The Wild Trees

A few years ago, I read a book titled, The Wild Trees.  Richard Preston, the author, has a well-deserved reputation for engaging, well-researched writing on a range of important subjects. 

This book reports on the dedication of Steve Sillett and Marie Antoine,  whose forestry work at Humboldt State University in Northern California focuses on the giant trees in California and Oregon.  The trees we're taking about can be two thousand years old,   380 feet tall, and nearly 30 feet in diameter at ground level.  They are the tallest living things on Earth.

Only four percent of the once expansive forests of giant coastal trees remain.   These majestic trees are jewels that should be treated as such. Fortunately, most are now protected against exploitation.  They are far more valuable as trees than as so many board feet of lumber. 

Here is a link to the Save the Redwoods League, which has been working to protect these giant, wild trees for nearly a century... http://www.savetheredwoods.org/


Here is a link to a TED video presentation that features Richard Preston talking about The Wild Trees...   http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/en/richard_preston_on_the_giant_trees.html.