Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Celebrating #Earth Day with a Walk through the Redwoods
Today is Earth Day and we celebrated early by walking under the shadow of the giants a few days ago.
We just returned from a road trip to California, which included a stay in beautiful Napa Valley, America’s wine capital – more on that later. We came back on the Redwoods Highway – wouldn’t you? – so it seems only fitting to share these pictures for this week’s Sunday Stills Challenge. (Coincidentally, for those who notice such things, I shared the same trees from a similar trip last year! What can I say?)
Magnificent as always, these ancient trees reach for the sky!
Perhaps our favorite stop was at Founders Grove, dedicated to the founders of the Save-the Redwoods League. According to the brochure, “In 1917, several prominent men traveled to Humboldt and Del Norte counties to view these magnificent redwood groves. When they found these trees were not protected, they formed the Save-the Redwoods League, to preserve representative areas of primeval forests. by 1921, the first grove was purchased by the League in what is now Humbolt Redwoods State Park. Since then, the League has contributed over 57 million dollars to protect 170,000 acres of redwood land in the 35 California State Parks, Redwood National Park and Sequoia National Park. “
Founders Tree recognizes those early visionaries. At 346 feet high, with a circumference of 40 feet, it was once considered to be the world’s tallest tree, when discovered in the 1930’s.
Redwoods can live to 2,000 years old and average 500 – 700 years old. They have no known diseases and can continue to live even after sustaining significant fire damage, due to their thick fire-resistant bark.
When they do fall, usually due to wind, they supply an abundance of organic matter and water that other plants and trees depend on. The Dyerville Giant once stood 362 ft. tall with a circumference of 40 feet, for more than 1600 years.
The fallen become nurse logs to supply nutrients to grow new trees and plants, often the first to grow is Redwood Sorrel, which looks like clover.
“Redwoods once grew throughout the Northern Hemisphere. The first redwood fossils date back more than 200 million years to the Jurassic period. Before commercial logging and clearing began in the 1850s, coast redwoods naturally occurred in an estimated 2 million acres (the size of three Rhode Islands) along California’s coast from south of Big Sur to just over the Oregon border. When gold was discovered in 1849, hundreds of thousands of people came to California, and redwoods were logged extensively to satisfy the explosive demand for lumber and resources. Today, only 5 percent of the original old-growth coast redwood forest remains, along a 450-mile coastal strip.” Save the Redwoods League
It would have been amazing to see before logging occurred, when over two million acres still covered the area, but I’m grateful for conservation efforts that saved at least some of these ancient groves.
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 
The most majestic of trees, I’m always awed in their presence.
Me too. I never get tired of walking in the Redwood forests!
You are fortunate to live close to them. I have to travel 3000 miles!
Yes! We can be there in a day and a half, so it makes a perfect road trip!
Beautiful photos. Happy Earth Day!
Thank you!
I suddenly feel very, very small… and quite young! Fabulous photos xx
A terrific outcome! Thank you ☺️
Beautiful…
Truly .. thank you ☺️
Thanks for allowing this elderly Ohioan to come along !
Thanks for joining me! 🙂
Astonishing views of these incredible giants, Susanne! Your NorCal trip looks amazing so far. We might drive back through California for a change this fall when we visit AZ again. I really want to see this. Happy Earth Day!
Thanks, Terri! It’s hard to take bad pictures of these ancient beauties! No matter how many times we pass through, I still am wowed and in awe.
You were in my neck of the woods (no pun intended). My wife and I live in Humboldt.
We love that section of the Redwoods and the Avenue of the Giants!
A perfect choice for Earth Day. It’s been a while since I went through there, but they are the most majestic of trees.
Thanks, Graham. I never get tired of seeing those giants. And they exemplify the importance of preservation.
Having experienced these trees myself last year, including at Founders Grove, I can definitely understand why you find them so appropriate for celebrating Earth Day 🙂 They are a perfect reminder of the importance of conserving our planet’s wonders and diversity!
Yes, indeed. What a loss it would have been if all of these ancient giants had been logged! At least some were saved for us to enjoy!
Wonderful trees to celebrate Earth Day. You all have to get together to stop Trump cutting them all down!
Best wishes, Pete.
Seriously! I am so worried about our National Parks!! 😦 Fortunately, most of the Coast Redwoods are protected in California’s state parks and they would fight for sure!
Incredible!
Thank you! I love the Redwoods!
Great photos. Magical
Thanks so much. 🙂
Looks so peaceful 🌞
Yes. Thank you. 🙂