Redwoods
We are trying to preserve these redwoods which were planted by the Shinn family sometime after 1876. We wouldn't necessarily plant them today, because they need more water than naturally occurs here in Fremont. But these redwoods support the history of the Shinn family in so many ways and can be used for tours and classes. Redwoods in Fremont do well when watered or near lawns.
This detail is from the 1893 etching of the Shinn property Notice that in 1893 the redwoods are a good size already.
The discovery of the redwood by Westerners was probably made in 1769 by the Spanish.
The Shinn family moved to the southern bank of Alameda Creek in 1856.
Lumbering of the redwoods began during the Gold Rush in 1849.
The Shinn Ranch redwoods were planted probably shortly after 1876 after the Big House was completed. The redwoods can be seen in the 1893 etching of the Shinn Ranch. Perhaps they were planted by James Shinn or his son, Charles Howard Shinn, right after the Big House was built in 1876. They could be around 145+ years old today.
Charles Howard Shinn was a founding member of the Sierra Club in 1892. He was the first supervising ranger of the Sierra National Forest in the early 1900s.
Milicent Shinn was a member of the Save the Redwoods League. They celebrated their 100th in 2018. See 100 years of protecting and celebrating redwoods
Joe and Florence Shinn were long time members of the Sierra Club.
These redwoods support one story of the Shinn Ranch and Shinn family's story - trees, lumbering, forestry, and conservation.
What would Charles, Milicent, and Joe say about preserving the trees that they planted?
A newspaper man encouraged Charles Shinn to write up a book on trees in simple language so that the "plain man" could understand trees.
Charles wrote this book about trees called "Let's Know Some Trees." It was published a year after his death in 1925.
In the foreword a story ...
"That recalls an incident of years ago.
"As a train waited on a siding in the Coast Range two boys who were gazing delightedly out upon giant Redwoods asked their father: “Dad, what kind of trees are they?”
"The father glanced up from his newspaper and
said: “Pines, I guess.”
"So the lads called them pines until a brakeman, hearing them, grunted: “ Them’s redwoods.”
Misinformation is even worse than ignorance."
The redwood in "Let's Know Some Trees,"
Our Ailing Historic Redwoods
The Shinn redwoods are ailing because of years of drought, compacted soil by cars, the lack of summer water, and the lack of summer fog. The redwood next to the Audubon Garden is doing much better, probably because its roots are in the water zone. The middle redwoods are trying hard to survive with epicormic growth and sprouts. They are alive and feisty. They need water.
What about those roots? Where are they?
A redwood, fallen, in the Montgomery redwoods shows the root mass. (Compare to the teeny people nearby.) The feeding roots would have extended from the root mass at least 50 feet in every direction.
Redwoods need summer water not just at the base of the tree, but in some cases, all the way as far as 50 feet!
Many parks have removed cars and pathways from their redwood groves to prevent compaction.
What you see at the base of the tree is just a tiny portion of the redwood's root system.
"Redwood roots from large trees extend laterally from the tree over 50 feet in every direction!"
Should you grow a redwood? The UC Davis experts ask hard questions and have a handy guide. There are better trees to plant in your Fremont yard in our summer dry climate. But maybe you have one, like we do, and want to take care of it.
Facts about Roots
Shallow roots absorb water that drips off the trees from winter rain and summer fog. In regions without summer fog, redwoods need irrigation.
Shallow roots absorb necessary oxygen from the top layers of soil. The top layers of the soil are more oxygen-rich than the deeper layers.
Extensive shallow roots form a dense mat that helps keep redwoods from falling in storms and floods.
Like those of other trees, redwood’s surface roots can be damaged by compaction from foot traffic and machinery
Because there is plentiful surface water available in forests, redwoods don’t need deep roots to reach water reserves.
Redwood roots can extend over 50 feet in every direction.
Most redwood roots are located in the top three feet of soil.
Roots of neighboring redwoods often interlock. This network of roots provides added stability.
Floods are common in some redwood ecosystems and can deposit sediments that bury and suffocate roots. Unlike other trees, buried redwood trunks can sprout new roots that quickly grow into the new soil to access oxygen where it is more plentiful.
We have redwoods, so what now?
We can design an example redwood forest ecosystem with plants that would occur in our local Oakland redwood parks and our deep shady creek valleys.
One of many helpful guides to plan your garden. This book treats our gardens as an ecosystem. What plants would naturally occur in a redwood forest?
Better yet, ask what plants would grow under the redwoods in our local Redwood Park in Oakland? Our climate matches more closely our local redwood park than the cooler rainier foggier coast.
From Calscape, put Canyon California in the box to see what grows in Canyon a small town on the east of Redwood Regional Park. Or draw a polygon around the area that you want to search,.
Draw the Polygon around the area where you want to search. Select "Native" under Plant Filler. Hit Search. Voila! Try a polygon around the Oakland redwoods.
Local Parks EBRPD lists
What plants grow in our local woods in EBRPD parks? The East Bay Regional Park District has plant guides to these local parks:
Garin/Dry Creek Look for the Wildflower Photo Guide. There are lists for wildflowers and trees, a Calflora search, and PlantID.
Look for other parks like Dr. Aurelia Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park
Studies of Garin Woods which is a deep shady cool canyon, with many redwood plant, but without the redwoods. Woody Vegetation and Succession in the Garin Woods, Hayward Hills, Madrono, CSUH.
Study of Niles Canyon
The Significance of Niles Canyon in the Phytogeography of the Coast Ranges of Central California Cherie Wetzel (1971-10 Niles Canyon flora 41423780.pdf)
June 9, 2000 Argus "James Shinn plants a bleeding heart..." in the Bette Wentzel garden adjacent to the Redwoods. Perhaps this is actually a Columbine? Both plants would be great here.
IMG_3256
We have a 50-year old volunteer oak tree that shouldn't have been planted right next to the museum. Oaks don't want summer water and redwoods do.
What now?
What now?
Who planted this oak next to our museum? Maybe a Jay while no one was paying attention.
Redwood Park and Huckleberry Preserve are adjacent parks in the Oakland Hills and could give us some ideas of what would grow on the interface of the two ecosystems.
Living among the Oaks: A Management Guide for Woodland Owners and Managers
Find answers about oak trees on UC Oaks.
We like the oak..."A great many birds, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates utilize oak trees and oak woodlands. Oaks are among the most important wildlife plants. The following butterflies use Oaks as host plant: California Sister, Propertius Duskywing, Mournful Duskywing, Golden Hairstreak, and Gold-Hunter's Hairstreak." See Calscape for Quercus agrifolia
References
A CALIFORNIAN’S GUIDE TO THE TREES AMONG US Matt Ritter
San Mateo 1923 newspaper had this news "Forest Protection Week is Set by the President."
"April 22 to 28 has been named as “Forest Protection Week” by President Harding, according to announcements from the office of Charles H. Shinn, chief forest agent for California. The announcement says in part: “Here in California let us help along the work of the Sierra Club, the Save the Redwoods League and the State Forester. Above all else, let us get a firm hold of that central fact of modern civilization that we must have more and better forest protection If we are to keep going ahead toward bigger and better achievements.”