Walking amidst the California Redwoods

I don’t have time to wax poetically about how the redwoods are beautiful and majestic (they are both), or to elaborate on the history of the region, from the First Nations who lived within this rich ecosystem to the clear-cutting loggers who devastated it—or even the first-round conservationists who worked to protect what remains.

Wikipedia can help us though:

In 1850, old-growth redwood forest covered more than 2,000,000 acres (8,100 km2) of the California coast. The northern portion of that area, originally inhabited by Native Americans, attracted many lumbermen and others turned gold miners when a minor gold rush brought them to the region. Failing in efforts to strike it rich in gold, these men turned toward harvesting the giant trees[4] for booming development in San Francisco and other places on the West Coast. After many decades of unobstructed clear-cut logging, serious efforts toward conservation began. By the 1920s the work of the Save-the-Redwoods League, founded in 1918 to preserve remaining old-growth redwoods, resulted in the establishment of Prairie Creek, Del Norte Coast, and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Parks among others. Redwood National Park was created in 1968, by which time nearly 90% of the original redwood trees had been logged. The National Park Service (NPS) and the California Department of Parks and Recreation (CDPR) administratively combined Redwood National Park with the three abutting Redwood State Parks in 1994 for the purpose of cooperative forest management and stabilization of forests and watersheds as a single unit.[5]

I also don’t have the knowledge to describe the myriad species that live within this protected area (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), but that info is out there for our nerdiest friends to find.

We only spent a morning walking and driving through the forest, so I’m no expert. But what I can say is that it was great.

– Chris

Biggest clovers I’ve ever seen. No four-leafers though…

Some park workers were replacing the platform around Big Tree. I’m pretty sure the big fella was mad at them for torturing it’s brethren.

 


Comments

7 responses to “Walking amidst the California Redwoods”

  1. Amazing trees. Nature is a beautiful source.

  2. Hey there! I just discovered your blog through and just wanted to say how much I enjoy it! I am a California photographer living in San Francisco who runs her own photography blog/website and absoluetly love this post on our amazing redwoods! I have been to Muir Woods, which is a Bay Area redwoods monument, but your photos from your day are amazing! Ijust wanted to reach out and connect with your blog! It’s always fun seeing how others capture similar areas of this beautiful state!
    Cheers, Tiffany {http://www.sunshinedaydreamphotography.com/ }

    1. Thanks Tiffany. Glad you liked them. I wish we had more than an afternoon there. Next time…

  3. Erica Farrell Avatar
    Erica Farrell

    I have been to the Redwoods 3 times now, and every time I am awed. Just to stand there in silence and try to take it all in. it blows my mind…and makes me appreciate the natural beauty around us!

  4. I agree…Wow. Can you guys come to Ontario and teach me? 🙂

    1. Laura Beauchamp Avatar
      Laura Beauchamp

      Ha,ha,ha! Thanks for your support “Mom” and Steph!

  5. Wow..Wow..WOW….fantastic pictures. I’m sitting here by my self and that word kept coming out of my mouth (all by itself too!!!)

    Love you both…Mom

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