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Redwood Rings
Photograph by Lindsey Holm
California redwoods, like this felled giant, are among the oldest and tallest trees on Earth. They often exceed 300 feet (90 meters) in height and reach diameters of 10 to 20 feet (3 to 6 meters) or more.
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Redwood Forest Circa 1920
Photograph by Charles Willis Ward
When this photo of California's vast forests of redwoods lining the Klamath River was taken in 1920, the trees shown here represented more than one billion feet (305 million meters) of lumber, an irresistible temptation for loggers. Luckily for the redwoods, a series of state and national parks were established that protected some of the great trees.
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Redwood Loggers
Photograph by W. A. Rogers
Turn-of-the-century loggers in Humboldt, California, display a massive redwood felled for paper production. Logging first took hold in the region in the 1850s when forty-niners, disappointed by the gold rush, realized great riches lay in redwood logging.
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Redwood National Park
Photograph by Mickey Pfleger
Before it was incorporated into Redwood National Park, this parcel of redwood forest was scarred by clear-cutting and major soil erosion. In March 1978, U.S. President Jimmy Carter signed a bill expanding the park by 48,000 acres (19,425 hectares), affording it better protection. In 1982, the park was named a World Heritage Site.
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Among the Redwoods
Photograph by Lindsey Holm
Conservationist Mike Fay stands among California's mammoth redwoods. At up to 368 feet (112 meters) and 1,500 years old, redwoods are among the world's tallest and oldest living trees. As he journeys from the southernmost tree to the northernmost tree, he will record details about this forest and human use of the land.
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