Sempervirens Fund Supporters Dedicate Old-Growth Redwood at Big Basin to Honor Former Congresswoman Anna Eshoo
Conservation leaders honored Eshoo’s three decades of leadership on California’s Central Coast, including her role in designating Cotoni-Coast Dairies with National Monument status
BOULDER CREEK, Calif., Oct. 5, 2026—Sempervirens Fund, California’s first land trust, dedicated an old-growth redwood tree in Big Basin Redwoods State Park in honor of former Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, recognizing her more than three decades of conservation leadership representing parts of Santa Cruz, San Mateo, and Santa Clara counties in Congress.
(L-R) Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, State Senator John Laird, Former Congressman Sam Farr, Former Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, Assemblymember Marc Berman, Supervisor Ray Mueller, State Senator Josh Becker, and Congressman Jimmy Panetta; Photo credit: Orenda Randuch
The dedication bookends a successful tribute campaign that raised $250,000 in Eshoo’s honor. Gifts to the campaign support Sempervirens’ work to protect and restore redwood forests, wildlife habitat, and watersheds across the Santa Cruz Mountains, the very landscapes Eshoo worked to protect throughout her career in Congress.
Eshoo championed the protection of California’s coastlines, wetlands, and forests. She helped secure the addition of the Cotoni-Coast Dairies property, including hundreds of acres of redwood forest, to the California Coastal National Monument. Sunday’s dedication reflects Sempervirens Fund’s effort to honor that legacy in a lasting fashion: for generations to come, visitors to Big Basin will be able to stand in Eshoo’s tree and remember a leader who helped protect the forests around it.
The event drew former Rep. Anna Eshoo, Congressman Jimmy Panetta, State Senators John Laird and Josh Becker, State Assemblymembers Marc Berman, Gail Pellerin, and Patrick Ahrens, San Mateo County Supervisor Ray Mueller, and leaders from California State Parks, other local conservation leaders, and elected officials.
“It is both a humbling and singular honor to be chosen by Sempervirens Fund to have a magnificent coast redwood bear my name in honor of my environmental work to preserve and protect throughout my public service,” said former Congresswoman Anna Eshoo. “Redwood trees are the tallest in the world, can live for over 2,000 years, support diverse ecosystems, and are among the Earth’s greatest carbon storage resources helping to significantly offset climate change, and are known for their incredible resiliency. They are our living cathedrals and profound source of silence and awe. I am unendingly grateful to Sempervirens Fund, my public service colleagues, constituents, superb staff, family and friends whose strong shoulders I have depended on.”
“It’s important for people to remember that Big Basin and the ancient redwoods here in the Santa Cruz Mountains require our protection, our action, and our commitment to ensure they continue to thrive,” said Sara Barth, Executive Director of Sempervirens Fund. “No one understands that better than Anna Eshoo. Through her years of service, she made conservation and climate resiliency a priority, so it’s only right that we celebrate her today with this honor. Sempervirens’ donors stepped up with real passion to contribute to this campaign, and it is a testament to her resolve and leadership that they wanted to show their appreciation for the former congresswoman. Generations of people will enjoy moments in the shade of the Eshoo tree.”
“For over 30 years in Congress, Anna Eshoo set the standard for what it means to represent a community with integrity, effectiveness, and a deep commitment to the places people call home,” said Congressman Jimmy Panetta. “Dedicating this honorary tree in the heart of Big Basin recognizes her legacy of leadership that helped protect the forests, coastlines, and public lands that define our Bay Area region. It is a lasting reminder that public service can leave an impact measured not only in years, but in generations.”
“I served along Congresswoman Anna Eshoo for many years, and watched live her commitment to environmental protection in the Santa Cruz Mountains,” said State Senator John Laird. “She has understood that places like Big Basin and Cotoni-Coast Dairies are more than parks – they are living classrooms, sources of inspiration, and an essential part of California’s natural heritage. These and other protected areas did not get there by accident. It was after long, difficult processes and Anna was at the table for each one. This honorary tree is a fitting tribute to a leader whose conservation legacy will continue to be felt every time a visitor walks beneath these ancient redwoods.”
(L-R) Sempervirens Fund Executive Director Sara Barth, Sempervirens Fund Board member Sara Chapman, Former Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, and Sempervirens Fund Board member Peter Staple gather to celebrate Sempervirens Fund’s board resolution honoring Eshoo for three decades of service. Photo by Orenda Randuch.
“Anna Eshoo helped shape a conservation legacy that stretches from the Pacific coast to the redwood-covered mountains of our region, said State Senator Josh Becker. “Her leadership played a vital role in protecting places like Cotoni-Coast Dairies and strengthening the connection between people and nature. This tree dedicated in her honor is a powerful reminder that public service can leave a legacy that grows stronger with every passing year.”
“As we celebrate Anna Eshoo’s extraordinary contributions, we also reaffirm our commitment to the work that remains ahead,” said Assemblymember Marc Berman. “The challenges facing our forests and public lands require the same foresight, determination, and partnership that Anna brought to natural resource conservation – and to public service. May this tree inspire future leaders to continue protecting these irreplaceable landscapes.”
“Throughout Anna Eshoo’s public service, she championed the forests, coastlines, and open spaces that define our region,” said State Assemblymember Patrick Ahrens. “It is fitting that her legacy will now live on among these magnificent redwoods, inspiring visitors for generations to come.”
“The redwood forests of the Santa Cruz Mountains are part of our shared heritage, and Anna Eshoo worked tirelessly to ensure they would remain protected for future generations,” said State Assemblymember Gail Pellerin. “This dedication honors her remarkable record of public service and her deep belief that conservation succeeds when communities come together to care for the places they love.”
“Public service is measured not only by the laws we pass and by the lasting impact we leave on our communities,” said Supervisor Ray Mueller, District 3, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors. “Anna Eshoo dedicated decades of service to protecting the landscapes that make the Central Coast such a special place to live, work, and explore. This tree stands as a living tribute to her vision, leadership, and commitment to conservation.”
Congresswoman Eshoo’s honorary tree is located near Big Basin’s Tree of Honor, behind and to the right of the amphitheater space, which is along the Redwood Loop. The tree is believed to be at least as old as the park itself, and while it was impacted by the CZU fire, losing most of its limbs, it is considered to be in excellent health. For digital directions to the tree visit: sempervirens.org/EshooTree(opens in new tab)