Save the Redwoods League – for the protection of nature to promote peace and beauty
by Denise Nanni, ProMosaik. In the following my interview with Mike of the Save the Redwoods League, protecting redwood forests to promote peace and beauty for the people.
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| Flowers in bloom at Shady Dell. Photo by Mike Shoys |
Please
introduce your organization and its aims.
introduce your organization and its aims.
Since 1918, Save the Redwoods League is a nonprofit organization
that has protected and restored redwood forests and connected people with their
peace and beauty so these wonders of the natural world flourish. Donations to the organization help us purchase
redwood land, restore logged forests, study how to best protect them and teach
children and adults about these magical expressions of life.
What are today the main
threats to the redwood forests?
threats to the redwood forests?
The threats to the redwoods are increasingly
complex, no longer embodied by the axe and saw of logging. Some of the greatest
threats to redwoods today include climate
change, human land uses
not compatible with forest health (e.g. development, conversion to
vineyards); and people’s increasing
detachment from
the natural world.
complex, no longer embodied by the axe and saw of logging. Some of the greatest
threats to redwoods today include climate
change, human land uses
not compatible with forest health (e.g. development, conversion to
vineyards); and people’s increasing
detachment from
the natural world.
What are the strategies that
you use in order to protect these areas?
you use in order to protect these areas?
Our Master Plan
for the Redwoods guides our efforts to protect and restore redwood
forests. This science-based plan identifies areas to focus our activities upon,
and enables us to efficiently evaluate and respond to conservation
opportunities as they arise. We evaluate properties according to 16 criteria in the Master Plan,
including:
for the Redwoods guides our efforts to protect and restore redwood
forests. This science-based plan identifies areas to focus our activities upon,
and enables us to efficiently evaluate and respond to conservation
opportunities as they arise. We evaluate properties according to 16 criteria in the Master Plan,
including:
- whether ancient
forest is present - habitat for, or presence of, threatened or endangered species
- potential for public
access and recreation - the risk of commercial and residential development
- water sources (i.e.
presence of springs or streams)
In what ways do you raise
awareness of redwood forests and how civil society has been responsive so far?
awareness of redwood forests and how civil society has been responsive so far?
Save the Redwoods League wouldn’t be able to
do what we do to protect the redwoods without ongoing awareness raising and
support from the public. We communicate broadly via a free monthly
enewsletter called Redwood Matters to help
people stay informed all things redwoods, including fun facts, events, photos
and more. We also raise awareness on our social media online
communities. We get a lot of positive
response. We have thousands of individual donors, and our Facebook following is
currently our largest with over 23,000 fans!
We also have a significant Educational
Program to engage the next generation with helping
to save the magical redwood forests. Our educational goals are to:
·
raise
awareness of redwood forests, research and conservation
·
provide
engaging, firsthand experiences in redwood forests for people of all ages
·
become
a leading resource in redwood education and interpretation
·
empower
youth to take action to protect redwood forests
Save the Redwoods League grants funds to
schools, park associations and other qualified nonprofits that
provide redwood education. A new program, Redwoods and Climate Change High
School Program, aims to bring urban, underserved youths from
the San Francisco Bay Area’s East Bay cities into the redwood forests to
conduct scientific research.
We also have free educational materials available online in our Redwoods Learning Center.
Do you cooperate with local
authorities and institutions? If yes, how?
authorities and institutions? If yes, how?
The League transfers land to California State Parks,
National Park Service, US Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service and county and local park systems, which are
permanent land stewards. We often partner with nonprofits operating at the national, state
and local levels. And we work with
leading redwood forest scientists at many universities including the University
of California, Berkeley, and Humboldt State University.
National Park Service, US Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service and county and local park systems, which are
permanent land stewards. We often partner with nonprofits operating at the national, state
and local levels. And we work with
leading redwood forest scientists at many universities including the University
of California, Berkeley, and Humboldt State University.
You can see answers to more frequently asked questions about
redwoods and Save the Redwoods League on our website, and I encourage everyone to please
join us in helping to save the redwoods!
redwoods and Save the Redwoods League on our website, and I encourage everyone to please
join us in helping to save the redwoods!
