Around the time of the Han Dynasty, just before the beginning of the Roman Empire, a tree began growing at about 7,000 feet above sea level in what is known as the southern Sierra Nevada.
It is not the tallest or oldest tree in the world today, but it is the largest by volume at 52,000 cubic feet.
The former sapling is believed to be about 2,200 years old, which seems to hold up well for a 275-foot-tall, 2.7-million-pound tree. But on Tuesday, the giant sequoia, known as the General Sherman Tree, was inspected after dozens of its neighbors had sickened and died in recent years, threatened by drought and bark beetle infestations.
California is about to be hit by an aging population wave, and Steve Lopez is riding the wave. His column focuses on the benefits and burdens of aging and how some people challenge the stigma associated with older age.
A team of tree doctors from the Ancient Forest Society installed ropes and pulleys so they could scale the cinnamon-bark skyscraper and look for signs of trouble. Anthony Ambrose, co-founder and director of the organization, explains the challenges faced by trees:
“Less snow falls and melts earlier, so less water is available. [these trees] Requires a lot of water. A tree like General Sherman may need 800 to 1,000 gallons of water a day,” Ambrose said.
“Giant sequoias are often thought to be highly resistant to pests and pathogens. …And now…the one-two punch of fire and drought actually makes them vulnerable to beetles, whereas before they were Able to repel beetles.
Visitors watch scientists climb a General Sherman tree in Sequoia National Park to conduct health checks.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
It’s a depressing thought, no doubt, especially given the role humans play in the deteriorating health of the planet.
But it’s impossible to stand in the middle of a majestic grove of thousands-year-old trees and experience nothing but darkness, especially on a day when morning light breaks through the verdant canopy near the summit of Sequoia National Park. I’m reminded of John Steinbeck’s description of the redwoods’ northern California cousins, the coast redwoods:
“Once you see a redwood, it leaves an imprint or creates a vision that stays with you forever,” Steinbeck wrote in “Walking with Charlie.” “They bring silence and awe. … They are ambassadors from another time.
Larry Holland, 77, his son John, 53, and his wife Joyce, 72, watch scientists working on the General Sherman tree. “It makes you feel how small you really are,” Larry said.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Indeed, human time is so transformed by the enduring wonder of these treasures that 70 years old does not seem so ancient.
“I feel like I’m 21 again,” said Sheree Keohen, 65, of Huntington Beach, who was visiting the park with her husband, Mike, 69.
“We may fight like cats and dogs, but once you’re in a national park, forget about it,” Sheri said. “You just forget about any bills you have. No matter what they are, once you see this beautiful view, you never think about it again.
“This is something you’ll remember when you die, who knows, maybe tomorrow,” Mike said. “I don’t remember the years when the Lakers won the championship, but I remember going to see the redwood trees.”
The Ancient Forest Society’s Wendy Baxter (above left) and plant physiology ecologist Anthony Ambrose climb the General Sherman Tree.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Larry Holland, 77, of St. Louis, who visited the park with his family, felt the same way about the magic of the spectacle before him. He said we have an arrogant sense of our own importance and an illusion of control over our destiny, but we come and go so fleetingly that we disappear before and after these long-lived gods.
“It makes you feel how small you really are,” Holland said.
Wendy Baxter, a canopy ecologist and co-founder of the Ancient Forest Society, was preparing to ascend General Sherman Mountain for a health check, but she took a moment to reflect on the majesty of her subjects.
“I’m inspired by their resilience – just the fact that this organism has been growing in the same place for over 2,000 years is incredible,” Baxter said. “I think they offer us all a An example that tells us that if we live within our means, live well, and have the resources we need, we can live a long and healthy life.”
Sequoia park rangers display bark beetles in Sequoia National Park.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
These trees are good stewards of the earth, providing free accommodation for spotted owls, Pacific fishermen, flying squirrels and many other tenants, while nurturing the land beneath them and nurturing new life.
On the other hand, Baxter said, we haven’t been the greatest guardians, especially over the past few hundred years, as changes in an increasingly energy-dependent world have made big trees less resilient.
In just a few years, “we have documented 40 deaths of large sequoias,” said Christy Brigham, director of resource management and science for Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Trees’ “relationship to the landscape” is changing, she said, like a tiny beetle conspiring with climate change to bring down a giant ambassador.
“We’ve never seen a beetle kill an entire large, mature redwood before,” Brigham said. “That’s our concern here today.”
Botanist Cameron B. Williams examines the canopy of the General Sherman tree. Three other scientists on the team also climbed the tree to look for bark beetle activity and examine the overall health of the redwoods.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Add to that drought-flood cycles that have become the norm, wildfires destroy millions of trees, and ozone levels pollute even the national parks we’ve long escaped for fresh air. A recent reports The National Parks Conservation Association found that 97% of the nation’s national parks suffer from ozone pollution, with Sequoia and Kings Canyon at the top of the list.
The popularity of the forest is part of the problem. Visitors from around the world flock to stand in front of trees whose age can be measured in centuries, rooted in the soil of a spinning sphere flying through space. Visitors speaking different languages, bringing different life experiences and political views came to the altar of this natural wonder. They stared up, silent, and united in reverence. It is inspiring to know that despite all our differences, the things we hold dear can be a unifying force.
“When I was younger, I would find solace… and resilience in nature. You see… the renewal that was happening, it was a very peaceful part of my life,” said Clay Jordan, who learned early on that he What do you want to do when you grow up? Now, at the age of 62, I am the director of a school. Sequoia National Park and Kings Canyon National Park.
A tourist communes with a giant sequoia in Sequoia National Park.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
For Jordan, the redwoods remain a symbol of stability, serenity and perseverance. But he told me he no longer takes them for granted and knows we all have a role to play in protecting them, whether for his grandchildren or ourselves.
“I might even appreciate these trees more,” Jordan said, “because I now recognize a vulnerability… that didn’t exist for thousands of years.”
Scientists from the Ancient Forest Association and other members of the association Giant Sequoia Land Allianceis studying the case, using drones, satellite imagery and tree-climbing inspections to better understand vulnerabilities and develop strategies to save the trees.
When the tree doctors completed General Sherman’s physical examination, they returned to reality and shared the results with park officials, Forest Service representatives and other interested groups, including the Save the Redwoods Alliance
“I have good news to report,” Ambrose said.
“I might even appreciate the trees more… because I now recognize a vulnerability… that hasn’t existed in the last few thousand years,” said the 62-year-old at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. Administrator Clay Jordan said.
(Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times)
Despite evidence of “holes trying to get in” in branches throughout the canopy, the beetles “didn’t seem to be very successful” as they had been feeding on nearby redwoods.
Ambrose said General Sherman stood up bravely and resisted the ravages of time. The tree “looks very vibrant, the leaves are healthy, it looks really good”.
It has been around for two thousand two hundred years and is still going on.
Steve.lopez@latimes.com
