Tag Archives: redwood

July 9, 2021 · 5:33 am

Fun Fact Friday, July 9, 2021

Hey, it’s #FunFactFriday ! So I posted an image of a redwood tree with a “goose pen.” That’s what those triangular openings are called. As I was wandering the trails in Redwood National and State Parks, I kept seeing these things and wondered what on earth they were. Then, I happened to park next to one on the shoulder of the road and there was a placard there. Goose pens are hollow openings caused by some sort of damage (like wildfire) or decay, but where the top of the tree is still alive. Back in the day, settlers used those openings as literal goose pens, in which to corral their geese. Now, this particular opening pictured here wouldn’t work that well as a goose pen because of all those holes in the back, which would allow the geese to escape.

And now you know! Happy Friday, folks!

Copyright Rebecca L. Latson, all rights reserved.

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Filed under California, Fun Fact Friday, National Parks, Redwood National and State Parks

Tagged as California, Fun Fact Friday, National Park, photography, redwood, Redwood National and State Parks, travel, tree

October 15, 2020 · 6:26 am

Three Days in Redwood National and State Parks

*Looking up at some very tall trees in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park*

If you only have a short time to spend in Redwood National and State Parks, in northern California, then you should read my latest article published in the National Parks Traveler, about what you can do and see in just three days in this collaboration of national and state parks.

To read the article, click on the image above.

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Filed under California, forest, National Parks, National Parks Traveler, Photography, Redwoods National and State Parks, Travel

Tagged as California, forest, National Park, National Parks Traveler, photography, redwood, redwoods, Redwoods National and State Parks, travel, trees, where the trails take you

October 13, 2020 · 6:45 am

It’s Trivia Tuesday!

*The Penthouse Tree, Lady Bird Johnson Grove Loop Trail, Redwood National and State Parks*

They call this tree the “Penthouse Tree.” The damaged bark revealed the heartwood of this tree, which began to rot. In so rotting, it provided nutrients for other vegetation, such as the leather fern and evergreen huckleberry growing atop this redwood. This vegetation has a room with a view! If you ever have a chance to visit Redwood National and State Parks, you should definitely wander this 1.3-mile easy trail located in Redwood National Park. There’s a plaque dedicated to Lady Bird Johnson, who was there to dedicate this national park. Many of the sights you’ll see have numbered stakes beside them that correspond to descriptions in a brochure of this hike. The brochure used to be available at the trailhead, but due to Covid, the box is no longer stocked. You can, however, print out and read your own copy of the pamphlet by clicking on the image above.

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Filed under 5DSR, California, Canon, Canon 11-24mm, Canon Lens, National Parks, Photography, Redwood National and State Parks, Travel, trees, Trivia Tuesday

Tagged as 11-24mm, 5DSR, California, Canon, forest, Lady Bird Johnson Grove, penthouse tree, photography, redwood, Redwood National and State Parks, tree, Trivia Tuesday

October 9, 2020 · 3:55 am

Standing Amongst The Fallen

*Standing between a couple of downed coast redwood trees*

It’s Fun Fact Friday! Did you know that coast redwood trees have a very shallow root system? When I saw these and other downed trees while wandering the Stout Grove Trail in Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, it brought to mind the downed oak trees I’d seen after hurricanes while living in southeast Texas. I asked a park ranger about this and she said yes, coast redwoods have shallow root systems that only go about 3 feet down, but the roots migrate outward around the tree for quite a distance, some as far as 80 feet from the tree. And, studies have indicated that one coast redwood tree’s root system can communicate with another redwood tree’s root system, providing nutrients and water to that other tree if it needs them.

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Filed under California, Fun Fact Friday, National Parks, Photography, Redwoods National and State Parks, Travel, trees

Tagged as autumn, California, coast redwood, ecosystem, Fun Fact Friday, National Park, October, photography, redwood, Redwoods National and State Parks, travel, trees