Redwoods Rising

05/27/2026

Like our host Griff Griffith, you can't tell how old a redwood is by looking at it. Well, maybe y'all can easily tell how old Griff is, but you can't tell with redwoods. Check it out
Coast redwoods are some of the tallest living things on Earth, and they grow in amazing ways. Tiny seeds fall onto the forest floor or onto fallen logs called “nurse logs,” where young trees get water and nutrients. Redwoods also sprout from the base of older trees, creating family circles connected by their roots. Fog helps keep these forests moist during dry summers, and thick bark protects the trees from many fires. Some redwoods can live for more than 2,000 years, slowly building the towering forests that shelter wildlife, store carbon, and inspire millions of visitors every year.

05/20/2026

Mosses, lichens, and liverworts are some of the quiet heroes of the redwood forest. These small organisms cover tree trunks, fallen logs, rocks, and soil, helping the forest hold moisture like a giant sponge. Mosses are simple plants that thrive in the cool, damp shade beneath the redwoods. Lichens are actually partnerships between fungi and algae, working together to survive and even helping clean the air by absorbing pollution. Liverworts are ancient relatives of mosses that often grow in wet places and help create tiny habitats for insects and other small life. Together, these living carpets help recycle nutrients, prevent erosion, and create the soft green world that makes redwood forests feel so magical.

04/29/2026

Do you know why giant sequoias need fire?

04/27/2026

Crawl into a dark tunnel with Griff Griffith and learn something fascinating!
Culverts might seem like simple pipes under the road, but when they’re too small, perched above the stream, or built incorrectly, they become serious barriers to fish passage. Species like salmon and trout depend on cold, connected streams to migrate, spawn, and survive. A poorly designed culvert can create fast water, shallow flow, or even a vertical drop that fish simply can’t get past. That means entire stretches of high-quality habitat become cut off, leading to population declines and weaker ecosystems. Fixing fish passage through culverts is one of the most effective ways to restore stream connectivity, improve water quality, and support biodiversity in river systems across California and beyond.
That’s where the Redwoods Rising project stands out. They’re not just replacing old culverts, they’re rebuilding natural stream crossings that mimic real creek conditions, allowing fish and wildlife to move freely again. These upgraded crossings handle heavy rains better, reduce erosion, and help restore healthy watersheds for the long term. It’s a powerful example of how thoughtful restoration can undo past damage and create real solutions for climate resilience and wildlife recovery. Projects like this show that when we invest in nature-based infrastructure, we’re not just fixing a problem, we’re bringing entire ecosystems back to life.

03/27/2026

Roosevelt elk (Cervus canadensis roosevelti) is the largest of the subspecies of elk in North America. In California, they persist in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties, and western Siskiyou County.
Many elk call areas in home, and it is important to remember we are entering their home when we see them.
The most common spots in the park to see elk are near:
📍Elk Prairie
📍Elk Meadow
📍Crescent Beach area
Elk may be encountered in almost all habitat types including forests, prairies, along gravel bars, and on the beaches. Regardless of the habitat, it is important to give these majestic animals their space (at least 75 feet) and not approach.

03/24/2026

There is so much to explore at Redwood National and State Parks and knowing where to start may feel confusing. 🤔

Join Ranger Steve for a quick overview of the map.

We hope to see you soon!

03/23/2026

What is “good fire” and why does California need it?

When most people hear the word fire, they think of destruction. But not all fire is bad. In fact, California’s ecosystems evolved with fire, and the right kind of fire can actually keep forests healthy.

“Good fire” includes cultural burns led by tribes, prescribed burns managed by fire crews, and low intensity natural fires that move slowly through the landscape. These fires clear out dead wood, leaf litter, and dense undergrowth. Without them, forests become overcrowded and packed with fuel, setting the stage for the massive, high intensity wildfires we are seeing more often today.

Good fire also helps forests regenerate. It opens up sunlight, creates space for new growth, and supports plants that depend on fire to reproduce. It builds healthier, more diverse habitats for wildlife and helps maintain balance across the ecosystem.

People in many parts of the world have used fire as a tool to care for the land. Fire wasn't always something to stop. It was something to understand and work with.

After more than a century of fire suppression in California, many of our forests are now overloaded with fuel. The result is hotter, more destructive fires that are harder to control.

The problem is not fire.
It is the absence of the right kind of fire.

If we want healthier forests and safer communities, we need to bring good fire back to the landscape.

03/16/2026

What do we do with previously clearcut redwood forests that were over planted and offer little food and homes for wildlife and pose a huge wild fire hazard? We help nature heal itself by taking responsibility for fixing what we broke. Griff Griffith

03/12/2026

If you are in Eureka, come get the full scoop on Redwoods Rising from one of our foresters, Lathrop Leonard

Our next conservation lecture is on Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at 7pm! You can join us for free at the Zoo or on Zoom. Details are available on our website at www.RedwoodZoo.org

In his talk entitled “Redwoods Rising: A Collaboration to Restore Degraded Landscapes in Redwood National and State Parks,” Lathrop Leonard will discuss restoration efforts on the north coast including how the local history of logging and trying to undo the negative effects of logging led to the formation of Redwoods Rising.

Save the Redwoods League has been working with California State Parks to protect Redwoods for over a century, and both have worked with Redwood National Park since its inception in 1968. This partnership has been reinvigorated under Redwoods Rising to take on the challenge of restoring the more than 80,000 acres of previously logged lands and other degraded habitats within the local Parks. The Redwoods Rising partners have each individually made progress in restoring these lands over the years—thinning thousands of acres of forest, retiring miles of old, eroding logging roads, removing failing stream crossings, and installing in-stream log structures. But that was just the beginning. By bringing together the talents and resources of each partner, they are doing much, much more than they ever could alone. Lathrop will show some of their recent successes and discuss their plans for the future.

Lathrop Leonard is the lead Forester for California State Parks North Coast Redwoods District, which includes all State Parks in Redwoods Rising as well as Humboldt, Del Norte, and Northern Mendocino counties. Lathrop runs the Forestry and Fire Management programs for the District where he has worked since 2004. Ask him about his previous work in habitat conservation and restoration in Western Washington, Colorado, and Kenya.

03/11/2026

What is good fire, and how can you help us with it? Find out from California State Parks Chief of Natural Resources Jay Chamberlin