One of California’s trademark sights are redwood trees. These spectacular trees are primarily found along the Northern California coast. Redwoods are some of the tallest and oldest trees on earth. With some standing taller than a 32-story building, these trees are a breathtaking sight to behold, and become even more wondrous when you realize how old some of them are.
Due to how long it takes for them to grow, redwood forests are in danger. Forests of redwoods cannot recover as quickly as damage may be done to them. This is why many of these forests within California are protected. Soon enough, a new region of redwood forests will be opened to the public as a protected park for the trees.
You may be asking yourself: If it takes so long for these trees to grow, how is there going to be a new forest? Well, a man by the name of Harold Richardson owned a large swath of land in Sonoma County, about three hours north of San Francisco, which was covered by a giant redwood forest. He spent his life protecting the land, and the trees that lived there.
Sadly, in Richardson passed away in 2016. When he did, he bequeathed the land to the Save the Redwoods League. Since then, the League has been studying the 730 acres of forested land, and the wildlife that calls it home. The researchers relate this impressive forest to finding an ancient civilization of redwoods.
The Save the Redwoods League has successfully achieved a permanent protection status for the lands this year. This means that California has a new protected reserve of ancient redwoods, and that these trees will be safe for a very long time. The league plans on opening the Harold Richardson Redwoods Reserve to the public in the near future with plenty of hiking trails to ensure that everyone can share in the beauty of these magnificent trees that call our state home.