VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Sequoia sempervirens | Redwood 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
Redwood is one of Califorina's most valuable timber species [36].  The
wood is soft, weak, easily split, and very resistant to decay
[38,40,44].  The clear wood is used for dimension stock and shingles
[44].  Redwood burls are used in the production of table tops, veneers,
and turned goods [40].


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Redwood forests provide habitat for variety of mammals, aviafauna,
reptiles, and amphibians [7,45,48].  Remnant old-growth redwood stands
provide habitat for the federally threatened spotted owl and the
California-endangered marbled murrelet [1,46].

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 [14].


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


COVER VALUE : 
Redwood forests provide hiding and thermal cover for Roosevelt elk,
black-tailed deer, and a variety of small mammals [24,45,48,50].

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 [25].

In California, the state-endangered marbled murrelet nests exclusively
in coastal old-growth redwood forests [46].


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
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.  This
treatment curtailed erosion in the park by an estimated 6.6 million
cubic feet (0.2 mil m3) [33].

Redwood was one of a number of native species used successfully to
reclaim a riparian ecosytem in a city park in Berkeley; redwoods on the
site had a high survival rate [57].

Redwood can be propagated via seed or cuttings.  Seeds should be sown
from December to April.  If planting with a seed drill, the recommended
depth is 0.125 inch (0.32 cm), with a seeding rate that will yield 30
seedlings per square foot (333 seedlings/sq m) [8].  Cuttings from 2- to
3-year-old seedlings produce the highest percentage of rooted cuttings
(up to 90 percent); cuttings from older trees are more difficult to root
[36,40].  Hedging (close-cropping) can maintain the rooting capabilities
of the donor tree.  By repeated hedging a single donor seedling and its
clones can produce a million cuttings in 3 years [40].  Redwood can also
be sucessfully propagated in plant tissue culture.  The callus can be
induced to generate cultured plantlets.  The cultured plantlets are
usually twice the size of seedlings the same age [40].

Millar and Libby [37] have developed guidelines for redwood seed
collection and for the use of redwood in the restoration of disturbed
areas.


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
The cultivars 'Nana Pendula' and 'Prostrata' are grown extensively as
ornamentals due to their reduced size [28].  Redwood has been planted in
New Zealand, Australia, and Europe [40].

Native Americans used redwood in the construction of canoes and as grave
markers [51].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Wildlife:  The marbled murrelet is dependent on old-growth redwood
forests for nesting habitat.  This bird is listed as endangered in
California and is under consideration for federal protection as a
threatened species in California, Oregon, and Washington [1].
Old-growth redwood forests of northern California also provide critical
habitat for the federally endangered northern spotted owl [1].

Black-tailed deer numbers increase after clearcutting in the redwood
forest type as a result of the sudden increase in available understory
forage.  After canopy closure (20 to 30 years), black-tailed deer
numbers decrease rapidly [50].

        Years after clearcut    Number of deer

         0 to 5                      43
         5 to 10                    142
        10 to 15                     21
        15 to 20                     21
        20 to 25                      8
        25 to 30                      8      


Competition:  Evergreen hardwoods are strong competitors in the redwood
forest type.  Tanoak (Lithocarpus densiflorus) and Pacific madrone
(Arbutus menziesii) often resprout when cut, and reoccupy the site
before redwood.  These competitors can be controlled by trunk injections
of triclopyr (Garlon 3A), with two to three treatments over a 4- to
5-year period giving the best results.  Foliar spraying with triclopyr
can also control hardwoods but has adverse effects on redwood [56].

Mulching and the use of ground covers increase survival of planted
seedlings by reducing water evaporation and reducing competition from
shrubs [35].  Seedling survival can also be enhanced with the use of
shades [2].

Damage:  Damaging agents include insects, branch canker (Coryneum spp.),
and heart rots (Poria sequoiae, P. albipellucida).  The insects
associated with redwood cause no significant damage, but the branch
canker girdles stems and branches, which can be especially harmful in
plantations.  Heart rots cause extensive cull in the redwood forest type
[40].

Wood rats girdle and strip the bark of redwood seedlings, and can
seriously limit redwood regeneration.  Where this is a problem, site
preparation should include destroying wood rat nesting areas [49].

Redwood is susceptible to damage from soil compaction in areas of heavy
foot traffic [4].

Silviculture:  The preferred silvicultural system for harvesting
redwoods is small clearcuts (30 to 40 acres) [10,41].  Boe [9] provides
information on the three silvicultural systems used in the redwood
forest type:  clearcut, shelterwood, and selection cut.

Other:  Namkoong and Roberds [39] developed an extinction model for
redwood.  Their findings reveal there is a small probability of
extinction due to natural processes, which can easily be circumvented by
planting.

Related categories for Species: Sequoia sempervirens | Redwood