Humboldt Redwoods State Park

In this, the largest State Park in Northern California, approximately half the acreage is in old-growth redwood, Sequoia sempervirens, and includes 70 of the 250-plus designated memorial groves in the State. Within the park are some of the tallest of redwoods, several of which exceed 107 meters (350 feet) and the tallest being in the Rockefeller Grove at 109 meters (358 feet). (There have been reports of even taller redwoods and, though they are usually considered the tallest species, several other species including Douglas fir and Australian mountain ash have been measured at 117 meters (385 feet) and 114 meters (375 feet), respectively, after felling.)

Several plant communities other than the redwoods are found in the park, including grassland (see Grasshopper Peak Prairie) and a mixed evergreen forest in which Douglas fir, Pseudotsuga menziesii, madrone, Arbutus menziesii, tan-oak, Lithocarpus densiflora, and California bay, Umbellularia californica, are the conspicuous. Along the stream courses are found willows, Salix spp., big-leaf maple, Acer macrophyllum, and red alder, Alnus rubra.

There is an abundance of animal life.

Integrity: Portions have been in protected status since 1921. While there are a number of developments, including campsites, roads and trails in the park, and some of the groves are suffering from overuse, much of the area is virtually undisturbed.

Use: Research, educational, observational, present.

Ref: Adams, Kramer, 1969. The Redwoods, Popular Library, New York, 176 pp.

August 1977