Forest FAQ

I have seen burn marks inside redwoods- how did the tree survive having inside trunk burned?

Redwoods can survive fire because of several reasons. The living tissue within a tree's trunk, amazingly, is only two cells thick, and it is protected by their bark which is very thick! Up to 12" thick! The heartwood or inner part of a tree, is all dead material. So if the outer part of the bark burns and the heartwood burns that's ok - as long as enough of the living part survives to continue to pump water and sugar, the tree can survive. The wood itself is rich in tannins which provide resistance to burning.

How does CA State Parks decide which areas to manage with prescribed burns?

Let's first talk about the need for fire in the landscape, nearly all areas of California have burned in the past, are burning or will burn, Fire is an integral natural process that does so many things. We need more Good Fire. Putting a Rx Fire together is a challenging endeavor and although we need more of it, that's just not possible in todays world. We try and prioritize based on areas that need it the most.

How much old growth is left in Santa Cruz County? How much old growth is left in California? What is the significance of these levels?

Very litte compared to what it used to be. Before the CZU lightning complex fire, the OG in Big Basin was________. 97% of the park burned most of that with high or extreme intensity, only about 50 acres of Redwood burned with a low intensity. We have two other lovely Redwood parks Portola and Butanol, both in San Mateo County. They have _______ and ______ acres.

Are there 2 species of Redwoods left?

There are three species of Redwood, Giant Sequoias, Coast Redwood and Dawn Redwood (from Asia)

What happens when you cut down 2 or 3 of a fairy ring of redwoods? Do the others languish?

No actually they do better as measured by growth both in height and girth. While the trees withing fair rings could be considered a "sibling", they are direct competition for light and water. What we see is that when you thin trees within a ring the remaining trees grow faster bigger and taller.

I believe I was told decades ago by a Park employee that it takes the intense heat of a forest fire to germinate the seeds of the giant redwoods. Is that true?

Coast Redwood seedlings are stimulated to germinate by fire, but they can also germinate under other conditions. Post fire there is reduced competition for light as well as increased nutriend availability. Giant Sequoias have serotinous cones, which remain closed until they are stimulated to open by the heat from a fire.

How can we minimize fire hazard to existing structures in redwood forests while maximizing ecological integrity and carbon storage?

For homes near, within or under Redwoods, the fire hazard is clear. For safety and security, it may be necessary to remove trees. The buildings should be fire hardened. When it's time to get a new rood, make it metal or new siding, something like Hardie Plank. We need more Good Fire! Keep the area around your structures clear of vegetation and debris. Have burn piles around your homes to reduce build up of flammable vegetation and ground cover. In the late summer as "fire season" approaches be diligent about clearing your roofs, gutters.

I live under the redwoods do I have to be concerned they may fall in a storm?

Redwood trees are generally stable but do sometimes fall. This can be from soil saturation, when the ground is really wet and you combine that with winds from storms. Trees exposed to winds that are say near roadways where their roots are compromised are more likely to fall. If you are worried you can have your trees evaluated by an arborist

Do human ashes at the base of a giant redwood tree over and over again weekly harm it?

Ashes are very alkaline or basic, they can be used for soil enrichment. Redwoods are tough, however,if done over and over again it wouldn't increase vigor of the tree it might impact it.

How do Redwoods lift water as high as 380 feet?

Several reasons it can do this, transpiration, evapotranspiration, capillary action, the cohesive property of water, capillary action and fog.

Do Redwoods have the equivalent destructive pest as the pine bark borer or the shothole borer?

No. The 'red" color in redwood is from the tannins within it, these both provide fire resistance and insect resistance.

Can I grow a redwood at home?

Sure. They sell seedling kits at the Mountain Parks store in Felton or you can go collect your own.