Welcome to the Redwood National and State Parks!

Let’s take a look around!

The Redwood National and State Parks can be found in the north west of California. Encompassing the Redwood National Park, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park and Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park; these parks contain 45% of all remaining old growth Coast Redwoods.

Known as the tallest trees on the planet, redwoods are truly awe inspiring trees. Some of these trees have been around for thousands of years but due to excessive logging, most of the trees in the parks are a lot younger.

Although the parks are most famous for their trees but it also includes vast prairies, wild rivers, 39 miles of coastline and oak woodlands. Tourists can enjoy over 200 miles of trails through the forests and beaches.

5 cool facts

1. What’s the weather like up there?!

The tallest redwood tree in the Redwood National Park is called Hyperion and is 60 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty.

1. Trees with history

The first Redwoods were around during the dinosaurs with the oldest redwood being nearly 2,500 years old. It would have been a seedling during the Roman Empire!

1. Barking up the right tree!

The bark of the redwood can be up to 1 foot thick. This helps protect the trees against pests, fungal infections and fire.

4. Home to Native Americans

Native American groups continue to live within the boundaries of the park and have lived in the area for thousands of years

1. Tree heroes

Coast redwoods capture more carbon dioxide than any other tree on earth!

5 residents of the Redwood Parks

1. Elk-tastic!

The Roosevelt Elk is so named after President Roosevelt who helped protect them and their environment in the 1930s.

2. Fruity slugs!

This yellow beauty is a banana slug! Easy to see why! The slime coating on a slug is liquid crystal that has been synthesised to help in surgeries as biodegradable glue for suturing.

3. ROAR BARK BLEAT!

Steller sea lions live on the coast of the Redwood National Park. They are very vocal! Bulls roar, mothers bark and pups bleat. They are listed as “threatened” on the Endangered Species List partly as fishermen felt they were eating the fish stock and used to shoot them. Outreach and education has largely stopped this.

4. I’m not actually bald!

The bald eagle isn’t actually bald! They get their name due to the white feathers.

5. Not lion about these facts

The mountain lion is often called a cougar or a puma and they come from the same species. Male lions have a range of 100 square miles and will leave scrapes of dirt, urine and dung to mark their territory.

After hours of research I still can't make puns about trees.

You'd think everything I've Redwood help.

What issues face the Redwood Parks?

Logging

In the early 1850s, redwood harvesting began in earnest. Over 2 million acres of old-growth redwoods existed, with these trees having been around for thousands of years. Sadly the logging took less than 60 years to reduce the forest to hundreds of thousands of acres. Luckily replanting programmes have been successful but the trees are young in comparison to their elderly relatives!

Invasive species

There are a few different invasive species that have found their way into the Redwood National Park, these include poison hemlock and knapweed. Sometimes purposeful fires are created to manage the ecosystem. These remove the invasive species and clear dead trees, creating fertile soil for the healthy trees to thrive in.

Fire

Climate change is causing more intense fires as drought makes the fires more likely to rip through forests. The small trees and understory vegetation burns hot and fast and can kill even the most robust and resilient of the redwood trees.

Positive News

1. Restoration projects are underway in the parks which is reclaiming logged lands and rebuilding hillsides. Although it will take many years for the logging scars to disappear, the replanted seedlings are on track to grow as big as their relatives!
2. Recent fires in the National Parks have demonstrated the resilience of these monster trees. Although fires have ripped through, the redwoods have grown back stronger and continue to demonstrate their strength.
3. The Save the Redwoods League is doing incredible work to safeguard and look after the land. They have protected more than 200,000 acres of redwood forest and surrounding lands.

What can you do to help?

1. Why not sign up for the latest updates from the Save the Redwoods League? Keep on top of their ongoing project and initiatives
2. Talk about the redwoods to your family, they really are incredible!
3. Visit the redwoods and immerse yourself in the long trails and history of the forest.

Positive impacts with Earth Cubs

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