Coastal Redwoods

"A society is defined not only by what it creates, but by what it refuses to destroy." 
~John Sawhill, former president/CEO of The Nature Conservancy



    California is the only place on earth where the environment is just right for coastal redwood trees to grow, and they have been growing there for 20 million years!  Dinosaurs walked among their ancestors 160 million years ago!
These majestic trees can grow well over 300 feet tall and may live for 2,000 years!  In the last 150 years, 95% of California’s old-growth redwood forests have been cut down.


                    

      The October 2009 issue of National Geographic, in the article “Redwoods: The Super Trees”, Joel K. Bourne, Jr. brings the story of the redwoods to life.  Explorer Mike Fay and his team trekked through the remaining coastal redwoods for 11 months, documenting the remaining forests and those directly affected by them.  The story of the redwoods is the story of mankind’s view of the natural world as being here strictly for our purposes and endless need for more and greed which knows no limits.  It is the story of development, progress, and profits.

                         

      But the story of the redwoods is also a story of hope and optimism for the future.  It is the story of over a century of tireless efforts by selfless individuals and organizations to preserve and protect the oldest living things on earth.  It is the story of ecology and interdependence, showing us how the remaining redwoods have so much to offer mankind without being cut down.  The story of the redwoods is an example of preservation and working together for a sustainable future. 

The History of the California Redwoods
    Native American Indian tribes lived among the redwood forests for thousands of years.  In the Orion Magazine Nov/Dec 2009 article “Playing for Keeps”, Derrick Jensen claims the position so many of us take is based on the belief that people are naturally destructive, giving us the excuse to remain apathetic.  Telling the story of the Tolowa Indians, who thrived in the Northwest among the redwoods for 12,500 years, it is clear that humans are capable of sustainable living. 
     “When the first settlers arrived here maybe 180 years ago, the place was a paradise.  Salmon ran in runs so thick you couldn’t see the bottoms of rivers, so thick people were afraid to put their boats in for fear they would capsize, so thick they would keep people awake at night with the slapping of their tails against the water, so thick you could hear the runs for miles before you could see them.  Whales were commonplace in the nearby ocean.  Forests were thick with frogs, newts, salamanders, birds, elk, bears.  And of course huge ancient redwood trees.” 
    
The difference is the attitudes we have now about the places we live.  The indigenous peoples had a relationship with their surroundings that was based on a “living universe”, rather than an environment to be manipulated.  They treated their homeland with respect, so that their ancestors could thrive in the same place for generations to come.  The Tolowa believed in listening to nature and maybe we should too, for the sake of generations to come.


   In the mid-1800s, as American settlers traveled further west in search of gold, they encountered California’s giant redwood trees.  The wood became sought after because it is resistant to bugs and decay and it is highly resistant to fire.  Businessmen quickly began setting up lumber mills and harvesting as much as possible.  However, the steady stream of settlers, homes, and towns showed an insatiable appetite for the redwood and by the turn of the century, organizations such as the Save-the-Redwoods League, were forming to fight for the preservation of these old-growth forests.  In the 1920’s the group helped to form three state parks in California.  Redwood National Park was created in 1968 and today the four parks together protect 45% of the remaining old-growth forests.

           
Clearcutting and the Erosion caused downstream

      From the 1950’s to the 70’s, clear-cutting of redwoods wreaked havoc on the waters and species such as coho salmon were left on the brink of extinction.  Huge companies, like Pacific Lumber, disregarded sustainable forestry in the name of greed.  Owner, Charles Hurwitz had his own version of the Golden Rule and was quoted saying, “He who has the gold, rules.”  

                   

For decades environmentalists used dangerous tactics to put themselves literally between themselves and the trees, camping in the giant trees for days, weeks, even months to save them from chainsaws.  In 1990 massive protests were organized in what was called “Redwood Summer” led by the group Earthfirst!.  Tragically, the group’s leader, Judy Bari, had her pelvis shattered by a pipe bomb placed in her car.  Earthfirst! member, Darryl Cherney, was also injured by the bomb.  No one was ever charged, although many suspect the logging industry played a part.  Now that we’ve briefly covered the history of the redwoods, let’s look at how these forests are being used and protected today.




The Current State of the Redwoods
 Today research is under way to better understand the ecosystem of the redwood forests.  They are homes for several threatened or endangered species including two kinds of salmon, the northern spotted owl, brown pelican, and Steller’s sea lion.  The forests are vital for erosion control and help to keep waters clean.  Scientists continue to learn more about the diverse ecosystem of the old-growth trees.  A miniature forest in itself was just discovered in the 90’s high up in the canopies of the redwoods.  Several feet of soil along the branches created an ecosystem of other trees, plants and canopy-dwelling animals hundreds of feet above the ground.



     After a century of battles between conservationists and industry, Mike Fay wanted to find out if there was a way to make both sides happy.  Could they produce timber in a sustainable way?  He met with several people in the logging industry, including Mike Jani, the president of Mendocino Redwood Company.  Jani assured him that there would be no clear-cutting of their forests and they also wanted to protect old-growth trees.  Of course, not all companies produce lumber sustainably.  Green Diamond, a large industrial landowner, regularly clearcuts forests.  They cut down as many trees as California law will allow them to.  They have adopted better ways of doing so, however, such as the use of lighter machines and buffer zones around streams to protect wildlife habitat.  As the logging industry integrates sustainable forestry practices into its business model, the redwood trees are also being seen as valuable for other reasons.



According to Peter Henderson of Reuters International News, in his August article “Carbon Traders Bet on California Redwoods”, deforestation contributes significantly to global warming by releasing trapped carbon dioxide into the air and removing the trees designed to capture more of it.  Forest preservation is an important issue for international talks on climate change this December.  Scientists have studied how redwoods have the capability to store massive amounts of carbon, more per acre than any other trees in the world!  In 2012, California will begin a regulated market for carbon emissions pollution and a federal law may soon follow.  Forest owners can receive monetary compensation to preserve trees that soak up the emissions that contribute to global warming.  This economic incentive to curb global warming may be a win-win situation for both industry and the redwoods.



  Understanding the story of the redwoods is important for all Americans.  We can learn from its history and be aware of the role it plays in creating a sustainable future.  After decades and generations of development and dominance over the natural world, many people find themselves longing for a return to nature, to peace, to balance.  The Redwood Parks in California are a place to find it.  They are a reminder of what we almost lost in the name of development.  But they are also a symbol of what we refuse to destroy!




National Geographic: Redwoods

Save The Redwoods League

Redwood National Park

California State Parks

Sources:

Bourne Jr., Joel K. "Redwoods: The Super Trees." National Geographic. October 2009: 28-59.

Jensen, Derrick. "Playing For Keeps." Orion Magazine Nov/Dec. 2009.

Henderson, Peter. "Carbon Traders Bet on California Redwoods." Reuters International News. August 2009.

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