Selected Perspectives on the Giant Sequoia Groves1
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Selected Perspectives on the Giant Sequoia Groves1 Dwight Willard2 Abstract. Several perspectives on the groves are briefly treated. Broader appreciation is needed of the giant sequoia groves which are not famous Broader Appreciation of Sequoia and easily accessible. The USDA Forest Service administers the largest Resources Is Needed single ownership of natural giant sequoia grove acreage. The giant sequoia groves have major resource values in addition to old-growth giant Despite the fame of the sequoia as a species, most of sequoias. Certain giant sequoias should be considered rare plants. Giant the sequoia groves are relatively unknown to the public. sequoia groves that suffered major sequoia logging retain sequoia values. Converse Basin Grove is globally significant. Manipulated widespread Visitors flock to several famous and easily accessible groves forest canopy destruction is not necessary to perpetuate giant sequoia such as North Calaveras Grove (Calaveras Big Trees State groves. Much basic research regarding giant sequoia resources is lacking, Park), Mariposa Grove (Yosemite National Park), Grant and the giant sequoia literature contains a surprising amount of misleading Grove (Kings Canyon National Park), and Giant Forest information. Public participation is needed in giant sequoia management. (Sequoia National Park). These highly visited groves are wonderful, with their many named huge sequoias and the cultural heritage of providing recreation for thousands ever Aside from the usual perspectives of awe and fascination since they became easily accessible in the 19th century. concerning old-growth sequoias (Sequoiadendron giganteum), But it is also wonderful to realize that they are only a small my studies have given me several perspectives on sequoia fraction of the sequoia resources. Unpublicized groves, resources and management options that are not commonly unfrequented by tourists and generally ignored in past expressed in much of the sequoia literature. A cursory sequoia literature, have majestic old-growth sequoia resources treatment of several of these perspectives is probably a more that are comparable to those in some famous groves. useful contribution to the proceedings of the Giant Sequoia Most of the less publicized groves are in Sequoia Symposium than a single topic paper. National Forest. In part, their obscurity understandably Everything that I have to contribute regarding the giant results from tourists and researchers giving more attention to sequoias begins from my belief that they are an incredible, preeminent National Park groves. But the lack of publicity inspirational natural resource that is very uplifting to about Sequoia National Forest groves also largely results research and discuss. The great majority of the primeval from past, de facto, unofficial Sequoia National Forest policy old-growth sequoias survived the sequoia logging era. Where not to publicize their groves or encourage recreation in the sequoias and other grove old-growth were logged, the them. Strangely, one has to learn of the sequoia wonders of groves can regain their old-growth forest character. The Sequoia National Forest by exploring like a 19th century sequoia groves are a marvelous, cheering exception to the pioneer, because written reference material, sequoia often gloomy assessments of the world's deteriorating natu- inventory information, useful grove maps, interpretive ral resources. With proper protection and management the activities, and even detailed published access information on groves can provide more public recreation and enjoyment the Forest's groves are almost nonexistent (as of June 1992). than at present, without resource degradation. There is no Very few of the Forest's groves have any maintained trails. more likely environmental issue on which to build a positive Sequoia National Forest groves were not even described management consensus. in the current Sequoia National Forest management plan The groves cover such a small total geographic area documentation (Sequoia National Forest 1985, 1988). None- they can be protected without the sort of controversy and theless, that so many of the sequoia groves are so little known is economically painful trade-offs associated with issues such still surprising, considering their magnificent resources. as how to preserve the northern spotted owl in millions Some of the notable unpublicized sequoia resources of of acres of Pacific Northwest forest. Total natural sequoia Sequoia National Forest are the following: grove acreage is less than 40,000 acres. Supplementary A. Freeman Creek Grove: This is the largest generally unpublished sequoia location data which has become unlogged grove on National Forest land and one of the finest available since 1975 confirms the earlier findings of such of all old-growth groves. Most of it is in wilderness condition. limited sequoia acreage in Hartesveldt and others (1975) and B. Black Mountain Grove: This grove (which extends Meyer and others (1952). into the Tule River Indian Reservation) is one of the ten largest groves in the Sierra Nevada. Much of the grove has a very high density of surviving mature and old-growth 1An abbreviated version of this paper was presented at the Symposium on Giant Sequoias: Their Place in the Ecosystem and Society, June 23-25, sequoias, though it has lost an overall old-growth character 1992, Visalia, California. from past logging. 2Attorney and author of a reference book on giant sequoia groves. C. Evans Grove: This large grove has dramatic Kings Canyon and peaks of the Monarch Divide and distant Sierra USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep.PSW-151. 1994. 15 Crest as scenic backdrops. The unlogged east section has a Suwanee Groves, which are known for having unusual very high density of old-growth sequoias. Much of the concentrations of exceptionally large specimens. western part of the grove was heavily logged before 1920 in It is important to emphasize that the USDA Forest a fascinating railroad logging episode. Old-growth stumps Service has the largest single ownership of sequoia grove and vestiges of the early logging era give the grove unusual acreage (Author's calculations, confirming Meyer and historical interest. Much of the logged section has recovered others 1952) because some past academic authorities (e.g., a scenic forest cover, including abundant young sequoias, Hartesveldt and others 1975) and outdated public agency mixed with scattered old-growth survivors. interpretive materials (e.g., 1993 display at Sequoia-Kings D. McIntyre Grove: This is another large grove with a Canyon National Parks' Grant Grove Visitor Center) have high density of surviving old-growth sequoias. It is part of incorrectly maintained that most grove acreage was in the viewshed of Highway 190 east of Camp Nelson. National Parks. Such error fosters the mistaken impression E. Packsaddle and Kennedy Groves: These are medium- that most grove acreage was protected by a legislative sized, trailless, wilderness condition groves, which remark- mandate that groves should be managed only for National ably survive in old-growth condition adjacent to heavily Park purposes, which exclude commercial timber harvest. logged non-grove timberland. These groves exemplify how No such legislative protection exists for the National Forest even smaller groves can serve as impressive preserves of groves, as illustrated by heavy logging of several Sequoia old-growth mixed-conifer forest, as well as sequoia preserves. National Forest Groves for non-sequoia timber in the 1980's. Kennedy Grove has the ninth largest known sequoia (the In the absence of protective legislation, the only way to Ishi Giant, discovered by the author in 1993, size ranking protect National Forest Groves is through the USDA Forest and volume computation by Wendell Flint) (fig. 1). Pack- Service planning and land management process. saddle Grove has numerous exceptionally large specimens, including the Packsaddle Giant, a sequoia with a larger base Non-Sequoia Resources within Groves than the General Sherman Tree (Flint 1987). Even within National Parks, many major grove resources Sequoia groves have major resource values worthy of are relatively unknown. In particular, the relative remoteness preservation aside from the old-growth sequoias. However of many Sequoia National Park groves has discouraged obvious this perspective sounds, it has been lacking in much visitation and study. About 15 of the Park's groves are acces- commentary on groves which focused preservation concerns sible only by rugged, sometimes even hazardous, cross-country solely on old-growth sequoias. A narrow view of grove routes. Park groves without trail access include Eden Creek resources has been expressed, for example, in disinterest or Grove, one of the largest Park groves, and smaller Oriole and disdain for current resources of logged groves. In agency Figure 1-Ishi Giant, Kennedy Grove. Though severely burned, this remote giant is 25.5 ft dbh counting buttresses, thicker than the General Sherman Tree. It was not definitively identified and measured until 1993, which suggests that other distinctive sequoia resources are yet to be discovered. 16 USDA Forest Service Gen. Tech. Rep.PSW-151. 1994. management, the narrow perspective resulted in heavy grove Such trees may also be of commercial forestry value as a logging for non-sequoia conifers as recently as 1986. seed source if they are blister rust resistant. Aside from their mature sequoias, many groves have To my knowledge, no Sierra