Last updated: July 19, 2022
Place
Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #12
Dave Van de Mark
Quick Facts
Location:
Lady Bird Johnson Trail
Significance:
Walking tour in old-growth redwoods
Designation:
National Park
Amenities
1 listed
Scenic View/Photo Spot
Rebirth
Like newborns clinging to their parents, new forest life clings in abundance to this fallen redwood. Salal, huckleberry, rhododendron, spruce, and hemlock all arise from this slowly deteriorating giant. A new redwood reaches out from its burled base, stretching its branches skyward through the shadow for a glimpse of nurturing sunlight.
Fractures in the wood formed when this tree fell from its lofty height, collecting soil and water and creating beds for seeds to germinate. Roots from the new plants break up the log as moisture from the ground below softens the hard wood. This log, lying as it has for decades, will ultimately decay into the ground. Its remains provide nutrients to the soil, continuing the cycle of life, death, and rebirth in the forest.
Like newborns clinging to their parents, new forest life clings in abundance to this fallen redwood. Salal, huckleberry, rhododendron, spruce, and hemlock all arise from this slowly deteriorating giant. A new redwood reaches out from its burled base, stretching its branches skyward through the shadow for a glimpse of nurturing sunlight.
Fractures in the wood formed when this tree fell from its lofty height, collecting soil and water and creating beds for seeds to germinate. Roots from the new plants break up the log as moisture from the ground below softens the hard wood. This log, lying as it has for decades, will ultimately decay into the ground. Its remains provide nutrients to the soil, continuing the cycle of life, death, and rebirth in the forest.