|
Where It's At
By far the largest living things on land, the Giant Redwood,
or Sequoia tree, is to the earth what the whale is
to the sea. California's unique coastal climate of fog and
rain helps these enormous trees grow to almost 400 feet, and
though they covered larger territories in the past, the last
Ice Age pushed the groves toward the sea where the temperate
climate limited the ice coverage.
Their outer bark is of a unique fibrous and tough texture
that give's these forests a unique earthy smell. They are
highly fire resistent and the seeds actually need fires to
pry them open and begin germination.
While most trees are around 200 feet tall, the tops of the
very tallest ones cannot even be seen from the ground; its
said that the largest trees need more that 15 people linked
arm in arm to circle the redwood's base. Some trees, through
ancient forest fires, have hollow bases that you can walk,
and even drive, through.
Man Vs Nature
Nothing could shelter these trees from the explosion in California's
modern population, from the Gold Rush to the current technology
boom, that demanded cheap timber and wood to construct the
hundreds of thousands of houses all over the Golden State.
Long prized for its anti-rot properties, Redwood is one of
the most expensive woods around and that has fueled the current
desire to log these trees remains. Today an intense environmental
debate has raged between traditional logging communities who
want to protect their way of life, and environmentalists who
want to save the unique species that call the redwood ecosystem
home. It's a battle where people have been killed and intimidated
and activitists have often chained themselves to trees or
even lived in one to promote their cause.
Visiting the Trees
While Muir Woods, just north of San Francisco, is a
good place to walk among these giants, there are pockets of
surviving trees up the California Coast to Oregon and beyond.
Camping is possible in places like Yosemite, Big Basin
(near Santa Cruz) and Big Sur, where you can spend
time among these towering trees.
|
