Redwoods Pit Stop

Today I had the opportunity to make a pit stop at the Armstrong Redwoods State Preserve, aka the Armstrong Grove near Healdsburg. It was far better than a pit stop at 7-11.

Redwoods are the tallest living things on the planet. These remarkable trees can live to be over 1,000 years old and can stand over 300 feet tall.

The Parson Jones Tree was amazing at 310 feet in height, longer than a football field. I was also in awe of the Colonel Armstrong coast redwood. It was 1,400 years old and shot up into the sky in a majestic and peaceful way. This tree didn’t serve in the army, but rather was named after Colonel James Armstrong who came to Sonoma County in the 1870s to become a – hold onto your hat - a logger. He later changed his tune and decided that he wanted to preserve this ancient redwood forest before the last tree was cut down.

In 1918, his dream became a reality when the County of Sonoma acquired the land, and Armstrong Grove was officially protected. A happy green ending. Even though we feel quite small when looking up at a redwood, man has the power either to destroy or save these ancient forests. It is estimated that 90-97% of the old-growth redwoods have been chopped down. This is a staggering statistic. I vote for saving the remaining 3%.

A factoid: apparently, after the 1906 earthquake, an insane number of redwoods in the state of California were logged to rebuild the city of San Francisco?

What can we do to help? We can support organizations that are working to preserve the last remaining forests like Forest Ethics and Save The Redwoods. We can also ask for wood products that are reclaimed like from Restoration Timber or FSC-certified as sustainable. Bamboo is another great alternative as it is actually a fast-growing grass.

And let's give a shout out to recycled paper. This is perhaps the easiest forest-saving solution to adopt. I am frankly amazed at the amount of virgin paper that is still used. Why is this? We as a society are recycling superstars. The next mission is to complete the loop by using recycled paper in printers, copiers, invitations, brochures, and the kitchen. If we do, the ancient forests will be there to enjoy and marvel over for generations to come. I am really loving Staples 100% recycled copy paper by the way!

We need the forests now more than ever to purify our air and rain water, sequester and absorb carbon dioxide, and slow down global warming. According to the World Resources Institute, deforestation accounts for at least 20% of all global warming emissions. A whopping 75% of Brazil's CO2 emissions come from deforestation. In Indonesia, it is 73%. So when we use recycled paper and sustainable wood, we are helping to keep our planet cool-fabulous.

And let's not forget the critters. The forest is home to nature's abundant wildlife. If we continue to chop down the forests, where will they live, in our backyards?  I saw some nice animals during my 1-hour jaunt through the Armstrong Grove. The next time you're near Sonoma, consider making a pit stop and saying hello to our 1,000-year-old redwood neighbors. It beats the Arco Food Mart.