Agnew Grove

While the sequoia, Sequoiadendron giganteum, may be the most noticeable tree in the community, it is very seldom the dominant. In a few sites, limited to a hectare or less, the sequoia may form 90% of the canopy, but the average is closer to 5%. The dominant species in terms of numbers or canopy coverage is usually the white fir, Abies concolor. Sugar pine, Pinus lambertiana, is the next most important species in the moderate-elevation groves. In the low-elevation groves, incense cedar, Calocedrus decurrens, is important, as is red fir, Abies magnifica, in the higher-elevation groves.

In some of the northern groves there are small populations of Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii. Jeffrey pine, Pinus jeffreyi, ponderosa pine, Pinus ponderosa, mountain misery, Chamaebatia foliolosa, black oak, Quercus kelloggii, and greenleaf manzanita, Arctostaphylos patula, occasionally occur within a grove but are not considered typical community members.

Groves occur on a variety of soils, many of them derived from granitic rocks but some from greenstone or metamorphic schists. Soil moisture availability appears to be an important factor in the distribution of the groves.

The groves were probably isolated long ago, as phenotypic attributes suggest mutations following isolation. There is no evidence that the present groves have decreased in size over the past 500 or more years. And, similarly, there is no evidence to indicate that
a significant enlargement of grove boundaries is taking place. Few of the groves today have sufficient young to maintain the present density of mature sequoias.

The Agnew Grove of sequoias, Sequoiadendron giganteum, is a small grove about 3 kilometers(2 miles) east of the Evans Grove.

Integrity: The sequoia itself is protected, and groves on public lands are not harvested for other species, though they may be on private lands.

Use: Research, educational, observational, present.

Ref: Hartesveldt, R. J. et al, 1975. The Giant Sequoia of the Sierra Nevada. U.S. Dept. of the Inter., National Park Service, Washington, 180 pp.
Rundel, Philip, 1971. Community Structure and Stability in the Giant Sequoia Groves of the Sierra Nevada, California. Amer. Mid. Natur. Vol. B5 (2), pp. 478-492.
1972. An Annotated Check List of the Groves of Sequoiadendron Giganteum in the Sierra Nevada, California. Madrono Vol. 21 (5), pp. 319-328.

March 1978