Giant redwood trees grow only in a narrow strip along the Pacific coast of California and Oregon. Their full size is hard to envision and is hard to capture by camera. State and national parks now protect many from destruction by man and preserve them for future generations.
A few FACTS about these remarkable trees:
Height: As much as 380 feet
Age: As old as 2000 years
Bark: 12 inches thick
Base: Up to 22 feet in diameter
A MYSTERY: how this giant conifer evolved and survived to the modern day from when it dominated the landscape in the age of the dinosaurs.
In her poem, Trees, which we learned in grade school, Joyce Kilmer may have been reflecting on an eastern deciduous tree, such as an oak or elm. However, her classic lines came to mind in this majestic redwood forest.
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