Last updated: July 19, 2022
Place
Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #9
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
Life after Death
Redwoods do not die easily. The dense heartwood of a living tree resists most forms of insect damage and fungal growth, thus its value in commercial uses. The ability of a redwood to regenerate from burls ensures its longevity. More often than not, wind, fire, flood, or humans will topple a mature tree long before old age takes its toll.
Leaning precariously against the branches of a neighbor, redwood snags like these play an important roll in the forest, even after their life ends. They provide perches for raptors, cavities for nesting woodpeckers and owls, and food for a multitude of forest insects.
Shifting winds or eroding pedestals eventually dislodge the leaning snags and drop them unceremoniously to the ground. Insects, amphibians, and small mammals travel through the rotting wood in search of proliferating young plants. A redwood continues to nurture the forest below long after it falls.
Redwoods do not die easily. The dense heartwood of a living tree resists most forms of insect damage and fungal growth, thus its value in commercial uses. The ability of a redwood to regenerate from burls ensures its longevity. More often than not, wind, fire, flood, or humans will topple a mature tree long before old age takes its toll.
Leaning precariously against the branches of a neighbor, redwood snags like these play an important roll in the forest, even after their life ends. They provide perches for raptors, cavities for nesting woodpeckers and owls, and food for a multitude of forest insects.
Shifting winds or eroding pedestals eventually dislodge the leaning snags and drop them unceremoniously to the ground. Insects, amphibians, and small mammals travel through the rotting wood in search of proliferating young plants. A redwood continues to nurture the forest below long after it falls.