Sequoias and Snow Plants
onIf you have read my recent blog posts, you can see a plant identification-theme forming. I promise it won’t be forever but today I have one more to throw at you. This time I will take you to the giant …
From the latest project updates to first-person forest explorations, these stories celebrate conservation and community across the redwood range.
You’re Invited! Hendy Woods Celebration
onFor decades, Hendy Woods State Park has been a favorite destination among locals and visitors for camping, hiking and swimming among gigantic 1,000-year-old redwoods. With trails winding through not one but two ancient redwood groves and the Navarro River flowing by, …
Gordy Stephens: Decommissioning the Roads He Built
onYou can’t train people to do what Gordy Stephens does. Or rather, you can train them – provided you can spare more than 20 years for the teaching process and your trainees demonstrate an aptitude for heavy equipment that borders …
Top 3 Bay Area Redwood Parks You’ve Never Heard Of
onIt’s almost summertime, which means it’s time to get outside and see the redwoods! One of the best things about living in the Bay Area is easy access to redwood forests. But Muir Woods and other renowned protected spaces are …
Celebrate Reopening of Day-Use Area
onNew amenities help you enjoy Hendy Woods even more with friends, families Your New Gateway to Ancient Giants You and your friends and families are invited to enjoy the improvements your donations made possible at the Hendy Woods State Park …
Fog is Back
onThe fog is back. After thinking mostly of drought for the last few years, suddenly my focus is back to fog. It’s the ephemeral and unpredictable force of nature that I spent nearly a decade studying among the redwoods. The …
Breaking Ground to Extend Lost Coast Trail
onOn the windswept Northern California coast is one of the most rugged, remote and wild places in the state. Great expanses of forest meet wildflower-carpeted bluffs before plunging from rocky cliffs to long, deserted beaches. Here, you can find solitude …
The Jakovinas: Protecting Wonder for Tomorrow’s Children
onBob and Harriet Jakovina have devoted their lives to sharing their love of nature. Their wish is to make it possible for future generations to enjoy redwood forests and other beloved California landscapes. So they named Save the Redwoods League …
What’s That Flower?
onAfter taking a plant identification class a few weeks ago, I’ve become obsessed with identifying everything I see while hiking in the redwood forest. And although I have walked through many forests, I still see plants that are new to …
Louisa Morris: Shaping Visitors’ Experiences in Nature
onThe joy Louisa takes in stewardship shines through as she speaks about her work. She loves giving back to the Earth and restoring land damaged by human activity. As the leader of the California Coastal Trail Program for MLT, her …
Rosemary Cameron: A Proponent of People-Power for Parks
onRosemary Cameron has a deep affection for local, county and regional parks. She spent most of her career helping them thrive. Retired from the East Bay Regional Park District in 2010, Cameron is now on the Board of Directors of Save the …
United Nations at Muir Woods 70 Years Ago
onOn May 19, 1945, more than 500 United Nations delegates came from the first U.N. peace conference in San Francisco to gather at Muir Woods National Monument. At the time of this historic event, World War II was not yet over. …
Plants and Their Families
onWhen you’re out with your family, have you ever heard, “You look exactly like your father,” or “You have your mother’s nose!”? Just as human family members share physical characteristics in common, plants do as well. Plant family similarities might not …
David Weinberg: Capturing League History for the Ages
onFans of the redwood forest have various motivations for supporting Save the Redwoods League. Some want to protect a place of peace and beauty forever. Others pitch in to restore the forests that have been lost to decades of destruction. …
Origins of Grace Cathedral’s Redwood Altar
onGrace Cathedral stands on top of San Francisco’s iconic Nob Hill. A large redwood altar has been a prominent feature of the Cathedral since 1964, inspiring many to wonder about the altar’s origin and the history of its wood. Grace …
The Funny Thing About Trails…
onIt’s a funny thing about trails. For me, they carry a lot more significance than their linear simplicity would imply. Not just because I know firsthand what it takes to build them, but because through every phase of life and all …
Neal Youngblood: Restoring Landscapes One Road at a Time
onIf anything is lacking in Neal Youngblood’s life, it isn’t a professional challenge. As a geologist for Redwood National Park, Youngblood supervises logging road retirement. In terms of restoration of the region’s essential natural systems, there is no job that …
Smallest Kids, Tallest Trees
onA highlight of my job is visiting the many education programs that we support through our redwood education grants. This year we supported 24 parks, schools and non-profits so they could bring over 6,000 students to our beautiful redwood forests. …
Losing Ground: Are America’s Public Lands at Risk?
onAmerica’s public lands are a treasured shared value. Treasured, it would appear, by all but the U.S. Senate responsible for safeguarding them. Regardless of where we live in this country, of our social status, financial means, or political perspective, our …
Rick Sermon: Forest Restoration Starts in Heart, Nursery
onIt had always been Rick Sermon’s dream to bring the joy of a greenhouse and nursery to his workplace. Sermon saved that task for just before his retirement. Before that, he had one last thing to take care of as …