Entering the hush of a Sequoia grove my paced slowed, treading softly on the springy forest floor. Hundreds of feet above the sky is lacy, green canopy. My heart quickened. Thoughts came in whispers as I stood alone in reverence of the temple of magnificent trees. Nesting atop an ancient snag a usually secretive goshawk seemed curious at my presence. She called to her mate and moments later the two lazily flew to tree tops. Did they wonder about me? Well they might for I was virtually the first human to enter the Muir Grove of Giant Sequoias in two years.
This most pristine grove thrives on a ridge above the North Fork of the Kaweah River in Sequoia National Park. The pleasant two-mile trail to the the Big Trees leaves from the Dorst Campground.
Fossil evidence shows Giant Sequoias growing in many parts of the world. Continental drift and changing climates narrowed their range. For millions years Sequoias were growing East of the Sierra. But as the range rose, the climate got drier and the trees migrated over lower passes to the wetter Western Sierra.
Now all the world's wild Giant Sequoias live in some 75 groves scattered along a 260-mile narrow belt between 5,000-7,500 feet in the Western Sierra Nevada. Many of these trees have survived more than 3,000 years. Only Bristlecone Pine lives longer. Thick, resin-free bark protects Sequoias from wildfire so necessary to their ecology. Gaping fire scars at the base of some trees are usually from many fires fueled by other foliage. Sequoia heartwood is extremely resistant to decay. Most old Sequoias die of toppling, the wood resisting decay for thousands of years.
These are forests of beauty and efficiency. On a still day there is the only sound of birdsong or a Douglas squirrel eating Sequoia seeds. For century after century these climax forests have learned to cope with fire, drought, and other natural disasters. But there is one force against which these Big Trees have no defense, man.