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Lush, green redwood forest fades into the fog beyond, by Ian Bornarth

Why Cut Redwoods?

More than a decade ago, Sempervirens Fund was confronted with a choice: do we actively manage the forests we protect to improve their health, or do we continue to protect the redwoods as we have for more than a century and allow nature to heal on its own timeline? Active management to restore the forest would include the need to cut down trees for the benefit of the forest. With the increasing urgency to help redwoods recover from past human impacts and prepare for accelerating climate changes ahead, we collaborated with Bay Nature Magazine and author Audrea Lim to look at the shift in our redwood revolution and explore the outcomes.

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The orange hard hat of forester Nadia Hamey stands out among the lush green foliage of Deadman’s Gulch in San Vicente Redwoods as she assesses the canopy for potential old-growth redwoods, by Orenda Randuch

Growing Old-Growth

An old-growth redwood is huge. One of the largest living things to ever grace the planet. And their size isn’t just impressive, it’s important. In the Santa Cruz Mountains very few old-growth redwoods remain, but you’re helping to grow the old-growth of tomorrow, today. Together, we’re restoring redwood forests faster for the trees, for wildlife, for the fight against climate change, and for future generations.

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Sunlight filters through the forest canopy to illuminate several redwood trees at Lompico Headwaters, by Orenda Randuch

A Stewardship Story: Return to Nature

Surviving since nearly the age of the dinosaurs, redwoods are resilient—but only 5% of them have survived the last century and a half. Human impacts have left redwood forests struggling to recover. Together, we are carefully caring for the redwood forests you protect, resetting their natural systems, and helping them return to nature. Take a peek behind the trees at how you have helped the redwood forests of the Santa Cruz mountains–some of the most biodiverse and threatened on Earth–this year.

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Looking from yellow lupine blooms along one of Año Nuevo Vista’s ridges to forested slopes of redwoods recovering post-fire, and down to the glittering Pacific Ocean beneath a clear blue sky, by Orenda Randuch

Protect Año Nuevo Vista

From glittering white ridges to the glittering Pacific Ocean, Año Nuevo’s breathtaking views boast much of what makes the Santa Cruz mountains special. Its shady redwood forest and sunny chaparral interspersed with rare white sands known as “the chalks” support endangered plants and animals. Together, we can protect Año Nuevo Vista’s forest and watershed from development and help connect the largest protected lands and wildlife habitat.

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Silhouetted forest descends to glittering sea out to mountains against a hazy sky tinted by sunset, by Orenda Randuch

Help Rebuild State Parks

Help California State Parks rebuild Big Basin, Butano, and Año Nuevo State Parks and protect the region’s incredible biodiversity devastated by the 2020 CZU Fire. Stay tuned for the next step to ask state leadership to rebuild State Parks and protect priority lands in the Santa Cruz mountains.

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burned nearly bare mountains in the Gazos watershed after the CZU Fire by Ian Bornarth

Save Climate Funding in State Budget

With increasingly severe fires, floods, and sea level rise affecting the state each year, California should be rapidly investing to deploy climate mitigation measures and strengthen its resiliency as soon as possible. Ask your legislators to act on a climate bond in 2024.

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burned nearly bare mountains in the Gazos watershed after the CZU Fire by Ian Bornarth

California Climate Bond

With increasingly severe fires, floods, and sea level rise affecting the state each year, California should be rapidly investing to deploy climate mitigation measures and strengthen its resiliency as soon as possible. Ask your legislators to act on a climate bond in 2024.

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foggy mountains behind mature trees, by Mike Kahn

America the Beautiful

The vision for protecting and restoring 30% of America’s land and waters by 2030 has a ways to go. Urge state leadership to prioritize conserving and restoring lands, waters, and wildlife.

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Mushrooms of different sizes, shapes, and colors found at San Vicente Redwoods lie on a white sheet for mycologist Maya Elson to identify, by Orenda Randuch

Fungi of the Forest: Meet the Mushrooms of San Vicente Redwoods

Mycologist and researcher Maya Elson teamed up with photographer Orenda Randuch for a fungi photo essay to help us meet the mushrooms hard at work at San Vicente Redwoods. Learn identification tips to recognize mushrooms above ground, and their critical work underground to help the forest recover from fire, drought, flood, and human impacts in the fight against climate change.

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Looking up a sun-dappled, lush forested slope covered in redwoods, ferns, and mosses at Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park, by Orenda Randuch

2023 News: What You’ve Made Possible

Without supporters like you, fewer forests would be protected and habitats restored, and they would be less resilient to fires, floods, and the increasing threats from our changing climate. You have made so many amazing things happen this year for redwood forests, and the people, plants, and creatures that need them. Thank you for protecting forests that help protect us all! Here are a few of the moments you made possible in 2023.

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