National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Natural Resource Stewardship and Science A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Appendix 11b - Giant Sequoia Literature Review Natural Resource Report NPS/SEKI/ NRR—2013/665.11b ON THE COVER Giant Forest, Sequoia National Park Photography by: Brent Paull A Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Appendix 11b - Giant Sequoia Literature Review Natural Resource Report NPS/SEKI/ NRR—2013/665.11b R. Wayne Harrison Senior Environmental Scientist (Ret.) California Department of Parks and Recreation August 29, 2011 [This paper was funded by a grant from the Save the Redwoods League.] June 2013 U.S. Department of the Interior National Park Service Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Fort Collins, Colorado The National Park Service, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science office in Fort Collins, Colorado, publishes a range of reports that address natural resource topics. These reports are of interest and applicability to a broad audience in the National Park Service and others in natural resource management, including scientists, conservation and environmental constituencies, and the public. The Natural Resource Report Series is used to disseminate high-priority, current natural resource management information with managerial application. The series targets a general, diverse audience, and may contain NPS policy considerations or address sensitive issues of management applicability. All manuscripts in the series receive the appropriate level of peer review to ensure that the information is scientifically credible, technically accurate, appropriately written for the intended audience, and designed and published in a professional manner. This document contains subject matter expert interpretation of the data. The authors of this document are responsible for the technical accuracy of the information provided. The parks refrained from providing substantive administrative review to encourage the experts to offer their opinions and ideas on management implications based on their assessments of conditions. Some authors accepted the offer to cross the science/management divide while others preferred to stay firmly grounded in the presentation of only science-based results. While the authors‘ interpretations of the data and ideas/opinions on management implications were desired, the results and opinions provided do not represent the policies or positions of the parks, the NPS, or the U.S. Government. Views, statements, findings, conclusions, recommendations, and data in this report do not necessarily reflect views and policies of the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the U.S. Government. This report is available in digital format from the Natural Resource Publications Management website (http://www.nature.nps.gov/publications/nrpm/). Please cite this publication as: Harrison, R. W. 2013. A natural resource condition assessment for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks: Appendix 11b – giant sequoia literature review. Natural Resource Report NPS/SEKI/NRR—2013/665.11b. National Park Service, Fort Collins, Colorado. NPS 102/ 121050, June 2013 ii Contents Page Tables ........................................................................................................................................... vii Appendices .................................................................................................................................... vii Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................... ix Giant Sequoias 2011: State of Knowledge, Current Status, and Management Concerns ................................................................................................................................. ix Natural History of Giant Sequoia ........................................................................................... ix Paleohistory........................................................................................................................ ix Current Distribution ........................................................................................................... ix Giant Sequoia Ecology ....................................................................................................... x Genetics of Giant Sequoia ................................................................................................. xi Giant Sequoia Management .................................................................................................... xi National Park System ......................................................................................................... xi Forest Service.................................................................................................................... xii California department of Parks and Recreation ................................................................ xii University of California ................................................................................................... xiii Managing Giant Sequoia with Fire .................................................................................. xiii Reconstructing Giant Sequoia Groves ............................................................................. xiv Managing for Carbon Sequestration ................................................................................ xiv The Status of Giant Sequoia Groves ...................................................................................... xv Logging Giant Sequoia ..................................................................................................... xv Threats to Giant Sequoia ................................................................................................... xv Giant Sequoia Silvicuture ................................................................................................ xvi iii Contents (continued) Page Plantations and Plantings in California ........................................................................... xvii Plantations and Plantings Throughout the World ........................................................... xvii Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................... xix Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 1 Natural History of Giant Sequoia ................................................................................................... 3 Paleohistory ............................................................................................................................. 3 Current Distribution ................................................................................................................. 4 Giant Sequoia Ecology ............................................................................................................ 6 Sequoia‘s Role in the Sierran Forest ................................................................................... 6 Soil and Hydrologic Relationships ..................................................................................... 7 Weather and Climate........................................................................................................... 9 Giant Sequoia Reproduction ............................................................................................. 10 Fire Ecology ...................................................................................................................... 11 The Role of Canopy Gaps ................................................................................................. 16 Pathogens and Pests .......................................................................................................... 19 Genetics of Giant Sequoia ..................................................................................................... 21 Management of Giant Sequoia...................................................................................................... 23 Public Agencies ..................................................................................................................... 23 The National Park System ................................................................................................ 23 USDA Forest Service ........................................................................................................ 26 Bureau of Land Management............................................................................................ 31 California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection .................................................... 31 California Department of Parks and Recreation ............................................................... 32 iv Contents (continued) Page University of California .................................................................................................... 33 Management Methods ........................................................................................................... 34 Managing Giant Sequoias with Fire ................................................................................. 34 Reconstructing Groves: Defining