Dear John,
Our planet is nothing if not transitional. It wobbles and spins on its axis, zooms around the sun, and gradually sweeps across the galaxy as part of the spiraling Milky Way. On its surface, the Earth is a shifting mosaic of intricately connected ecosystems, including one of our favorites: California’s Sierra Nevada, home of the giant sequoia. This Earth Month, we’re sharing some positively average news from the Sierra.
Because sometimes, average can be extraordinary.
According to the California Department of Water Resources, the state snowpack was 96 percent of average as of early April ([link removed]). In the northern Sierra, it was well over 100 percent. In the central and southern Sierra, it was at 91 and 84 percent, respectively. This is the third consecutive year California’s snowpack has been near or above average. It’s also the first time in 25 years we’ve seen a three-year streak of winters with near-average snowfall. That’s amazing news, considering 2016 to 2021 saw the state’s worst drought in 500 years.
Giant sequoias, those ancient sentinels of the Sierra, have seen it all before. They grow at elevations that straddle the snow line and can handle a bit of precipitation whiplash. But long term, sequoias need adequate winter snow. Especially baby sequoias. With their shallower, developing root systems, saplings require surface water, like snowmelt, to grow. This winter’s white stuff will be a boon to the next generation of sequoias trying to regenerate in the wake of extreme fires ([link removed]). Deep snow also prevents sequoia groves from drying out as quickly in the summer, essentially shortening the fire season and reducing the risk of future megafires.
The good snow news is mostly concentrated in the central and northern Sierra, meaning sequoias in these groves can bask contentedly in their springtime snowpack. Southern Sierra groves haven’t enjoyed quite as much snow cover and may face the risk of wildfire sooner—but Save the Redwoods League is on it. We’ve worked hard to restore fire resilience to sequoia ecosystems in the southern Sierra, including the Alder Creek and Packsaddle groves ([link removed]). When warmer, drier conditions return, these groves will be better prepared to survive and thrive.
If you have the chance, go walk amongst these giants while they’re still wearing their springtime best. You’ll never experience quiet like the stillness of a snowbound sequoia grove. And this Earth Month, raise a glass with us, toasting an extraordinarily average snowpack.
See you out there,
Save the Redwoods League
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CONTACT US:
Save the Redwoods League
111 Sutter Street, 11th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94104
United States
(888) 836-0005
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