A Mosaic of Life
Welcome to an old-growth redwood forest! Notice you are surrounded by more than just redwoods. The tree next to this post is an old-growth Douglas Fir. Observe how its bark is crustier and flakey in comparison to the fibrous, deep-furrowed bark of redwood trees. Look around you. How many other different textures and shades of green do you see in this forest?
How does this forest differ from the one in the parking lot? You’ll notice the trees are bigger, older. There is more light, more space to grow. How long did it take for this forest to look like this? How many more centuries will pass before the second-growth forest near the parking lot will take a similar shape?
As you slowly make your way to the next stop, you may witness a variety of mushrooms, orchids or other odd-looking plants. Gnome plants, pinesap, and coralroot orchids are plants which cannot produce their own food; instead, these plants steal sugars from fungi, which in turn take sugars from the roots of Douglas firs! Through this network, the fir trees gain more access to nutrient-rich water! Most of these unique species are seasonal, treasured for only a moment in time.
Do you see evidence of something that might change this mosaic of life?
Redwood National and State Parks
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service