National Park Redwood is the place on Earth that you want to visit again and again, no matter what the weather is.
General Description
Redwood National Park (photo below) has been a UNESCO heritage site since 1980 and one of the most famous nature reserves in the United States of America. Its dimensions are 430 square kilometers. This amazing reserve is famous for its picturesque plantations of ancient sequoia and mahogany forests. Also, these trees are known for their wear-resistant characteristics and vitality. Their height reaches 115 meters, they grow for four thousand years, and their bark can withstand the effects of fire, wind and water.
In addition to redwood forests, this park preserves untouched fauna and flora. About 75,000 rare species of mammals, birds and animals have found refuge here (for example, the western toad, California brown pelican, bald eagle, red deer, Roosevelt elk and others). Fans of the famous film epic Star Wars will no doubt recognize the landscapes of the green planet Endor in the landscapes of the park, since it was here that the filming of the final episode of the fantasticfilm trilogy. Currently, the territory on which Redwood National Park (California) is located is one of the most significant and protected in the United States.
History of occurrence
The first state reserves were organized back in the 16th century in order to preserve species of flora and fauna that are on the verge of extinction. On their territory it was forbidden to hunt, cut down trees, collect herbs, plants and their fruits. Later, there was a need to create not only protected areas, but also places for public leisure. Public gardens and parks began to appear in settlements.
In 1848, with the beginning of the gold rush in Northern California, representatives of the timber industry came to the territory that once belonged to the Cherokee Indians and began a merciless systematic cutting down of redwood forests. Already by 1918, a fund for the protection of redwood forests was created. But by the time the state reserve was officially formed on October 2, 1968, ninety percent of the sequoia and mahogany forests had been destroyed. On this day, US President Lyndon Johnson signed an order to create the Redwood National Park (literally, "red forest"). It included three combined parks: Del Norte Coast Redwoods, Jedediah Smith and Prarie Creek. Its total area at that time was 23,500 hectares. Later, in 1978, the territory of the reserve was able to increase by another 19,400 hectares thanks to the decision of the Congress.
BIn 1983, Redwood National Park was declared a Biosphere Reserve and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Forest area reached its current size in 1994 and is under government protection.
Vegetation
The rich flora of the Redwood Reserve is represented by 700 species of higher plants.
A significant and large part of the park is occupied by the forests of the California red mammoth sequoia tree (lat. Sequoia sempervirens), which belongs to the monotypic genus of trees of the Cypress family. The crown has a conical shape, the thickness of the bark is 30 cm, the length of the leaves reaches 25 mm, the cones are 32 mm long, the height of the tree is up to 130 m, the trunk diameter is 5–11 m.
Sequoia trees (Sequoia sempervi-rens, Sequoiadendron giganteum) - coastal subspecies of mahogany (S. mahagoni). They are the tallest living on Earth and grow on the Pacific coast of North America between Monterey Bay in Northern California and the Klamath Mountains in Southern Oregon.
Currently, the tallest sequoia in the world is Hyperion, its height is 115.5 meters. By 2017, according to scientists, the championship will be taken by the Helios sequoia (which grows 2 inches annually), as the growth of Hyperion is h alted due to damage to the trunk caused by woodpeckers.
In addition to mahogany, such rare and beautiful representatives of the flora as azalea, western trillium, oxalis, Douglas fir, Californiarhododendron, nephrolepis, etc.
What to do in the park?
Majestic redwoods, picturesque landscapes, well-equipped camping and other attractions attract a constant stream of tourists at any time of the year.
Redwood National Park doesn't have to be explored on foot. An old railroad runs through the reserve. Previously, cut down forest was transported along it, but now sightseeing trains run. By the way, the railroad switches are still switched manually.
In addition to contemplation of the majestic trees and excursions, the following types of entertainment are offered to visitors of the park:
- riding;
- cycling along specially laid routes;
- rafting;
- camping;
- cafe.
Which state is Redwood National Park in?
The reserve has no specific address.
Its location is northern California, an hour drive from San Francisco towards Oregon. This is a coastal area between cities like Eureka and Crescent City.
