The Tallest Trees on Earth - 4K Nature Documentary Film _ Redwood National and S

There's a unique ancient forest on the coast of California that is caressed by the waves and the mists of the Pacific Ocean. Its appearance hasn't changed much, but it came from past eras, from the time of giant creatures. There aren't many places on earth where you can turn back the clock and enjoy landscapes identical to former historical landscapes. And what if we talk not about thousands, but millions of years of history? There is such a place that can boast of fabulous trees, the tallest trees on earth, North American sequoias. According to the remains discovered by archaeologists, the redwoods appeared in the Jurassic period around 160 million years ago. Scientists believe that such forests with giant trees were largely spread over the northern hemisphere. Redwood National and State Parks is a unique link between our past and present. Slender trees with every cell of their strong body continually reaching out for the sun, competing with each other. Centuries pass in this competition and the trees grow taller and taller. Giant sequoias can grow to be about 30 feet in diameter and up to 300 feet tall, weighing as much as 1.6 million pounds. In their shade, under the dome of their crown, among giant trunks, shade-loving plants and fabulous ferns found their home, making this landscape even more fantastic. Let's take a walk along the picturesque trails of this unique place and enjoy the grandeur of the primeval forest. Let's take the paths with ferns and fallen trees along the way. Breathe moist and clean air in. Listen to the bird songs and the sounds of the ocean. We'll meet inhabitants of protected areas and enjoy bright colors of unforgettable sunsets. We'll hear the story of the Redwood National and State Parks. Meeting at the park, we'll start with one of the newest parts of the Redwood National Park, the Berry Glen Trail. An exciting adventure for hikers as the forest it passes through changes several times. At the beginning, you'll pass through some second growth forest, but the deeper you go, the size of the trees, as well as their age, increase. The first thing that strikes people in this extraordinary place is, of course, the height of the trees, and subconsciously you feel their power, majesty, and admiration for their impressive age. As we've mentioned before, redwoods or coastal redwoods once were throughout much of the northern hemisphere, but today they're only found on the coast from central California through southern Oregon. They do not live more than 50 miles inland and usually are found in long belts. The trees got their names in honor of Sequoyah, the leader of the Cherokee Indian tribe, the inventor of the Cherokee syllabary, and the founder of the newspaper in the language of Cherokee. The maximum theoretical height of redwoods is limited to 400 feet due to gravity and friction between the water and the wood pours through which it trickles. Sequoyah Semperverens dominates in Redwood National and State Parks. This is the tallest growing tree in the world today. The usual tree height is around 300 feet, but some grow even taller reaching a height of 370 feet. Trails wind through impassable places with fallen trees and stumps through lush ferns, sunny valleys, and shady parts of the forest where tree canopies block the sunlight. Whether you're hiking, cycling with friends, or alone, whether you're walking with a dog, you'll certainly feel the contact with the forest that surrounds. Your heart will hear its life-giving breath that inspires. A few hours in the surrounding of millennial giants under the melodious lilt of forest birds will restore and heal your body and soul. It's no accident that Redwood Park is visited annually by nearly half a million nature lovers. It should be said that creation of the Berry Glen Trail became possible thanks to the help of the Civilian Conservation Corps. And even nowadays, we need to be thankful and respect the work of volunteers and rangers who maintain those trails and take great care of the parks. Remember, stay on the trails, do not ruin the natural beauty, and save it for future generations. The Tall Trees Grove is one of the most popular places among the visitors in the Redwood National and State Parks, even in spite of the fact that among all the attractions of the park, this one is the hardest to reach. There are lots of fallen trees here, and of course the question rises in your mind, how did these giants fall? These trees have shallow root systems that extend over 100 feet from the base. The roots intertwine with the roots of other redwoods that increases their stability during strong winds and floods. But if one tree falls, it could result in a domino effect when one causes the fall of another. Stroll along the sunny creek and admire the sweeping views of ancient redwoods covering the hills along the creek. The divine serenity of the place will take your breath away. Enjoy the great collection of ancient giants that will further along the trail give way to big old maple trees covered with moss. Redwoods are naturally resistant to insects, fungi, and fire because they're high in tannin, a chemical that gives redwood its distinctive color, and also provides resistance to insects and fungus-caused diseases. Their thick and fire-resistant bark also provide protection for the trees. The bark is very absorbent and holds moisture and contains relatively little flammable pitch compared to pine and fir. Fire is a natural part of the redwood forest ecosystem and may be necessary for the survival of the redwood forest. Fires kill other species that compete with the redwoods for light and nutrients, and also return nutrients to the soil. The blackened hollows you'll see when you walk through the forest were caused by a fire in 1926 and are a great proof to the tree's remarkable ability to survive. As you'll walk through the redwoods, you'll sometimes notice trees with a hole in them. You can walk right into the trunk. These are called goose pens because the early settlers used them to keep chickens and geese in. They're a result of many fires, not only the one, there have been hundreds of years of fires moving through this forest before they became parkland. The reason the trees are still alive is because the very center of the tree is actually a dead wood. The outer layers of the tree that surround the core continue to operate and feed the crown of the tree. Following this trail, you'll pass one more attraction of the area, the Libby tree. This tree with a height of 368 feet in 1963 was discovered by an expedition conducted by National Geographic and received the status of the tallest tree on earth. Today, the Libby tree is not the tallest one anymore, as new giants were discovered. The name of our current champion, Hyperion, with a height of 379.3 feet. However, the Libby tree is still the highest tree that visitors can see. The trees are found on the sea-facing slopes of the mountains and valleys of the coastal belt, where they are enveloped by warm sea fog brought from the Pacific Ocean. Coastal redwoods need a moderate coastal climate to survive and grow. They require the region's frequent fog to protect them from dry spells and droughts. Redwood National and State Parks are well known among tourists for the ancient redwood trees and magnificent forests. But the coastal trail, which occupies around 70 miles, provides hikers with a different experience. The coastal trail consists of a number of sections. The skunk cabbage section is one of them. The skunk cabbage trail offers hikers a 10.5 mile moderate hike with a maximum elevation of 400 feet. But you won't find many redwoods along it. Don't get disappointed or discouraged because another fantastic reward is awaiting you at the end of the trail. The jewel of the coastal trail is the Pacific Ocean, and its wide and mostly deserted beach will take your breath away. The unbelievable beauty and divine serenity of the ocean will leave no one emotionless. This secluded beach is a perfect place for relaxing and soaking in some breathtaking beauty of nature. So along the coastlines of Redwood National and State Parks, it's possible year-round to see harbor seals basking in offshore rocks. They're identified by their spotted coats of various shades of white, gray, or brown. Harbor seals breed along the coastline and may be seen on rocky tidal flats at low tide. Along the Redwood Coast, harbor seals give birth to a single furry pup between April and May. Pups are born alert and can swim at birth. They're weaned at four weeks. It's not uncommon for a mother harbor seal to leave her pup alone and unattended on a beach for periods of time while she feeds at sea. Harbor seals die for a variety of fish including sole, flounder, cod, and herring. They'll also feast on large invertebrates such as crab or squid. Redwood National and State Park has quite a number of fantastic groves. One of the most popular among them is the Lady Bird Johnson Grove. It's located close to the top of a ridge with an elevation of around 1,200 feet above sea level. That's why these magnificent old growth redwoods can very often be seen in low clouds which in reality look like fog suddenly laden down. The trail leading along the grove is a 1.5 mile loop trail. To get to the trail itself you should walk along the footbridge over Bald Hills Road where you'll enjoy magnificent secluded forest with gigantic trees enveloped in fascinating fog. Redwoods get their water from rain rather than snowmelt and therefore require consistent rainfall throughout the year. They can even create their own rain by trapping fog in lofty branches. If the amount of moisture is enough redwoods can grow two or three feet in a year making them one of the fastest growing conifers in the world. Hiking along the trail you'll not only see unbelievably beautiful ancient redwood trees but also Douglas fir, rhododendrons. The understory includes a huge amount of evergreen huckleberry and a big variety of ferns among other plants. If you choose June or July for your hike you'll also be impressed with enchanting blooming rhododendrons and azalea. This is a really remarkable sight adding some bright colors to this fantastic forest. Lady Bird Johnson Grove is a priceless first-hand experience with nature and mainly with stunning redwood trees for anyone who decided to visit it. It will leave no one indifferent granting you with amazing scenic views and a peaceful stroll along the grove. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park is a fantastic sanctuary of 14,000 acres of redwood forests which also boasts the most scenic views among all the parks of Redwood National and State Park System. It joins in itself two seemingly incompatible things. Compromising magnificent pristine forests which never knew the logging which had been abolished almost 80 percent of redwoods worldwide. The Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park has the most developed trail network around 75 miles of trails popular among hikers due to the diversity of the scenery they offer. Two of the most popular trails of the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park are the West Ridge Trail and the Prairie Creek Trail. The West Ridge Trail is the longest trail of the park around seven miles running north along the ridgeline through incredible dense groves of massive redwood trees and the Prairie Creek Trail is a four mile trail running most of the time along Prairie Creek. It's considered to be one of the most scenic trails of Redwood National and State Parks providing hikers with the diverse views of huge splendid redwoods riparian vegetation and beautiful maple and alder trees. Several words should be said about the coastal redwoods lumber that has been highly valued historically. It's very durable resistant to rot and termites non-warping and relatively soft. For this reason it has been extensively logged. Since logging began in the 1850s 95 percent of old growth coastal redwoods have been cut down. Nowadays giant trees exist within protected areas. The trail passes several magnificent redwood groves between which you will have a chance to enjoy the walk under the beautiful red alders and marvelous maples with moss covered trunks. Along the trail you may also see some trunks of the fallen redwood trees with another young tree growing on top of it. Baby redwoods often sprout at their parents base latching onto their roots for nutrients. For this reason they often grow in circular clusters called fairy rings a really astonishing sight. Walking along the trails and enjoying the size of the trees you'll have to ask yourself why are there so many burls? The burl is the knobby growth most commonly seen at the base of some coastal redwoods though it can be found high in the canopy as well. Burl is a woody material full of unsprouted bud tissue. It serves as a storage compartment for the genetic code of the parent tree. If the redwood falls or is damaged the burl may sprout another redwood tree known as a clone. Burls ensure the redwood tree's genetic future. A walk through the forests of redwood national and state parks offers a glimpse at a seemingly timeless ecosystem. Redwood burls and their twisted knotted forms offer the potential for coastal redwoods to grow for millions of years. In recent years park managers have seen an increase in burl theft. This terrible trend is known as burl poaching and it harms the trees and can actually kill them. The removal of burl can result in disease and infection of the tree and that's why we ask you to be careful in the parks and do not harm the trees. A 70 mile coastal trail provides visitors with a change in redwoods hiking experience. It takes hikers through the splendid coastal bluffs and solitary beaches of the pacific coastline opening for them amazing marine landscapes. The most fascinating part of the coastal trail providing the most stunning views of the coast and ocean is the hidden beach section. The unbelievable beauty of the views offered by this eight mile trail go beyond our imagination. The unforgettable impressions from the incredible beauty of nature and atmosphere of peace will forever remain in your heart. Fantastic sea stacks, picturesque rocky coast, the divine serenity of the incredible majestic ocean and beautiful animals make this part of the trail the most stunning and unique. These beautiful creations of nature will make your heart skip a beat. It's places like this where we start to understand just how beautiful and amazing this world is. One needs only to look around. Sequoias are more than just tall trees. In fact, you'll find close to 900 plant species in this region and the forests are full of animals. More than 200 species of birds and bugs, mammals and amphibians. Some of the most majestic animals in the Redwoods are the Roosevelt Elk, named after the American president who made great efforts to save these species from extinction. Now this beautiful animal feels at home in Redwood National and State Parks. Centuries past, cultures and nations have changed, but these mighty and majestic trees have continued to live in spite of the changes around them. But 200 years ago their lives changed dramatically. Mass deforestation took place. Today the fate of the California Redwoods forest is at a crossroads. Will people find a peaceful forest management? The creator gave our forefathers a wonderful world. They shared it with us and right now the life of the trees depend on us. Are we ready to save the forest for our children and future generations? Let's listen to the whisper of the old giant's leaves. Let's learn from their wisdom. Let's try to understand the language of nature, because through nature speaks the creator.