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dkkhorsheed@diasp.org
Donna

#Redwoods #Sequoia_Sempervirens #Ancient #Trees #Big_Basin_State_Park #Historical #Landmark #Coastal #Forest #SantaCruz #County #Fires #Survival #Nature #Beautiful #Northern #California #August252020

ANCIENT REDWOODS SURVIVE WILDFIRE AT CALIFORNIA'S OLDEST STATE PARK

By Martha Mendoza
Published: Tuesday, 25 August 2020
Wildfires | Associated Press

BOULDER CREEK, Calif. - When a massive wildfire swept through California’s oldest state park last week it was feared many trees in a grove of old-growth redwoods, some of them 2,000 years old and among the tallest living things on Earth, may finally have succumbed.

But an Associated Press reporter and photographer hiked the renowned Redwood Trail at Big Basin Redwoods State Park on Monday and confirmed most of the ancient redwoods had withstood the blaze. Among the survivors is one dubbed 'Mother of the Forest'.

“That is such good news, I can’t tell you how much that gives me peace of mind,” said Laura McLendon, conservation director for the Sempervirens Fund, an environmental group dedicated to the protection of redwoods and their habitats.

Redwood forests are meant to burn, she said, so reports earlier this week that the state park was “gone” were misleading.

The historic park headquarters is gone, as are many small buildings and campground infrastructure that went up in flames as fire swept through the park about 45 miles south of San Francisco.

“But the forest is not gone,” McLendon said. “It will regrow. Every old-growth redwood I’ve ever seen, in Big Basin and other parks, has fire scars on them. They’ve been through multiple fires, possibly worse than this.”

When forest fires, windstorms and lightning hit redwood trees, those that don’t topple can resprout. Mother of the Forest, for example, used to be 329 feet tall, the tallest tree in the park. After the top broke off in a storm, a new trunk sprouted where the old growth had been.

Trees that fall feed the forest floor, and become nurse trees from which new redwoods grow. Forest critters, from banana slugs to insects, thrive under logs.

On Monday, Steller’s jays searched for insects around the park’s partially burned outdoor amphitheater and woodpeckers could be heard hammering on trees. Occasionally a thundering crash echoed through the valley as large branches or burning trees fell.

When Big Basin opened in 1902 it marked the genesis of redwood conservation. The park now receives about 250,000 visitors a year from around the world, and millions have walked the Redwood Trail.

The park only recently reopened after COVID-19 related closures and now is closed because of the fire. The road in is blocked by several large trees that fell across it, some waist-high, some still on fire.

While there is a great deal of work to be done rebuilding campgrounds, clearing trails and managing damaged madrones, oaks and firs, Big Basin will recover, McLendon said.

“The forest, in some ways, is resetting,” she said.

State Parks District Superintendent Chris Spohrer said he was pleased to know the redwoods had survived. He said an assessment team had only been able to check buildings so far, and that he hopes they can inspect the trees in the coming days.

“The reason those trees are so old is because they are really resilient,” he said.

LONG LIVE THE CALIFORNIA REDWOOD! 💗

Photo: Smoke hangs low in the air at Big Basin Redwoods State Park on Saturday - 22 August 2020
Photography by Kent Nishimura
(Los Angeles Times)

dkkhorsheed@diasp.org
Donna

#Redwoods #Sequoia_Sempervirens #Ancient #Trees #Big_Basin_State_Park #Historical #Landmark #Coastal #Forest #SantaCruz #County #Fires #Survival #Nature #Beautiful #Northern #California #August242020

California fires: Burned redwoods at Big Basin, other parks will recover soon, experts say

Studies after other fires in redwood forests found trees turned green in months

Monday, 24 August 2020

The historic fire that roared through the ancient redwoods of Big Basin Redwoods State Park in Santa Cruz County, blackening all 18,000 acres of California’s oldest state park and destroying its historic buildings, has drawn international attention and prompted an outpouring of grief and concern.

But fire scientists who have carefully studied other coastal redwood forests after wildfires have surprisingly good news: Don’t worry. Even though they look terrible now, most of the trees will recover.

Not in 100 years. But much sooner. Amazingly, most of the giant, scorched black trees will begin sprouting green leaves again by this winter, they say, when rains begin. Coast redwoods, the tallest trees on Earth, have the Latin name Sequoia Sempervirens, which means “ever-living Sequoia.” Their breathtaking ability to stand tall in the face of floods, fires and other calamities is how they live to be up to 2,000 years old.

Big Basin is California's oldest State Park, established in 1902, earning its designation as a California Historical Landmark. Its original 3,800 acres (15 km2) have been increased over the years to over 18,000 acres (73 km2). It is part of the Northern California coastal forests ecoregion and is home to the largest continuous stand of ancient coast redwoods south of San Francisco. It contains 10,800 acres (44 km2) of old-growth forest, as well as recovering redwood forest, with mixed conifer, oaks, chaparral and riparian habitats.

LONG LIVE THE CALIFORNIA REDWOOD! 💗

https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/08/24/california-fires-burned-redwoods-at-big-basin-other-parks-will-recover-soon-experts-say/?fbclid=IwAR0BgsHcqyctJOWRT99FY-pDRH7oxRxrQLotYQnKOMbWOKfvVLTkcPXGV_8

California fires: Burned redwoods at Big Basin, other parks will recover soon, experts say

Scientists who have studied redwood forests after fires say that they expect nearly all of the redwoods in Big Basin and other redwood parks that have burned to recover, starting this winter.

nina_lynn@diaspora.koehn.com
Ninah Ala Ubuibi

sharing some photos from the memorial held in honor of my father last month in Santa Cruz, CA...

August 2, 2019 at 10:30am USA Pacific time:
A small contingent of close friends & family gathered together at Natural Bridges beach in Santa Cruz, CA to honor, remember and celebrate the life of Marcus Hollenberg

blog post:
https://rememberingmickey.blogspot.com/2019/09/micks-memorial-at-natural-bridges-santa.html

photo album:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ninahpix/albums/72157710667551133

#personal #journal #blog #family #memorial #marcushollenberg #santacruz #california #ocean #ceremony #celebration #life #death

Mickey
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