November 22nd, 2006
in the redwoods – part one
This is a continuation of the posts I’ve been writing about my recent trip out west. I’ve been meaning to post a few photos taken while in the Redwood forests of northern California, so I’ll do so over the next couple of days. I had the pleasure of spending several days camping and hiking in a number of groves of the coastal forests. The trees in that region are Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), which may be found in southern Oregon and as far south as central California. As stated on this Humboldt Redwoods State Park webpage:
They are the world’s tallest living things. Some of them tower above 360 feet. The name, Sequoia sempervirens, is Latin for “ever living” – an appropriate name for these trees since many are 600 to 1200 years old and some have lived more than 2,000 years! In fact, since coast redwood often reproduces by root collar burl sprouting, the genetic material that comprises some trees may be thousands of years old.
These trees are big, although not so large in diameter as the Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. However, they are taller, and they certainly seem plenty large in diameter when you’re standing beside one. Many have large hollow areas that are the size of a small room. The above photo was taken in one of the groves along Prairie Creek.
The Coast Redwood groves have their own atmosphere. The first thing that I notice when among the redwoods is the silence. The thick bark of the trees and the heavy mulch of thousands of years of decayed needles absorb sound so effectively that spoken words seem to vanish as soon as they leave your lips. The light is everchanging and throws lacey shadows that remind me of being in a gothic church with tall stained-glass windows. The other thing about these forests is that everything seems large in scale — the ferns, the mosses, and the banana slugs and huge land snails. It makes you feel very small, and you spend a good deal of time looking upwards – unless you’re watching for banana slugs — something which I spent a good deal of time doing.
Stay tuned for more photos of redwoods later this week.
November 22nd, 2006 at 9:18 pm
I love seeing the redwood forests, bev. They make me homesick for Santa Cruz. Your photos really do capture their towering presence. It is truly awe-inspiring to stand with these trees that have lived for hundreds and hundreds of years. I’m so glad you are going to post more about them.
November 22nd, 2006 at 10:39 pm
Wonderful experience to spend time with ancient trees like those.
November 23rd, 2006 at 12:14 am
robin – It’s so difficult to photograph the redwoods, but I tried a few new things this time and it seemed to work better. I’ll definitely put up some more photos taken at several groves. I so looked forward to being in the redwoods on this trip and now I’m already missing them.
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Duncan – It is a wonderful experience. When you put your hands on the bark of these trees and think of how old they are — well, it’s quite a sensation.
November 23rd, 2006 at 12:45 am
It looks ‘majestic’ if that is the right word. I would love to spend time there some day, and your post has only encouraged me more.
The feeling small perspective you give, I think would be very humbling.
November 23rd, 2006 at 1:08 am
Peter – Majestic is a good word to describe them. The first time you walk among these trees, you will likely be blown away. I had hiked in them a couple of times before this trip, but Don had never seen them, so it was fun to see his reaction. We camped at the Jed Smith Park on the Smith River which is surrounded by tall trees. Really nice. I hope you do get to visit them some day as I’m sure you would enjoy it.
November 24th, 2006 at 10:23 am
I can only imagine Don’s (or anyone’s) reaction upon first seeing them!
Speaking of age, Robin – and Bev, how old are these trees? Do the Sequoia and Sequoiadendron species compare at about the same age of individuals?
It seems to me that they’re not really anymore “trees”, in the usual sense of the word. The adaptations they show and the ways they affect the environment of the ecosystem they’re in go way beyond what you might expect of a mere “tree”.
November 24th, 2006 at 1:02 pm
Wayne – I remember seeing the redwoods for the first time. I knew they would be big, but there’s a difference between knowing and actually seeing. I have a couple of more photos that I’ll post that may give a better sense of just how large the trees seem when you’re among them. I find that they make everything seem so tiny — people, cars, buildings. I’ve also found that there’s an odd “unreal” feeling when you’re among them as the other vegetation (especially the ferns) are so large and dynamic and the light is very unusual…almost reminds me of “house lights” when you’re in a huge theatre before the lights go down. And then there’s the sound (or should I say “silence” of the redwoods), and their scent. The earth seems odd under your feet… you can feel and hear that it’s deep, compacted mulch. Very much a sensory experience to be among them.
Regarding the age of the trees, the Redwood National Park brochure that I have here says that the Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) lives to 2,000 years (although I’ve heard other sources say there may be ones that are even older). The Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) of the Sierra Nevada live to 3,200 years.
And yes, it seems that the redwoods are something more, or other, than simply “trees”. It’s more like each tree being a self-contained ecosystem. New “trees” can begin growing upon the branches of larger trees, and balls of earth form up in the branches (we saw a couple of these that had fallen to the ground). Other vegetation grow up in the trees, along with insects, and there’s even a species of salamander – the Wandering Salamander (Aneides vagrans) that are now known to live in the redwood canopy. Pretty interesting and lots more to learn!