The Wild with Chris Morgan Redwood National Park: Saving the tallest trees on Earth
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May 28, 2024 Lathrop Leonard, a forester with California State Parks, dives into the surprising strategy behind redwood restoration: cutting down some trees to encourage growth. He explains how selective thinning combats overcrowding, supporting old-growth characteristics and biodiversity. The conversation touches on the historical logging impacts, the Yurok Tribe's cultural connection to redwoods, and ongoing efforts to restore indigenous access to these majestic trees. Ultimately, it's about balancing conservation with community and ensuring the resilience of these ancient giants.
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Driving Through A Redwood Graveyard
- Chris Morgan describes driving down a road lined with massive redwood stumps that look like a graveyard.
- He explains that 95% of redwoods were logged after the 1850s, leaving vast forest loss and species declines.
Old Trees Fuel Biodiversity And Carbon Storage
- Old-growth redwoods support exceptionally high biodiversity because of their age, size, and layered habitats.
- They also store more carbon longer than any other tree species, making them crucial for climate mitigation.
Climbing Reveals Vertical Forest Layers
- Chris Morgan climbs a redwood with Dr. Lucy Kahoulas and experiences layers of life from bark to canopy.
- They observe mosses, lichens, epiphytes, huckleberries, and nesting sites high in the crown supporting many species.