepped forward to help. Pachama offered a $5,000 match to the Big Basin Recovery Fund to inspire others to take an active role in rebuilding this wondrous park and the forest around it. Together, we’ve raised more than $100,000 to fund the park’s immediate needs, as well as help lay the groundwork for its reconstruction.
Keeping an eye on fire burning near Sierra giant sequoia
onWith attention on the coast redwoods, we’re also keeping our eye on fire near giant sequoia. Unlike their coast redwood cousins, giant sequoia lack the ability to sprout after fire, so a severe wildfire can outright kill these ancient trees.
Interactive map allows you to track fire proximity to redwood forests
onOf more than a million acres burned, wildfires have burned approximately 72,000 acres of coast redwood forest during the August Lightning Siege of 2020. Roughly 9,000 acres of this has been in old-growth redwoods.
Cautious optimism for coast redwoods amid fires
onCoast redwoods are naturally adapted to resist fire damage. It’s going to be a while before it’s safe for us to visit these forests and assess the fire effects, and it will be longer still before we fully understand the short- and long-term impacts on the trees. In the meantime, we will maintain that cautious optimism, knowing that the ancient giants have survived for centuries and lived through many wildfires.
We’re remaining hopeful as fires move into redwood groves
onWe have learned that fire has swept into some of California’s coast redwood parks and forests in Sonoma and Santa Cruz Counties.
From California to Australia, we feel the pain of catastrophic wildfires
onIt is frightening to consider that Australia’s summer is just beginning, and that there is little hope for rain in the coming months across much of the continent.
Surprising Number of Giant Sequoia Killed in 2017 Pier Fire Prompting Study
onGiant sequoia are remarkably fire resistant, so it was unusual to find at least 50 monarch trees (sequoia greater than three feet in diameter) that were killed in the Black Mountain Grove.
Year’s Work Sets Forests on Path to Healing and Fire Resilience
onHealing historically logged and damaged redwood forests is a multifaceted process, involving deep research, meticulous planning, fundraising, and a great deal of hard, dirty work.
Good News/Bad News Following Fire at Shady Dell
onIf you’ve been following our social media over the last week or so, you’ve heard about the Usal Fire, which started July 27 and burned about 180 acres. About 150 acres of the fire took place on our Shady Dell property. The fire is now almost completely contained.
A Look Inside a Prescribed Fire
onSave the Redwoods just led a team of researchers and land stewards from all over California to learn about using prescribed fire (controlled burning) on private lands. Take a peek behind the scenes to see how we use fire as a tool to reduce hazardous buildups of combustible vegetation and improve the health of our forests across League properties and the redwood range.
New Grants Support Wildfire, Carbon Projects
onTwo new awards from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) are supporting League work to increase the carbon sequestration potential of redwood and giant sequoia ecosystems, while protecting them and surrounding communities from the threat of severe wildfires.