So we made to redwoods last night. We got up early in the morning and headed into town with Jack to do a little exploring. We found a post office and some peaches. Then we headed back to the campground, packed up and left. We were off for Redwood National Park. The redwoods are known as the world's tallest living tree, and the living link to the Age of the Dinosaurs. The redwoods used to grow in places all over the world. They appeared on the coast of California and North America about 20 million years ago. Gradually global climate was changing and by 3 million years ago, the redwoods were disappearing. Today redwood forests only exists on a narrow strip of California coastline, extending 450 miles. The climate here is a safe haven for trees that need lots of water, and about the same temperature all year. They grow from seeds the size of tomato seeds yet they can weigh 500 tons and stand taller than the Statue of Liberty! Most reaching about 370 feet, and some may live up to 2,000 years! They average about 500 to 700 years. The park receives around 100 inches of rain per year. The forest gets most of it's rain during the winter months. The ranger we talked to said the park hasn't received rain since May! In summer the trees rely on the dense fog that forms over the ocean pretty much every day. The fog collects on trees and the moisture drops to the forest floor. The trees have roots that only grow about 10 to 13 feet deep but spread out about 60 to 80 feet. If a tree falls or gets badly burned a ring of new trees sprouts from burls around the trunk's base. These so called "family groups" are common to see. Saplings use the parent's root system. During the 1800s the redwoods covered roughly two million acres. The only people to really inhabit the northern California coast was the native Americans. They got around on the many elaborate foot trails, and hand dug redwood canoes through the rivers. Most of the trees ended up being cut down by loggers starting in the 1850s. The wood was over looked at first because of their height and weight. But that didn't last too long when they realized the trees awesome qualities. It is pretty much water, insect, and fungus resistant making it excellent for building homes. The people in the area and from other areas got very concerned at the rate these great trees were being cut down. After 1900 the logging, and some fires reduced the Redwood forests by 96%! They petitioned and campaigned nationally to save and protect the trees. Three California state parks resulted: Prairie Creek(1923), Del Norte (1925), and Jedediah Smith (1929). To preserve the trees' natural Coast Range setting and associated plants and animals, Redwood National Park was created in 1968 and expanded in 1978. Today only 4% of the ancient forest remain. The state and National parks joined together in 1994 to better manage the parklands cooperatively, and managing them in the same way. The park is recognized for being part of the California Coast Ranges Biosphere Reserve because of the parks many living things comingling together. From the coast of the ocean to the thick forest of trees the wildlife is very rich. On the coast there's lots of sea life, marine animals, and birds. In the forests there is Roosevelt Elk, black bears, coyotes, foxes, bobcats, and mountain lions. Also the many little critters that inhabit the forest from the ground to the canopy. In the rivers there are fish such as the salmon and steelhead. Then you can't forget the many wild plants and flowers. When you visit here you can see why this great place is worth protecting for future generations to come. (I got this info from the handouts from the park, and what we learned while visiting).
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