It’s so devastating to see how small the area they grow in is compared to how big it once was. Videos never capture the feeling of being among those trees. I’m not religious or even spiritual but those forests truly feel holy, and I want to cry when I see those old pictures of the most enormous ancient trees chopped down. It’s one of the greatest tragedies.
note that, while still devastating, that graphic portrays where "*old growth*" redwoods used to be, and where they still exist now. It's not a map of where redwoods in genral grow now vs where they used to grow. so-called "second growth", younger redwoods still populate much of the previous old-growth extent. but the old growth forests which contain the biggest, oldest trees encompasses a much, much smaller area. and rehabilitating will take a lot of time in the second growth forests (as the name "old" growth implies).
I live in Australia, and we have our share of natural wonders here - but the redwoods by themselves are reason enough for the fourteen-hour flight across the Pacific!
Glad you included the Yurok tribe in this. You cannot speak of California Redwoods and not include them. I wish more people knew about the 2500 acres being returned to the Yurok and what they are doing with that land / redwoods. Even their condor program makes me thankful for my Yurok brothers. 👊🏽
I used to live in Brookings, Oregon, home to the northernmost redwoods in the world. There is nothing that compares with walking in the redwoods, except, perhaps, the old-growth cedars on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington! They did not mention that redwoods reproduce both by seed AND by cloning! It's possible that trees we can see today have been part of the same organism for MANY thousands of years! They are, indeed, our guardians!
I'm so glad that the general opinion in the last 40 years about redwoods has changed from lawn chairs and jobs for loggers to preserving what incredibly tiny amount of forest is left. I moved into the area back in the early 80's, the loggers were the most obnoxious group of human beings I'd ever had to live with and they were in the process of being laid off en mass because the various logging companies they used to work for had been bought out by Maxxam who began shipping all the lumber overseas to Japan. The industry could no longer justify to anyone it's own benefits and, it had run out of logs, so amazingly, they stopped cutting trees after decades of demonstrations by Greenpeace and others. I remember when logs so big you could only put one on the back of a truck used to roll through Eureka, CA multiple times daily, and locals would fist-pump the driver as if to say "Yeah! destroy it all!" Glad we finally stopped...? at the last 2% (some say it's actually less).
As a logger here my self, I would advise you to re look at the industry today, it’s changed so much. Though I could never consider moving some where and then going after the locals for there livelihoods. It’s a super bizarre thing people from city’s do. Going after people that live off resources. Like my number one goal is for the forest to be there for my kids so they have a job a too and a great forest to live in.
The problem is people like you in that area don't understand what a forest is. They think a planting of douglas firs in a 'demonstration forest' or the narrow line of trees they leave up on either side of hwy 101, while just beyond that is clearcut to the horizon, is the same as an old growth redwood forest. I spent 28 years living among loggers I think I grew to understand them pretty well. Most of them thought the woods were 'all rotten' and animals were for shooting. No I don't have a lot of respect for ignorance.
2 or 3 percent of old growth is left, but the redwood belt is still here and the way they're managing much of the second growth, it'll revert to old growth in a few centuries. Largest landowning timber company vowed to not cut stands of old growth and to not clear-cut, in order to promote older forest growth. Huge differences over the last 40 years
@@tpbforlife3323Sadly, as just an employee you have no ability to stand up to your employer, who's the one responsible for clear cutting the old growth Redwoods down to LESS than 2%. I'm also not sure how you believe that logging is the way to leave forests behind for your children. Did you not see the original map with millions of trees, that have been logged (clear cut) down to 3 itsy bitsy teeny tiny specks on the current map? Seems like loggers were in it for the money in the moment, not for the long term, for their children as you say. Had the industry done more to be better stewards of the forests, the jobs might not have disappeared with the trees. It's one of a handful of industries who didn't seem to notice that they were clear cutting their own jobs out of existence, like they did to the Giant Redwoods. Fishing is another. And the only reason there are any Redwoods left, is BECAUSE of outsiders who weren't afraid of the community leaders that locals were. That outrage and protesting SAVED the few Redwoods they could. Not the loggers, or the companies they work for.
@@tpbforlife3323 The problem with your train of thought is to somehow trick your mind into tunnel vision thinking, where logging for some folks in the area is the only form of employment. It’s not an either or situation. There are other forms of employment. If you really care enough about the forest, you would gravitate towards another type of employment. Are options fewer in some parts of rural America that depend on certain resource driven jobs? Yes. But again, there are other options. To think that there aren’t and that you have to be employed in that manner is self-defeating. Plain and simple.
Here in BC, Canada there are old photos from 150 years ago showing old growth trunks the same size as the redwoods. It breaks my heart knowing the damage that's been done
I'd known about albino redwoods. They don't have functioning chlorophyll. I had heard that they only exist by being parasites, "leeching" off other trees. but hearing how in the forest the root systems are genuinely connected, in a way where they actually support each other really changes the understanding of that dynamic. They're not being parasites, they can't produce the same way the other trees can but they are being supported regardless. IDK its actually kinda heartwarming in that context.
Can’t help but be reminded of the way disabled people are often talked about, and yet we find that pre-agriculture human societies overwhelmingly took care of everyone in their tribe regardless of “productivity”. Seems these trees are the same. It’s quite eye opening how we only found out about trees supporting each other somewhat recently, and until then just assumed they were in cut-throat individualistic competition. It says a lot about how our economic situation influences the entire way we think of the world
They’re also helping the other trees, in ways that are exceptionally important in the modern day; stockpiling heavy metals that the other trees in their network, those that keep them alive, would be unable to handle.
@Remain Nameless not bookmarked, but what I’ve seen and what I’d be looking for again is archaeological evidence of skeletons with various disabilities living to an old age, having lots of recovered injuries, etc across a wide range of cultures. Search terms would probably be best to be stuff like “prehistoric disability treatment across cultures” or “archaeological dig disabled skeleton”. There’s also a bunch of idioms leftover from cultures which were nomadic more recently, such as “a man who cannot walk can still ride a horse” which IIRC is Mongolian? Which suggest the idea was to find any value in tribe-members, rather than be overly concerned with that they can’t do.
I'm lucky. I live in a city and right now as I sit at my computer I look out at redwoods. Oh, they are only 100 feet tall or so, but give them a century. I figure I have fifty years before my solar array gets shaded.
I work in a second growth forest in Sonoma County and I never get over how incredible these trees are. I would love to be able to better take care of them.
We just moved from Texas to Oregon and drove through the redwoods for the first time. The whole time we were driving Ijust wanted to cry. Its one of THE most beautiful things I've ever, ever seen. 😭😭😭🙌🌲🦅
I was married at the foot of the Stout Tree in Jedidiah Smith Redwoods in 1980. It is indeed a magical place! Sadly, at the same time, logging trucks were roaring by every five minutes taking the last of the once great forests. Now the trees are mostly gone except for a mile or so buffer along the highway. Sad.
I was blessed to live in Boulder Creek, California in an old house on the creek surrounded by those towering beauties for four years! It was my heart's desire. We sadly had to leave, but I will always be so grateful for the memories I have of those days. There is nothing like those trees. I love them. They are guardians! I miss them so very much. I took one with in a pot, which I've transplanted twice because it's growing so fast. I hope it'll grow up here in Oregon--I've seen a few here already, so I do have hope! When we finally save up enough to buy another house, I'll plant it in our forever ground and hope and pray he does well and then I'll have my own tiny redwood forest again. I am SO grateful there are people looking after them! I'm so glad for this video!
The nearby Henry Coe State Park is awesome....a small grove of old growth redwoods that you can actually touch and a few you can even climb into...having been hollowed out by centuries of brush fires. It's a religious experience
It will grow. There are many here in the U.K. in fact over 500,000 of them. Planted by rich victorians. There are about 5 Giant Sequoias and a whole grove of coastal redwood all within about 5 miles of my house .
I've only seen the coastal sequoia redwoods, but I have been too the big trees national park. They are beautiful creatures that really do deserve our respect. As humans we should be very concerned about there footprints disappearing they also grab the clouds and help bring persipitation to California. Making sure that there continues to be healthy forests should be our concern.
Whenever I hear about such gigantic trees being felled, it makes my heart sink. Even it if was "over 100 years ago..." what comfort is that when a tree with a lifespan that dwarfed the Roman Empire was callously cut down to build houses?
It's editing but the forest rangers all smiling at the thought of healthy growing trees, it is heart warming. And I love the fact that the new redwoods are being "raised" like children so future generations will one day look at them with respect as the elders of the forest. And fyi, a mature fallen redwood takes decades if not a century to decay. During that time, it acts as a mini biome for numerous species.
Haven't been to the Oregon groves yet but I went to Yosemite and I've seen the Mariposa Grove as well as Miur preservation and never been so awe struck in my life. Truly grateful to have witnessed these trees and plan to continue to visit them as frequently as I possibly can! Anyone on the fence should do everything they can to experience this as well.
Seeing how big the historical range of redwood forests was and how tiny it is now, it makes you want to restore the whole area. Maybe future humans will be smart enough to grow agroforests and reduce the urban sprawl by increasing the population density in cities (yes, that necessarily means public transport) so vast areas could be regrown.
the graphic shows the extent of "old growth" forests then and now, not redwoods in general. it's tragic that we've lost so much old growth, but worth noting that redwood forests still exist in the previous old growth extent; they're just "second growth" younger redwoods that grew after logging, and not "old growth".
One can make that connection with nature anywhere in the world if one pays attention. I've lived in the southwest for decades now, and I have connections with the insects and the cholla and the reptiles, mammals, and birds here. I lived in the Olympic rainforest for a few years, and I grew up all over the Western Americas. There is true connection in life and other living creatures, and I've never felt a connection outside of that. The Redwood forest, to me, was another holy place on earth, simple as that, and holy places are everywhere life is. Look for them in your own neighborhood, you can find them.
This is a fascinating story. For a more in-depth and nuanced examination of the California Redwoods please read the book “The Wild Trees” by Richard Preston. As an avid reader, it is one of the very best books I have ever read.
Bought a new version of the Paul Bunyan story when I was working. Paul makes his way west, cutting down everything. Reaches the redwoods and rejoices "At last, trees worthy of my axe!" As he raises his axe for the first chop his eyes happen to glance eastwards ... and he sees the devastation. Paul changes. Hitches Babe the Big Blue Ox, makes his axe a plow, and he and his team head east PLANTING trees! Retired school librarian
Thank you! I just requested it from my library. I really enjoyed "If Trees Could Talk" by Holly Worton and I learnt a lot from "The Overstory" by Richard Powers (but it kind of broke my heart too).
My mom, sister, and I went to the Redwoods National and State parks in September 2018 and just were amazed at the size and grandeur of these trees. Seeing them in person is unlike anything you can experience in a d forest! A real gem of the natural world that needs to be properly preserved and maintained!
About 3% percent of old growth is left, but the redwood belt is still here and the way they're managing much of the second growth, it'll revert to old growth in a few centuries. Largest landowning timber company vowed to not cut stands of old growth and to not clear-cut, in order to promote older forest growth. Huge differences over the last 40 years
Wow! Well put together. I love the production team's style. You go, PBS Terra! The Redwoods Rising project deserves this kind of great storytelling. So big thanks to all involved. Folks should know that Redwoods Rising is solutionary work that will benefit all of us in more ways than one can immediately recognize. This episode does a great job of providing us a look into this unfolding and motivating work.
I live close to the Redwoods and have seen them many times and every time is filled with the awe and wonder of the first time! They are definitely worth a trip to see!
I got to experience them once. I didn’t expect them to feel the way they did! You expect a tree trunk to feel hard, even brittle…. The surface of the redwoods was squashy! You press them with your hand and they gently ‘give’. Really strange and unearthly. And the scale of them is truly daunting. It was an emotional experience to camp beneath them, and a feeling of deep respect for them as living organisms and as a whole organic system.
Some of our favorite places on our cross America road trip were the redwood forests, including Avenue of the Giants and camping in the woods outside of Crescent City. So beautiful ❤️
I've never been anywhere that felt so special than among the coast redwoods. It's just crazy, feels like you need to be kinda quiet and just experience it they way you need to, which is different for everyone.
This brought tears to my eyes. The way the Yurok people feel about the trees. How he said they teach us how we should be treating each other... it really hit home. And then they show how we literally destroyed the vast majority of the Forrest. There's no doubt that humans are pretty much the worst thing to ever happen to this planet. Forget asteroids and meteors and super volcanoes. The destruction we've wrought is almost beyond compare, just stretched over a long period of time. Makes me sad, but I'll find joy in knowing there's people out there working to conserve these remarkable natural wonders.
Wonderful video and I really appreciate the Indigenous perspective on the trees. I am excited to make a journey to see the redwoods in the future! Glad there's individuals fighting to preserve these beautiful trees.
It's amazing how gigantic trees could make you humble and reminded you how little you are. Maybe this is why people on the past worship trees in the past. We establish connections with these trees.
I do bonsai, bought a redwood a few years ago, and planted it in the ground to thicken faster. In just two years the trunk diameter grew ten times bigger. Never seen a tree grow so fast.
I have one growing from seed down on the Florida panhandle. Itll be interesting to see it establish over the coming years. It survived a very uncommon 4 day 20 degree cold snap as a sapling, and came out growing stronger than ever. Its very similar and closely related to the bald cypress native to here.
I live in NorCal and I’ve been all over the world, Mt. Everest base camp, Milford Sound, Grand Canyon, Ancient Rome, to name a few and I would say the Redwoods are my top 3 favorite places I’ve ever been to. There’s just something about that place that makes you feel… human.
If I’d had to pick one thing on earth as my favourite this would be it. Planted one of them in my garden just because I could to see it grow. It will never be majestic in my lifetime so I guess it’s time to start looking into options to somehow protect it, prevent it from being cut down.
Redwood trees are such wonderful beings. Whenever I walk among them, I can't help but touch their soft, velvety bark. Is it just me, or is it quieter between redwoods than in other forests? I live in Goslar, Germany, but fortunately I don't have to travel far to see them. There is an arboretum just 30 km from here and it includes a redwood grove. The Weltwald in Bad Grund was established 50 years ago. The trees there are still quite small (actually the average size of our indigenous trees), but they cope well with our climate and I am confident that they will grow into mighty giants that my grand grand children will be able to see.
I have a huge ring redwood grove I lived in for 8 years, off the grid. It was really beautiful. It will be donated to the state park to be protected. Not many old growth trees left.
Naturally majestic. It's definitely a humbling thought on how amazing these trees are and even more so when you get the opportunity to visit and experience them. A big hat-tipping moment to all the people involved preserving these earthly treasures.
I was last in the area over twenty years ago and was bothered by seeing less Spanish Moss than had been around a few decades earlier, and actually saw dead stump sprouts regularly, something I'd never seen before. I saw these things as symptoms of changes in the climate, more heat and less moisture...
Fool. Signs of an extended drought, sure. Climate changes. If it didn't, there would still be mega fauna in North America. The wooly kind. And glaciers. Wasn't even that long ago, even.
Seeing those trees as a kid is something I will never forget I was amazed I looked up at the trees and could not see the top of the trees keep in mind this coming from a kid that lived his whole life in the Arizona desert I was fortunate enough to go see them truly a natural wonder of the world
I haven't had a chance yet to see the redwoods, but I have sequoias. I can understand the magnificence of these trees. No amount of photos can convey the titanic size of them. Absolutely breathtaking.
I backpacked through the redwoods most of my life. One time my wife arrived early to get me so she hiked in a ways. When I reached her she was just sitting there looking up. She was like wow now I know why you come here.
I love the redwoods so much. I’m lucky enough to live close and whenever I’m there I can feel the majesty. It’s calming and beautiful it’s my favorite place in the world
Grew up and still live around redwood trees. Redwood forests are the only kind of forest I've ever really known, so deciduous forests look really weird to me. Seeing people be so in awe of redwoods is still a little strange cause it seems so normal to me, but when compared to other forests? I get it
It's just a video...but wow. This gave me chills. Plants themselves make me feel comforted, like being in the middle of the woods , is the most peaceful and calm feeling. Such large ancient and wise trees are absolutely incredible
Wow I loved the closer. Very powerful and leading by example, PBS. A lot of people feel paralyzed by anxiety about the world. Good on you for noticing and doing something positive about it.
I do work with the Yurok tribe in many areas of humboldt and trinity counties. The redwoods are a truly insane humbling experience, akin to the feeling after you leave your first concert, or first professional sports game. It’s magical.
I went to the Redwood Forest this year and the sense of peace in this Forest is beyond anything I had ever experienced. It was a spiritual experience. The ferns that grow with the Redwoods are like Jurassic Park. There is a whole ecosystem that goes together. This was my only bucket list item I'm so glad I got to do it. Highly recommend Shelter Cove.
I have lived in Northern Calif for 67 yrs now and still get thrilled when walking into a grove. It's entering a peaceful new world that seems to shut out the noisy one.
Of all the beautiful places on this earth, the one place i'd love to see before i die is the Redwood Forest. I probably never will be able to afford to travel there but a girl can dream. Such majesty. Bless everyone working to save them.
I heard that redwoods were prevalent in what is now western British Columbia and Washington State about 8,000 years ago when the climate was warmer and drier. Now there are mainly, spruce, douglas fir, hemlock and cedar.
yeah that is odd, and thats about the same time humans were populating the continent in massive waves from Asia. maybe teh humans killed some animal that spread the redwood seeds across a large area, both Giant Sequoia and Coast redwoods
The General Sherman tree is indeed the biggest (not tallest) tree in the world, but it is not as coast redwood. It is a giant sequoia which are found in easter California in the Sierra Nevada.
I’m super fortunate to live in the same city that has the redwood national park. As a kid I never thought much of it as my city had field trips there as a kid.
I appreciate how you just let the narrator and Frankie Myers disagree with each other without comment. Our disagreements are not always a big deal. (Referring to the narrator saying the Redwoods were here 135 million years before humans, while Mr. Myers said they were here together.)
The most dangerous thing to all trees (and every other living thing on this tiny rock called earth) is a certain type of cancer. It's called homo sapiens.
No more I learn about biology, the more it's clear to me that life is a game of collaboration. It may be competitive at the individual level (which may be why so many use division, jealousy, and greed) but at the ecosystem level, we need each other.
Redwoods are capable if planted of growing here in NC. What limits their growth is when they become taller than all the other native trees is lightning striking them then insects and diseases do them in. Apparently in Northern California they must not get thunderstorms. I remember a family from California, I don't know where but their young daughter was really scared the first summer here because she had never seen lightning or heard thunder. I'd like to know if this is true.
In north coastal regions of California summer lightning is very rare. About the only time one might hear thunder in San Francisco is in a winter storm and not often then. The central valley is a different matter.
That's because north carolina has the opposite climate of northern California, both temperate in different ways. Norther california is cool Mediterranean so it gets most of its rain in winter, while North Carolina is Humid Subtropical with summer rain, Northern California almost never sees snow and rarely frost ,the Atlantic is colder in winter.
@@An-kw3ec We accually get more rain in the fall and winter because the creeks and swamps are low and dry in summer. They are higher and swamps flooded during a typical winter. Winter in NC is mild average highs are 60sor 70s with cold snaps for a few days then warming again. We get snow about every 15 - 20 years. Lots of trees and plants will grow outside their home range but most won't produce seeds to propagate new ones. Looks like Forest Services and timber companies would try to plant more redwoods even if they only grow a fraction of the size they do in Calif. The wood is valued and it might give the big old trees a chance to grow older.
This was such a pleasure to see! Thank you to all who are working hard to save these magnificent trees. We simply can't allow them to to be destroyed by our carelessness.
Yes we did lose many of the redwoods. An ongoing reflection on the past as a time of shame is not fruitful. What I think is critical to remember is that conservation of the redwoods has been in progress since at least 1918. As a result of the foresight of a few and their efforts in building a consensus, the remnants of the ancient forrest have been saved. That is a victory that should be celebrated.
Climate has always been changing, I get anxiety over the tools sold on the myth that it's all anthropogenic, panicking and causing serious problems. They are the science deniers without even knowing what the actual science indicates.
It's amazing this tribe of people has been in one area for so long when most peoples have migrated frequently. There must be fantastic research being done on the static DNA pool anomaly.
wind isn't their enemy, it is their friend. Redwoods r so majestic & humbling. They r alive with wisdom of generations. They have a voice that when u truly listen sings across the winds.
Second growth trees are often stump-sprouts forming a loose ring around where a giant was cut down, and often not so loose a ring, they can be very crowded. While they grow tall they are thin for their height. Removing two or three of the five or more stump-sprouts from a group helps the others get more growth and creates openings in the canopy. The original forest was multi-layered, tall trees had shorter offspring around them in some places, and an intermediate canopy layer that was home to many species that need a place in these newer second and third growth areas.
Not a climate cultist like PBS is, but here in the South there is a growing phenomenon of thinning forests, burning off invasive undergrowth and letting natural grasslands to form underneath. Native Habitat Project is educating landowners on saving and protecting forests and grasslands by natural means.
I'm curious, how difficult is to cultivate Redwood tree's? Couldn't they reforest an area and help those woods expand? Yes it will take hundreds or thousands of years to get back to what nature created but I think so worth it for such a rare tree.
Coastal Redwoods live in the fog belt along the coast, hence the name. Global warming is moving the fog belt northwards. That's why the efforts to plant redwoods north of their traditional area. We shall see how successful that is.
Well... That's what they're talking about in the video with the "new growth" trees. That's what it means. The "old growth" trees can't be brought back but new growth can take it's place. However, it's like you said... it's going to take thousands (actually millions since we're talking about trees as old as the Dinos) to get back to that point.
I live next to Clear Lake California. Climate here has changed. Only 1 Redwood by me, and he is alone and unhappy. I feel like my heart is breaking, every time I walk by it.
I'm not sure you really answered the question though...? Physics is the usual culprit, but you're saying fog is the secret weapon to beating that? Or the epiphytic mat, both? How do redwoods differ from other trees specifically? Or is it more a culmination of several smaller effects?
It’s so devastating to see how small the area they grow in is compared to how big it once was. Videos never capture the feeling of being among those trees. I’m not religious or even spiritual but those forests truly feel holy, and I want to cry when I see those old pictures of the most enormous ancient trees chopped down. It’s one of the greatest tragedies.
note that, while still devastating, that graphic portrays where "*old growth*" redwoods used to be, and where they still exist now. It's not a map of where redwoods in genral grow now vs where they used to grow. so-called "second growth", younger redwoods still populate much of the previous old-growth extent. but the old growth forests which contain the biggest, oldest trees encompasses a much, much smaller area. and rehabilitating will take a lot of time in the second growth forests (as the name "old" growth implies).
I was so surprised how small of an area the national forest was. Its depressing.
@@amvin234 Yeah, only about a 1000 years
Ive literally always said that the trees make me feel like im in the presence of god. I agree those trees are holy special
@@vivalavivarium Yeah it's such a shame that a few loggers get to take it all away from the rest of us! Happy earth Day!!
I live in Australia, and we have our share of natural wonders here - but the redwoods by themselves are reason enough for the fourteen-hour flight across the Pacific!
The grass is always greener on the other side of the ocean! As they say 😂
The giant eucalypts are beautiful for sure
14 Hours!?
You can see redwoods not far north of San Francisco.
Better hurry the chainsaws are running!
Glad you included the Yurok tribe in this. You cannot speak of California Redwoods and not include them. I wish more people knew about the 2500 acres being returned to the Yurok and what they are doing with that land / redwoods. Even their condor program makes me thankful for my Yurok brothers. 👊🏽
Yes definitely.
The people around these trees are meaningless to the trees. One could speak of Cali redwoods for days and never mention a human.
Thanks for the info, I'm going to find out more!
Shouldn't allow the guy to say that they've been there as long as the redwoods...
❤❤❤
I used to live in Brookings, Oregon, home to the northernmost redwoods in the world. There is nothing that compares with walking in the redwoods, except, perhaps, the old-growth cedars on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington! They did not mention that redwoods reproduce both by seed AND by cloning! It's possible that trees we can see today have been part of the same organism for MANY thousands of years! They are, indeed, our guardians!
I thought those were redwoods. I guess they were cedar. Big Big trees.
Redwood trees are magical!
Look now, gone tomorrow!
@@marcusmartin1426 nope, but nice try spreading your cynical doomer mindset.
@@Ozhull What kind of chainsaw do you have?
I'm so glad that the general opinion in the last 40 years about redwoods has changed from lawn chairs and jobs for loggers to preserving what incredibly tiny amount of forest is left. I moved into the area back in the early 80's, the loggers were the most obnoxious group of human beings I'd ever had to live with and they were in the process of being laid off en mass because the various logging companies they used to work for had been bought out by Maxxam who began shipping all the lumber overseas to Japan. The industry could no longer justify to anyone it's own benefits and, it had run out of logs, so amazingly, they stopped cutting trees after decades of demonstrations by Greenpeace and others. I remember when logs so big you could only put one on the back of a truck used to roll through Eureka, CA multiple times daily, and locals would fist-pump the driver as if to say "Yeah! destroy it all!" Glad we finally stopped...? at the last 2% (some say it's actually less).
As a logger here my self, I would advise you to re look at the industry today, it’s changed so much. Though I could never consider moving some where and then going after the locals for there livelihoods. It’s a super bizarre thing people from city’s do. Going after people that live off resources. Like my number one goal is for the forest to be there for my kids so they have a job a too and a great forest to live in.
The problem is people like you in that area don't understand what a forest is. They think a planting of douglas firs in a 'demonstration forest' or the narrow line of trees they leave up on either side of hwy 101, while just beyond that is clearcut to the horizon, is the same as an old growth redwood forest. I spent 28 years living among loggers I think I grew to understand them pretty well. Most of them thought the woods were 'all rotten' and animals were for shooting. No I don't have a lot of respect for ignorance.
2 or 3 percent of old growth is left, but the redwood belt is still here and the way they're managing much of the second growth, it'll revert to old growth in a few centuries. Largest landowning timber company vowed to not cut stands of old growth and to not clear-cut, in order to promote older forest growth. Huge differences over the last 40 years
@@tpbforlife3323Sadly, as just an employee you have no ability to stand up to your employer, who's the one responsible for clear cutting the old growth Redwoods down to LESS than 2%. I'm also not sure how you believe that logging is the way to leave forests behind for your children. Did you not see the original map with millions of trees, that have been logged (clear cut) down to 3 itsy bitsy teeny tiny specks on the current map? Seems like loggers were in it for the money in the moment, not for the long term, for their children as you say.
Had the industry done more to be better stewards of the forests, the jobs might not have disappeared with the trees. It's one of a handful of industries who didn't seem to notice that they were clear cutting their own jobs out of existence, like they did to the Giant Redwoods. Fishing is another.
And the only reason there are any Redwoods left, is BECAUSE of outsiders who weren't afraid of the community leaders that locals were. That outrage and protesting SAVED the few Redwoods they could. Not the loggers, or the companies they work for.
@@tpbforlife3323 The problem with your train of thought is to somehow trick your mind into tunnel vision thinking, where logging for some folks in the area is the only form of employment. It’s not an either or situation. There are other forms of employment. If you really care enough about the forest, you would gravitate towards another type of employment. Are options fewer in some parts of rural America that depend on certain resource driven jobs? Yes. But again, there are other options. To think that there aren’t and that you have to be employed in that manner is self-defeating. Plain and simple.
Here in BC, Canada there are old photos from 150 years ago showing old growth trunks the same size as the redwoods. It breaks my heart knowing the damage that's been done
I'd known about albino redwoods. They don't have functioning chlorophyll. I had heard that they only exist by being parasites, "leeching" off other trees. but hearing how in the forest the root systems are genuinely connected, in a way where they actually support each other really changes the understanding of that dynamic. They're not being parasites, they can't produce the same way the other trees can but they are being supported regardless.
IDK its actually kinda heartwarming in that context.
Can’t help but be reminded of the way disabled people are often talked about, and yet we find that pre-agriculture human societies overwhelmingly took care of everyone in their tribe regardless of “productivity”. Seems these trees are the same.
It’s quite eye opening how we only found out about trees supporting each other somewhat recently, and until then just assumed they were in cut-throat individualistic competition. It says a lot about how our economic situation influences the entire way we think of the world
@@kaitlyn__L that’s exactly what I thought of too
They’re also helping the other trees, in ways that are exceptionally important in the modern day; stockpiling heavy metals that the other trees in their network, those that keep them alive, would be unable to handle.
@Remain Nameless not bookmarked, but what I’ve seen and what I’d be looking for again is archaeological evidence of skeletons with various disabilities living to an old age, having lots of recovered injuries, etc across a wide range of cultures. Search terms would probably be best to be stuff like “prehistoric disability treatment across cultures” or “archaeological dig disabled skeleton”.
There’s also a bunch of idioms leftover from cultures which were nomadic more recently, such as “a man who cannot walk can still ride a horse” which IIRC is Mongolian? Which suggest the idea was to find any value in tribe-members, rather than be overly concerned with that they can’t do.
I get by with a little help from my friends. I get high with a little help from my friends.
I'm very thankful that I live just a few hours away from the Redwoods. They truly are magical!
you are very lucky
i was recently informed that redwood city near my area.... do not have any more redwoods :(
I'm lucky. I live in a city and right now as I sit at my computer I look out at redwoods. Oh, they are only 100 feet tall or so, but give them a century. I figure I have fifty years before my solar array gets shaded.
You are blessed
I dream of seeing them one day but its hard to visit from the poor coast
We are hoping to move to the Willamette Valley as soon as my daughter is finished with school. Three years can't get here fast enough for us.
I live in (and love) the redwoods. "My" trees are protected in my deed so that after I die, they'll have to be looked after by whoever gets my land.
I work in a second growth forest in Sonoma County and I never get over how incredible these trees are. I would love to be able to better take care of them.
We just moved from Texas to Oregon and drove through the redwoods for the first time. The whole time we were driving Ijust wanted to cry. Its one of THE most beautiful things I've ever, ever seen. 😭😭😭🙌🌲🦅
I was married at the foot of the Stout Tree in Jedidiah Smith Redwoods in 1980. It is indeed a magical place! Sadly, at the same time, logging trucks were roaring by every five minutes taking the last of the once great forests. Now the trees are mostly gone except for a mile or so buffer along the highway. Sad.
Wow
I was blessed to live in Boulder Creek, California in an old house on the creek surrounded by those towering beauties for four years! It was my heart's desire. We sadly had to leave, but I will always be so grateful for the memories I have of those days. There is nothing like those trees. I love them. They are guardians! I miss them so very much. I took one with in a pot, which I've transplanted twice because it's growing so fast. I hope it'll grow up here in Oregon--I've seen a few here already, so I do have hope! When we finally save up enough to buy another house, I'll plant it in our forever ground and hope and pray he does well and then I'll have my own tiny redwood forest again.
I am SO grateful there are people looking after them! I'm so glad for this video!
The nearby Henry Coe State Park is awesome....a small grove of old growth redwoods that you can actually touch and a few you can even climb into...having been hollowed out by centuries of brush fires. It's a religious experience
It will grow. There are many here in the U.K. in fact over 500,000 of them. Planted by rich victorians. There are about 5 Giant Sequoias and a whole grove of coastal redwood all within about 5 miles of my house .
I've only seen the coastal sequoia redwoods, but I have been too the big trees national park. They are beautiful creatures that really do deserve our respect. As humans we should be very concerned about there footprints disappearing they also grab the clouds and help bring persipitation to California. Making sure that there continues to be healthy forests should be our concern.
Whenever I hear about such gigantic trees being felled, it makes my heart sink. Even it if was "over 100 years ago..." what comfort is that when a tree with a lifespan that dwarfed the Roman Empire was callously cut down to build houses?
It's editing but the forest rangers all smiling at the thought of healthy growing trees, it is heart warming.
And I love the fact that the new redwoods are being "raised" like children so future generations will one day look at them with respect as the elders of the forest. And fyi, a mature fallen redwood takes decades if not a century to decay. During that time, it acts as a mini biome for numerous species.
Haven't been to the Oregon groves yet but I went to Yosemite and I've seen the Mariposa Grove as well as Miur preservation and never been so awe struck in my life. Truly grateful to have witnessed these trees and plan to continue to visit them as frequently as I possibly can! Anyone on the fence should do everything they can to experience this as well.
Seeing how big the historical range of redwood forests was and how tiny it is now, it makes you want to restore the whole area. Maybe future humans will be smart enough to grow agroforests and reduce the urban sprawl by increasing the population density in cities (yes, that necessarily means public transport) so vast areas could be regrown.
the graphic shows the extent of "old growth" forests then and now, not redwoods in general. it's tragic that we've lost so much old growth, but worth noting that redwood forests still exist in the previous old growth extent; they're just "second growth" younger redwoods that grew after logging, and not "old growth".
One can make that connection with nature anywhere in the world if one pays attention. I've lived in the southwest for decades now, and I have connections with the insects and the cholla and the reptiles, mammals, and birds here. I lived in the Olympic rainforest for a few years, and I grew up all over the Western Americas. There is true connection in life and other living creatures, and I've never felt a connection outside of that.
The Redwood forest, to me, was another holy place on earth, simple as that, and holy places are everywhere life is. Look for them in your own neighborhood, you can find them.
Beautiful
Words to live by
This is a fascinating story.
For a more in-depth and nuanced examination of the California Redwoods please read the book “The Wild Trees” by Richard Preston.
As an avid reader, it is one of the very best books I have ever read.
Bought a new version of the Paul Bunyan story when I was working. Paul makes his way west, cutting down everything. Reaches the redwoods and rejoices "At last, trees worthy of my axe!" As he raises his axe for the first chop his eyes happen to glance eastwards ... and he sees the devastation.
Paul changes. Hitches Babe the Big Blue Ox, makes his axe a plow, and he and his team head east PLANTING trees!
Retired school librarian
Thank you! I just requested it from my library. I really enjoyed "If Trees Could Talk" by Holly Worton and I learnt a lot from "The Overstory" by Richard Powers (but it kind of broke my heart too).
As a native Californian I am humbled by and proud of these amazing living treasures.
Did a bucket list trip in 2020. Saw the Redwoods & Sequoias. They are indeed irreplaceable.
My mom, sister, and I went to the Redwoods National and State parks in September 2018 and just were amazed at the size and grandeur of these trees. Seeing them in person is unlike anything you can experience in a d forest! A real gem of the natural world that needs to be properly preserved and maintained!
This forest is pure magic. I got to spend 2 weeks hiking and walking and riding through them. Thank this crew for caring for the trees ❤
About 3% percent of old growth is left, but the redwood belt is still here and the way they're managing much of the second growth, it'll revert to old growth in a few centuries. Largest landowning timber company vowed to not cut stands of old growth and to not clear-cut, in order to promote older forest growth. Huge differences over the last 40 years
Wow! Well put together. I love the production team's style. You go, PBS Terra! The Redwoods Rising project deserves this kind of great storytelling. So big thanks to all involved.
Folks should know that Redwoods Rising is solutionary work that will benefit all of us in more ways than one can immediately recognize. This episode does a great job of providing us a look into this unfolding and motivating work.
Wonderful video, nice tour, beautiful presentation 👍 thank you
I wish you a happy day
I live close to the Redwoods and have seen them many times and every time is filled with the awe and wonder of the first time!
They are definitely worth a trip to see!
I got to experience them once. I didn’t expect them to feel the way they did! You expect a tree trunk to feel hard, even brittle…. The surface of the redwoods was squashy! You press them with your hand and they gently ‘give’. Really strange and unearthly. And the scale of them is truly daunting. It was an emotional experience to camp beneath them, and a feeling of deep respect for them as living organisms and as a whole organic system.
Some of our favorite places on our cross America road trip were the redwood forests, including Avenue of the Giants and camping in the woods outside of Crescent City. So beautiful ❤️
I've never been anywhere that felt so special than among the coast redwoods. It's just crazy, feels like you need to be kinda quiet and just experience it they way you need to, which is different for everyone.
This brought tears to my eyes. The way the Yurok people feel about the trees. How he said they teach us how we should be treating each other... it really hit home. And then they show how we literally destroyed the vast majority of the Forrest. There's no doubt that humans are pretty much the worst thing to ever happen to this planet. Forget asteroids and meteors and super volcanoes. The destruction we've wrought is almost beyond compare, just stretched over a long period of time. Makes me sad, but I'll find joy in knowing there's people out there working to conserve these remarkable natural wonders.
Wonderful video and I really appreciate the Indigenous perspective on the trees. I am excited to make a journey to see the redwoods in the future! Glad there's individuals fighting to preserve these beautiful trees.
It's amazing how gigantic trees could make you humble and reminded you how little you are. Maybe this is why people on the past worship trees in the past. We establish connections with these trees.
I do bonsai, bought a redwood a few years ago, and planted it in the ground to thicken faster. In just two years the trunk diameter grew ten times bigger. Never seen a tree grow so fast.
Thank you majestic trees for all that you do for us.
I have one growing from seed down on the Florida panhandle. Itll be interesting to see it establish over the coming years. It survived a very uncommon 4 day 20 degree cold snap as a sapling, and came out growing stronger than ever. Its very similar and closely related to the bald cypress native to here.
Where do we get seeds?
I live in NorCal and I’ve been all over the world, Mt. Everest base camp, Milford Sound, Grand Canyon, Ancient Rome, to name a few and I would say the Redwoods are my top 3 favorite places I’ve ever been to. There’s just something about that place that makes you feel… human.
If I’d had to pick one thing on earth as my favourite this would be it. Planted one of them in my garden just because I could to see it grow. It will never be majestic in my lifetime so I guess it’s time to start looking into options to somehow protect it, prevent it from being cut down.
Or grow something more fitting into a garden.
I was lucky enough to visit a few years back and the atmosphere in these forests is something else.
Redwood trees are such wonderful beings. Whenever I walk among them, I can't help but touch their soft, velvety bark. Is it just me, or is it quieter between redwoods than in other forests? I live in Goslar, Germany, but fortunately I don't have to travel far to see them.
There is an arboretum just 30 km from here and it includes a redwood grove. The Weltwald in Bad Grund was established 50 years ago. The trees there are still quite small (actually the average size of our indigenous trees), but they cope well with our climate and I am confident that they will grow into mighty giants that my grand grand children will be able to see.
It seemed to me ,yes,it is quieter in there. It's wonderful to hear that you have the start of a forest or grove of them in Germany. ❤️🌱
Please do my other three favorites: Sequoias, Douglas Firs, and Ancient Bristlecone Pines.
I have a huge ring redwood grove I lived in for 8 years, off the grid. It was really beautiful. It will be donated to the state park to be protected. Not many old growth trees left.
Naturally majestic. It's definitely a humbling thought on how amazing these trees are and even more so when you get the opportunity to visit and experience them.
A big hat-tipping moment to all the people involved preserving these earthly treasures.
I was last in the area over twenty years ago and was bothered by seeing less Spanish Moss than had been around a few decades earlier, and actually saw dead stump sprouts regularly, something I'd never seen before. I saw these things as symptoms of changes in the climate, more heat and less moisture...
Fool.
Signs of an extended drought, sure.
Climate changes.
If it didn't, there would still be mega fauna in North America. The wooly kind. And glaciers.
Wasn't even that long ago, even.
Seeing those trees as a kid is something I will never forget I was amazed I looked up at the trees and could not see the top of the trees keep in mind this coming from a kid that lived his whole life in the Arizona desert I was fortunate enough to go see them truly a natural wonder of the world
It blows my mind when I think about the size of a seed, and then what it can grow into.
I haven't had a chance yet to see the redwoods, but I have sequoias. I can understand the magnificence of these trees. No amount of photos can convey the titanic size of them. Absolutely breathtaking.
I backpacked through the redwoods most of my life. One time my wife arrived early to get me so she hiked in a ways. When I reached her she was just sitting there looking up. She was like wow now I know why you come here.
I love the redwoods so much. I’m lucky enough to live close and whenever I’m there I can feel the majesty. It’s calming and beautiful it’s my favorite place in the world
Grew up and still live around redwood trees. Redwood forests are the only kind of forest I've ever really known, so deciduous forests look really weird to me. Seeing people be so in awe of redwoods is still a little strange cause it seems so normal to me, but when compared to other forests? I get it
It's just a video...but wow. This gave me chills. Plants themselves make me feel comforted, like being in the middle of the woods , is the most peaceful and calm feeling. Such large ancient and wise trees are absolutely incredible
I went to see these trees and it crushed me to think we once cut them to the point of near extinction.
Imagine a whole coastline full of them. It must have been an amazing sight.
I have lived in Humboldt Co since 1966. The forests are where i go when i want peace and quiet. The trees are magical and healing.
My favorite plant in the world. Can't wait to visit them!
Wow I loved the closer. Very powerful and leading by example, PBS. A lot of people feel paralyzed by anxiety about the world. Good on you for noticing and doing something positive about it.
I do work with the Yurok tribe in many areas of humboldt and trinity counties. The redwoods are a truly insane humbling experience, akin to the feeling after you leave your first concert, or first professional sports game. It’s magical.
The fact we can go thats a big tree lets log it is just insane but we still do it today just with different trees.
Rockefeller Christmas trees
Thank you for this! I love living here amidst Redwoods. I am blessed.
Seeing them is on my bucket list. Beautiful video, thanks!
❤❤
Beautiful episode, ❤️
I went to the Redwood Forest this year and the sense of peace in this Forest is beyond anything I had ever experienced. It was a spiritual experience. The ferns that grow with the Redwoods are like Jurassic Park. There is a whole ecosystem that goes together. This was my only bucket list item I'm so glad I got to do it. Highly recommend Shelter Cove.
I have lived in Northern Calif for 67 yrs now and still get thrilled when walking into a grove. It's entering a peaceful new world that seems to shut out the noisy one.
Beautiful and inspiring. Great to see that regrowth.
Wow, this is a beautiful episode. one of the best yet. Thank you for your lovely work. 🙏❤🌵❤🌵😎
Of all the beautiful places on this earth, the one place i'd love to see before i die is the Redwood Forest. I probably never will be able to afford to travel there but a girl can dream. Such majesty. Bless everyone working to save them.
I heard that redwoods were prevalent in what is now western British Columbia and Washington State about 8,000 years ago when the climate was warmer and drier. Now there are mainly, spruce, douglas fir, hemlock and cedar.
yeah that is odd, and thats about the same time humans were populating the continent in massive waves from Asia. maybe teh humans killed some animal that spread the redwood seeds across a large area, both Giant Sequoia and Coast redwoods
The American Chestnut is also another fascinating story that is RARELY talked about. Pretty sad actually.
The General Sherman tree is indeed the biggest (not tallest) tree in the world, but it is not as coast redwood. It is a giant sequoia which are found in easter California in the Sierra Nevada.
I’m super fortunate to live in the same city that has the redwood national park. As a kid I never thought much of it as my city had field trips there as a kid.
I appreciate how you just let the narrator and Frankie Myers disagree with each other without comment. Our disagreements are not always a big deal. (Referring to the narrator saying the Redwoods were here 135 million years before humans, while Mr. Myers said they were here together.)
There are definitely not just 3 things that kill trees. Besides that great video!
The most dangerous thing to all trees (and every other living thing on this tiny rock called earth) is a certain type of cancer.
It's called homo sapiens.
I think that 5hey weren't counting us.
THEY are killing the weaker trees with chainsaws! What a hypocritical video.
This is beautiful beyond everything
Ty PBS❤
The elegance of the canoe was breathtaking.
I hope i get to see these amazing trees someday. It is my lifelong dream ❤
Yes, I still yet to see them and one day I will make my way out there to see their magnificent.
Your presentation is always great
No more I learn about biology, the more it's clear to me that life is a game of collaboration. It may be competitive at the individual level (which may be why so many use division, jealousy, and greed) but at the ecosystem level, we need each other.
The UK now has more Redwood trees than the US, that’s crazy.
I got to see the sequoias. Majestic. Didn’t have time to make it up to the redwoods.
I grew up in the Santa Cruz Mountains...There is absolutely a Vibe that Redwoods have that I've yet to encounter elsewhere.
I have a lone Coastal Redwood in my yard just across the border in Southern Oregon.
Whats crazy is they used to be in Wyoming. There's a fossilized redwood tree that was buried by volcanic ash in Yellowstone.
Redwoods are capable if planted of growing here in NC. What limits their growth is when they become taller than all the other native trees is lightning striking them then insects and diseases do them in. Apparently in Northern California they must not get thunderstorms. I remember a family from California, I don't know where but their young daughter was really scared the first summer here because she had never seen lightning or heard thunder. I'd like to know if this is true.
In north coastal regions of California summer lightning is very rare. About the only time one might hear thunder in San Francisco is in a winter storm and not often then. The central valley is a different matter.
@@danielcarroll3358 The Valley gets plenty of storms, as do we up here in the Sierras.
@@bjarkiengelsson I'm glad to get verification. Thanks.
That's because north carolina has the opposite climate of northern California, both temperate in different ways.
Norther california is cool Mediterranean so it gets most of its rain in winter, while North Carolina is Humid Subtropical with summer rain, Northern California almost never sees snow and rarely frost ,the Atlantic is colder in winter.
@@An-kw3ec We accually get more rain in the fall and winter because the creeks and swamps are low and dry in summer. They are higher and swamps flooded during a typical winter. Winter in NC is mild average highs are 60sor 70s with cold snaps for a few days then warming again. We get snow about every 15 - 20 years. Lots of trees and plants will grow outside their home range but most won't produce seeds to propagate new ones.
Looks like Forest Services and timber companies would try to plant more redwoods even if they only grow a fraction of the size they do in Calif. The wood is valued and it might give the big old trees a chance to grow older.
This was such a pleasure to see! Thank you to all who are working hard to save these magnificent trees. We simply can't allow them to to be destroyed by our carelessness.
Beautiful. Thank you for this touching episode. Long live the trees. Long live the forests.🌲🤗💞
Yes we did lose many of the redwoods. An ongoing reflection on the past as a time of shame is not fruitful. What I think is critical to remember is that conservation of the redwoods has been in progress since at least 1918. As a result of the foresight of a few and their efforts in building a consensus, the remnants of the ancient forrest have been saved. That is a victory that should be celebrated.
See I think it's important to remember and reflect on our mistakes so that we don't forget to do better, personally.
Easily one of the most beautiful and captivating locations on earth.
That place is absolutely gorgeous
Climate has always been changing, I get anxiety over the tools sold on the myth that it's all anthropogenic, panicking and causing serious problems. They are the science deniers without even knowing what the actual science indicates.
This was beautiful. Thank you.
It's amazing this tribe of people has been in one area for so long when most peoples have migrated frequently. There must be fantastic research being done on the static DNA pool anomaly.
I can totally picture a T-Rex walking around under those giant Redwoods. They look prehistoric.
Did you consider if the thinning might make the trees more vulnerable to wind throw?
wind isn't their enemy, it is their friend. Redwoods r so majestic & humbling. They r alive with wisdom of generations. They have a voice that when u truly listen sings across the winds.
Second growth trees are often stump-sprouts forming a loose ring around where a giant was cut down, and often not so loose a ring, they can be very crowded. While they grow tall they are thin for their height. Removing two or three of the five or more stump-sprouts from a group helps the others get more growth and creates openings in the canopy. The original forest was multi-layered, tall trees had shorter offspring around them in some places, and an intermediate canopy layer that was home to many species that need a place in these newer second and third growth areas.
Not a climate cultist like PBS is, but here in the South there is a growing phenomenon of thinning forests, burning off invasive undergrowth and letting natural grasslands to form underneath. Native Habitat Project is educating landowners on saving and protecting forests and grasslands by natural means.
How can one tell which future episodes of PBS Terra are part of “Untold Earth”? Are any “Untold Earth” episodes to be published outside of PBS Terra?
I'm curious, how difficult is to cultivate Redwood tree's? Couldn't they reforest an area and help those woods expand? Yes it will take hundreds or thousands of years to get back to what nature created but I think so worth it for such a rare tree.
Coastal Redwoods live in the fog belt along the coast, hence the name. Global warming is moving the fog belt northwards. That's why the efforts to plant redwoods north of their traditional area. We shall see how successful that is.
Well... That's what they're talking about in the video with the "new growth" trees. That's what it means. The "old growth" trees can't be brought back but new growth can take it's place. However, it's like you said... it's going to take thousands (actually millions since we're talking about trees as old as the Dinos) to get back to that point.
I live next to Clear Lake California. Climate here has changed. Only 1 Redwood by me, and he is alone and unhappy. I feel like my heart is breaking, every time I walk by it.
I'm not sure you really answered the question though...? Physics is the usual culprit, but you're saying fog is the secret weapon to beating that? Or the epiphytic mat, both?
How do redwoods differ from other trees specifically? Or is it more a culmination of several smaller effects?
I live in la only for 2 years but I'm so excited to eventually see redwoods
Peace from Santa Cruz Mountain redwoods. Glad the atmospheric river is over for a while.