Range

S.W. Oregon, North and Central Calif. coast

Ecology

"Redwood forests provide habitat for variety of mammals, aviafauna, reptiles, and amphibians. Remnant old-growth redwood stands provide habitat for the federally threatened spotted owl and the California-endangered marbled murrelet... Redwood forests provide hiding and thermal cover for Roosevelt elk, black-tailed deer, and a variety of small mammals. The pileated woodpecker generally selects broken tree tops or snags with rot for nesting cover. The softness of redwood, however, allows the pileated woodpecker to use green trees of adequate size. In one study only half the nests of pileated woodpeckers were in redwoods that had broken tops with rot, while the other half were in sound green trees with no sign of decay in the excavation chips.

In a large cutover area acquired by Redwood National Park, both plantings and natural colonization of redwood on outsloped (recontoured into the hillside) logging roads were used with good success [for rehabilitation of disturbed sites]. This treatment curtailed erosion in the park by an estimated 6.6 million cubic feet (0.2 mil m3). Redwood was one of a number of native species used successfully to reclaim a riparian ecosystem in a city park in Berkeley; redwoods on the site had a high survival rate." [1]

Equity: Cultural and Historical Significance

"In settlement times fire scar cavities at the base of larger redwood boles were used as goose pens; hence the name "goosepens" has been used to denote fire scar cavities... Native Americans used redwood in the construction of canoes and as grave markers." [1]

Economics

"Redwood is one of California's most valuable timber species. The wood is soft, weak, easily split, and very resistant to decay. The clear wood is used for dimension stock and shingles. Redwood burls are used in the production of table tops, veneers, and turned goods." [1]