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Learn about Redwoods

Coast Redwoods are Natural Marvels

Coast redwoods thrive only along the Pacific coast, from Big Sur to Oregon. In the southern Bay Area, they stretch across the Santa Cruz Mountains, from Silicon Valley to the Pacific Ocean. They’ve been here for at least 20 million years.

Redwoods provide critical habitat for a vast array of wildlife—like mountain lions, bobcat, coyotes, coho salmon, and the endangered marbled murrelet. As the Earth’s climate changes, the Santa Cruz Mountains are one of only a handful of areas where certain plants and animals can survive, thanks to a diversity of regional microclimates, cooling from coastal fog, and largely unpaved lands.

The trees themselves are rare, precious, and fascinating. They exist naturally only here along the California and Oregon coasts, and they dominate their landscapes not only because they are the tallest trees in the world, but also because of their resilience, especially as they thrive and regenerate with fire.

photo by Don DeBold.

Carbon Champions

FACT: No other tree species can store more carbon.

Learn more about why

Thriving in Fire

FACT: Fire releases stored seeds, helping more redwoods grow.

Learn more about why

Nature is Good for Us

FACT: Nature helps us relax, and boosts focus.

Learn more about why

A Home Like No Other

FACT: Some species only live among redwoods or in their canopies.

Learn more about why

Experts Agree: Redwoods Rule!

FACT: Burned redwoods can get fuzzy with new growth.

Read what our experts say about Redwoods

Read, Watch, and Share

FACT: The oldest living coast redwood is at least 2,200 years old.

Go deeper into redwoods with books, articles, and videos

The best way to learn? Visit!

The redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains provide crucial recreation, refuge, and reflection for the people who live in or visit the San Francisco Bay Area. There are so many parks in the area where we can get out and discover the redwoods and be transformed by the experience—whether we are walking, biking, riding horseback, rock climbing, creating art, camping, or simply soaking up the beauty of redwoods and nature.

Visit Redwoods Santa Cruz Mountains

Protect Redwoods now

Coast redwoods are rare and precious—and they are at risk every day. Over the last 150 years, 95% of the old-growth redwood forests in the Santa Cruz Mountains were cut down. Today, the remaining redwood forests face relentless threats of being carved up, paved over, and built on. Amazing but true: magnificent coast redwoods are not protected by the state or federal government. It’s up to us to ensure that they survive, for wildlife and future generations to enjoy.

You can help protect and care for the local redwood forests.

Visit Redwoods Santa Cruz Mountains

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