Last updated: July 19, 2022
Place
Lady Bird Johnson Nature Trail Stop #11
Dave Van de Mark
Quick Facts
Location:
Lady Bird Johnson Trail
Significance:
Walking tour in old-growth redwoods
Designation:
National Park
Amenities
1 listed
Scenic View/Photo Spot
Lifeblood
Colonial seafarers and early American adventurers cursed the omnipresent rain and fog of northern California. A discomfort to some perhaps, but the mild, wet climate of the North Coast ensures the survival of redwood forests. Wet winters soak the region under 60-70 inches of rain. Summer produces little rain, but temperatures rarely exceed 80 degrees. Summertime fog increases humidity and reduces the amount of water a tree loses through evaporation, softening the effects of drier periods. The small, tightly spaced redwood leaves intercept the moisture suspended in the fog. While some moisture absorbs directly into the leaves, the majority collects on the grooved surface of the leaf and drips to the ground. Water collected from fog may account for up to one-third of the total water in the redwood forest system. Water, the ever-present lifeblood of the redwoods, sustains life, both ancient and new.
Colonial seafarers and early American adventurers cursed the omnipresent rain and fog of northern California. A discomfort to some perhaps, but the mild, wet climate of the North Coast ensures the survival of redwood forests. Wet winters soak the region under 60-70 inches of rain. Summer produces little rain, but temperatures rarely exceed 80 degrees. Summertime fog increases humidity and reduces the amount of water a tree loses through evaporation, softening the effects of drier periods. The small, tightly spaced redwood leaves intercept the moisture suspended in the fog. While some moisture absorbs directly into the leaves, the majority collects on the grooved surface of the leaf and drips to the ground. Water collected from fog may account for up to one-third of the total water in the redwood forest system. Water, the ever-present lifeblood of the redwoods, sustains life, both ancient and new.