MEMORIES:
Lady Lovelylocks remembers...I was born and bred a mountain lass! in the Santa Cruz mountains on the central coast of California, I ... More »
Posted on 09/24/07
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If you haven’t been lucky enough to go to the Redwood Forest, located across the northern coast of California in Humboldt County and stretching into Josephine County in Oregon, you might recognize it as Endor in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, or you might have caught a glimpse of it in The Lost World: Jurassic Park. The stars on the scene – the tall, majestic and proud redwood tress (close cousins of another California great, the Sequoia) – once occupied around 2 million acres across northern California. It is now down to just 4% of that, at only 85,000 acres across the region, with less than half of it protected by the National Park Service.
There is an astounding amount of diversity within the tall trees – lives in sizes from great to miniscule are maintained in the ecosystem the redwoods provide. With its many trails and sights to see, there is much revealed about the history of the Redwood Forest, no matter to which area of the park traveled. For thousands of years, American Indian tribes have called the redwoods their home. Today, the National Park Service works with the tribes as they are today to ensure that they can continue with their cultural practices within the forests.
Westward expanding settlers found gold in nearby Trinity Creek during the mid-1800s. As the Gold Rush began and subsequently ended, many redwood giants fell to logging companies cutting as much wood as they could sell. By the end of the 19th century, conservationists found much to be alarmed about; the future of the old-growth redwood was in slipping into the danger zone. It would take well into the 20th century to officially protect it, creating the Redwood National Park.
Since then, vacationers, conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts have been able to enjoy the beauty within the parks. Whether you’re into hiking or paddling, mountain biking or just catching magical views from the car, there has always been something to enjoy in the redwoods. The Redwood Forest really was made for you and me.
