Giant sequoias, the world’s largest trees and an iconic California species, face increasing risk due to severe wildfires brought on by unnaturally high fuel loads and climate change. Over the past decade, nearly 20% of the world’s mature giant sequoias have been killed by severe wildfires raging through their narrow range in the southern Sierra Nevada.
To avoid further losses and promote new growth, a group of partners, with funding from California Climate Investments, is restoring and protecting southern Sierra sequoia forests. American Forests received a $4.9 million Forest Health grant from CAL FIRE in 2021 and is leading an effort to restore more than 2,600 acres of forests burned by six wildfires in the southern Sierra. The work involves replanting giant sequoias and other native conifers in areas that were severely burned on the Sequoia National Forest, the Tule River Reservation, and CAL FIRE’s Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest. The partners are also removing dead trees to make these forests more resilient to future wildfire.
Noé Romo Loera of American Forests works to plant a Giant Sequoia seedling in an area burned by the Rough Fire on the Sequoia National Forest. Credit: Mark Janzen, American Forests.
“This investment from California Climate Investments has not only increased the pace and scale of restoration efforts in the region but has allowed us to use these projects as a learning laboratory for post-fire recovery efforts through innovative reforestation practices, monitoring and workforce development,” said Kat Barton, American Forests’ Southern California Reforestation Senior Manager.
Joshua Miller of the US Forest Service and Caitlin Edelmuth or American Forests work together to plant a Giant Sequoia seedling in an area burned by the Rough Fire on the Sequoia National Forest. Credit: Mark Janzen, American Forests.
The grant-funded work will have significant climate benefits. When forests burn at primarily low and moderate severity, fires can have a restorative effect and promote new growth. But the recent southern Sierra wildfires burned at high severity, killing most of the trees over large areas and eliminating important seed sources. Without intervention, these areas likely would convert to shrublands. Replanting these forests that might not otherwise recover is estimated to sequester at least 400,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent over the project’s lifetime.
The project, which is scheduled for completion at the end of March 2025, will have other benefits as well, including for wildlife, recreation, and the local economy. Beyond that, the partnerships that have made the project successful will serve as a model for implementing similar efforts in the region and beyond.
Website: https://www.americanforests.org/article/a-giant-task-fixing-californias-reforestation-pipeline/