Will the redwoods grow back?

Coast redwoods sometimes regenerate as seedlings but more often grow from sprouts, which start easily on lateral roots or from stumps or downed logs. Young redwoods grow quickly—two to six feet a year—so that a 20-year-old tree will often be 50 feet tall and about eight inches in diameter.



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They Live for Thousands of Years Although a redwoods' ability for a long lifespan contributed to its Latin name, Sequoia sempervirens—sempervirens means evergreen or everlasting” in Latin—most of the remaining redwoods in the Santa Cruz Mountains are “second-growth”, about 50-150 years old.

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As the climate changes, scientists predict that the range and character of redwood forests in the Santa Cruz mountains will change too. Some areas that have redwoods today could become too hot and dry to support them in the future.

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The gold rush brought hundreds of thousands of people to California, and the coast redwoods were logged extensively to satisfy the explosive demand for lumber. Now, approximately 5 percent of the old-growth coast redwood forest remains.

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Drought and other stressors are tough on redwoods, but they can bounce back.

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Nate Stephenson, a research ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), based near Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, says that if climate warming continues as projected, tens of thousands of these ancient trees will be at risk in the coming century from destruction by either drought or climate-induced ...

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Approximately 300 trees will be planted in 2022, and 700 in both 2023 and 2024. Humboldt State University student volunteer Sara Bandali preps a seedling for planting. Photo by National Park Service.

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THE QUESTION is often asked, Why do the Sequoias live so long? The answer is probably to be found in the fact that, whether dead or alive, they are remarkably resistant to the natural enemies of the forest. In general, there are three important enemies of dead or living mature trees: namely, insects, fungi, and fire.

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Redwoods have many shallow roots, so they are more easily drought-stressed. They need regular irrigation whenever the top three inches of soil are dry, even during winter months. If possible, increase the weekly amounts of water provided to the trees.

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Climate change, and its current and projected interactions with these stressors, jeopardizes the redwoods' ability to survive and thrive into the future.

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Only 5% of Redwoods are Left Because redwoods are extremely resistant to insects, fire and rot, they are treasured for building and 95% of them have been cut down since the 1850s 26.

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