Here is a time-line I found interesting to make note of. I would like to add to, and update this list as I investigate further. Yet for now, I thought this would be good to share with fellow tree lovers…
1850 – California admitted as the 31st state of the United States of America. Initial settlement of Humboldt Bay and construction of a primitive sawmill.
1850s – The great San Antonio-Morage redwood forest of the East Bay hills with the largest coast redwoods was completely logged off and nearly eliminated.
1852 – The first legislative initiative to protect California’s trees. Assemblyman Henry A. Crabb’s resolution to ask Congress to preserve all redwood lands fails in California legislature.
1864 – Abraham Lincoln signed an Act to preserve the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias by giving them to the State of California, and creating the first such park in the nation.
1872 – Nebraska “Tree Planting Day” which becomes Arbor Day, recognizing the importance of trees.
1875 – Centennial Tree, once claimed to be the largest tree in the world, is cut down by John McKiernan.
1886 – California legislator, Joe Russ, dies under indictment for Timber and Stone Act fraud. Tens of thousands of California timberland acres were illegally assembled into vast industrial timberlands through fraud and sometimes with foreign ownership.
1890 – Creation of Sequoia National Park, Yosemite National Park and General Grant National Park.
1890s – A.P. Hill displays photos of California old-growth redwoods in an effort to prevent their destruction.
1892 – The Sierra Club is founded by John Muir. Jesse Hoskins protects 90 acres of old-growth Giant Sequoias by homesteading and residing in the base of the Hercules Tree.
1891 – Congress passes the Forest Reserve Act empowering the President to create “forest reserves” (later known as national forests) where logging was totally banned to protect water.
1897 – Timber lobbyists slip in “Organic Act” budget rider, which opens Forest Reserves to logging, mining, and grazing.
1900 – While still Governor of New York, Theodore Roosevelt urged the Federal government to purchase of both North and South Groves of Calaveras Big Trees.
1901 – 1,437,260 Americans petitioned for the Federal purchase of Calaveras Big Trees, Congress failed to act.
1902 – Sempervirens Club successfully lobbies the California legislature to set aside the area of old- growth redwoods that became Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
1903 – William Kent borrows money to purchase Muir Woods to save this Marin County old growth from logging and a reservoir. Nero Tree was cut down by promoter John McKiernan at Mountain Home.
1905 – The Humboldt Chamber of Commerce, managed by George A. Kellogg of the Pacific Redwood Shingle Company, petitioned the state legislature to create a public redwood park “to be forever maintained in its primeval state.”
1906 – Theodore Roosevelt establishes the Monterey Forest Reserve.
1908 – President Roosevelt establishes Muir Woods National Monument of old-growth Redwoods on land donated to the Federal government for that purpose by future Congressman William Kent. 2,000 Eureka public school students petitioned Theodore Roosevelt and the USFS asking “that representative groves of these trees should be preserved for ourselves and future generations of children.”
1909 – Congress finally creates the Calaveras Bigtree National Forest, but fails to protect the South Grove.
1914 – Carson Woods proposed as a national redwood park by Congressmen Raker and Kent, supported by women’s’ clubs. Bill died in committee. Carson Woods were logged.
1918 – Save-the-Redwoods League is formed to preserve ancient forests that are quickly disappearing.
1924 – After its failed maneuvers to block park supporters, Pacific Lumber began clandestine logging on Dyerville Flat (Founders’ Grove) destroying the area for park purposes. Laura Mahan stood in the fall path of trees being cut while her husband alerted county officials and the press and took legal action.
1928 – California voters approved funds to establish a State Park System and allocated six million dollars in state park bond funds for acquisition of parklands.
1931 – J.D. Rockefeller Jr. and the Save-the-Redwoods League rescues the old growth of what became the Rockefeller Forest.
1954 – South Grove of Calaveras Big Trees, scheduled for logging, was finally purchased with public donations, including a $1 million donation from J.D. Rockefeller Jr., by the Save-the-Redwoods League after the Legislature repeatedly failed to act.
1955 and 1964 – Logging destroys the slopes above the Rockefeller Forest, which erode, and collapse, wiping out 800 old-growth trees previously believed preserved by donations.
1960 – Avenue of the Giants Parkway, a narrow sliver of old growth, dedicated in Humboldt Redwoods State Park after 40-year-long acquisition progress by the Save-the-Redwoods League.
1964 – Donald Rusk Currey cuts the oldest living tree on earth, a 5,000 year-old Bristlecone Pine.
1974 – Congressmen John and Phil Burton introduce a bill to enlarge Redwood National Park to 132,000 acresžthe bill fails.
1988 – FORESTS FOREVER is formed to create and promote the Forest and Wildlife Protection Initiative on the November 1990 ballot, which narrowly failed. Corporate industry spent over $16 million to defeat this citizen initiative.
1990 – Activists Judi Bari and Darryl Cherney are victims of a car bombing in Oakland.
1996 – 1033 people arrested in protest of cutting the ancient trees of Headwaters Forest.
1997 – October, Non-violent forest activists have pepper spray poured into their eyes. November, 8,000 people attend a rally to save Headwaters Forest in Stafford. December, Julia “Butterfly” Hill climbs up into the magnificent old redwood, Luna, for a two-year treesit.
1998 – March 15th Governor Gray Davis makes the promise that if elected governor he will ensure that “wetlands are preserved, rivers are clean, and all old-growth trees are spared from the lumberjack’s ax.”
1999 – Two of six groves in the 60,000 ac. Headwaters Forest are purchased with a buffer area totaling approximately 7400 acres. David “Gypsy” Chain is killed while trying to protect old growth sacrificed by the Headwaters deal.
2002 – Sue Moloney of the Campaign for Old Growth embarks on a 52 day “Fast for Old Growth.” John Quigley goes up into “Old Glory” to protect this old growth Oak from the saw. The battle to save the remaining old growth trees of California continues.
No matter the reason, or the season, any time is a good time to plant a tree! We are to a point in time where every action we take will make the difference between a good balance between humans and nature, and a world where green growing things are simply too rare to benefit either. I am proud to be affiliated with TreeGivers,
Forests and Trees
While “General Sherman” may be the world’s biggest tree, the world’s tallest tree is another giant sequoia named “Harry Cole.” Harry measures over 112 meters from base to crown – the height of a 37-story building!
29.6 per cent of the world’s land area is covered by forest. About 10 per cent of that is in Canada. Rain forests generate about 40 per cent of the world’s oxygen. A 30 meter tree with 200,000 leaves can suck up 43,000 litres of water and breathe it into the air in just one growing season. Medicine in aspirins originally came from the bark of a willow tree. One acre of trees can absorb over 2.5 tons of carbon dioxide in a year. Every ton of recycled paper saves approximately 17 trees and saves 4,100 kilowatt hours of electricity – enough energy to heat the average home for six months.
“We cannot win this battle to save the species and environments without forging an emotional bond between ourselves and nature as well — for we will not fight to save what we do not love.”
Have you ever wondered the role of the Wolf in the Balance of Nature? The Creator placed everything on this planet for a reason. There are important roles to be played out by each and every creature from the tiniest microbe and insect, to the largest mammal. As intelligent beings on this Living planet, it is our responsibility to learn and understand how to nurture this Balance in Nature, and not destroy it. The Wolf has an important role and is Sacred to the Creator. My love for wolves has led me down many paths. Most recently I found an interesting article about the relation between Wolves and Trees, and I would like to share this with you. Please note that this is simply one small example of how the Wolf fits into the ecosystem.