Redwoods threatened by fog--or lack thereof

Among some of California's most popular RV trip routes are those leading travelers through the nearly mystical redwood forests. Sequoia sempervirens are the tallest trees on earth, some pushing 400 feet in height. With a lifespan of over two millennia, it's no wonder that visitors can only stand in awe, gazing upward at these towering giants.

But look out, the enemies of the Sequoia don't come bearing chainsaws, it looks as though nature itself may be giving new life in the redwood forests the cold shoulder. In a study released earlier this month by the University of California, Berkeley, a decline in fog may threaten new growth in the California and southern Oregon redwood forests.

"Since 1901, the average number of hours of fog along the coast in summer has dropped from 56 percent to 42 percent, which is a loss of about three hours per day," said study leader James A. Johnstone. "A cool coast and warm interior is one of the defining characteristics of California's coastal climate, but the temperature difference between the coast and interior has declined substantially in the last century, in step with the decline in summer fog."

What's the fallout from the fog falloff? Todd E. Dawson, UC Berkeley professor, is the study's co-author. Dawson warns, "As fog decreases, the mature redwoods along the coast are not likely to die outright, but there may be less recruitment of new trees; they will look elsewhere for water, high humidity and cooler temperatures," Dawson said. "What does that mean for the current redwood range and that of the plants and animals with them?"

While less fog makes for an easier time of RVing, evidently it's not so advantageous for a redwood.

For a great place to see more of the redwoods, and on where to camp with your RV, visit the National Park Service website dedicated to the redwoods.

Photo: puliarf on flickr.com under creative commons license agreement.