:


John,

Giant sequoia trees are among the largest and oldest living organisms on Earth. Some can reach 325 feet tall.[1] Others have stood since long before the rise of the Roman Empire.[2]

Today, these ancient trees grow in only a narrow band along California's Sierra Nevada range, clustered into around 75 remaining groves.[3]

Three of the most remarkable places to glimpse these monolithic trees -- and the wild landscapes they call home -- are the Sequoia National Forest, Sierra National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument. Each area offers glimpses at not just iconic trees, but rare ecosystems, stunning wildlife and living pieces of ancient history.

With 33 distinct groves, the Sequoia National Forest shelters some of the highest concentrations of sequoias found anywhere in the world.[4]

Here, nearby alpine meadows burst with wildflowers and granite domes rise above the canyons and valleys. More than 220 miles of rivers cut through slopes dotted with pines, providing cold, clear habitat for native trout and other aquatic life.[5]

Black bears, mule deer, mountain lions and bobcats roam the woodlands. Above even the sequoias, bald eagles circle ridgelines and spotted owls scan the underbrush for prey.[6] These animals, like the sequoias themselves, depend on the soil, water and canopy all working together to support a vast and fascinating array of life.

A hundred or so miles north, the Sierra National Forest stretches across 1.3 million acres of hills, slopes and mountains. From small foothills to nearly 14,000-foot alpine peaks, this variation gives the Sierra National Forest an incredible diversity of habitats.[7]

While it holds fewer sequoia groves than its southern neighbors, the Sierra National Forest still houses many giant sequoias that tower above the neighboring pine, fir and cedar trees.

Black bears, coyotes, mountain lions and even rare amphibians, like the Sierra Nevada yellow-legged frog, inhabit this rugged terrain.[8]

This region contains five "wilderness" areas -- off limits to all but primitive recreation -- and two Wild and Scenic rivers, waterways with special protection. The Sierra National Forest preserves the vast, uninterrupted habitats that are essential for the healthy soils and clean water the sequoias, and the surrounding wildlife, need to thrive.[9]

Set within Sequoia National Forest, the Giant Sequoia National Monument is home to nearly half of the world's remaining sequoia groves.[10] From clear, high-altitude water sources, to rich soils, shaded slopes and interconnected habitats, the Giant Sequoia National Monument is the perfect place to safeguard this ancient species.

Here you'll find the Freeman Creek Grove, which is one of the largest unlogged sequoia groves in existence.[11] Or you may see the Boole Tree, named for the lumber baron who spared it; today, this immense tree stands as the sixth-largest on Earth.[12]

Among them is the famous Trail of 100 Giants, a winding, mile-long path twisting through a cathedral of massive sequoias, ranging from youthful 500-year-olds, to roughly middle-aged 1,500-year-old trees that stretch 20 feet in diameter.[13]

It's truly a special place worthy of protection, a place where verdant fields, rushing rivers and thousands of years of history all converge around the towering sequoia trees.

Together, these three landscapes form a unique and ecologically rich region. Their giant sequoias have endured for thousands of years -- some are older than the Great Wall of China, older than the Parthenon, older than Machu Picchu and Angkor Wat.

But these ancient trees aren't invincible.

That's why Environment America and our national network are doing all we can to protect and preserve the giant sequoia groves, and all of America's oldest forests.

Thank you for making it all possible,

Lisa Frank
Executive Director

P.S. Will you donate today to help keep America's towering, ancient forests protected and wild for countless years to come?
[link removed]

1. "Giant Sequoia Trees," California State Parks, last accessed July 2, 2025.
[link removed]
2. "Sequoia Research," National Park Service, July 27, 2023.
[link removed]
3. Phillip Weatherspoon, "Giant Sequoia," USDA, last accessed July 2, 2025.
[link removed]
4. "Sequoia National Forest: Discover History," U.S. Forest Service, March 16, 2025.
[link removed]
5. "Welcome to Sequoia National Forest," U.S. Forest Service, last accessed July 2, 2025.
[link removed]
6. Gavin Newton, "SIERRA NEVADA ANIMALS: A WILDLIFE GUIDE," Learn California, last accessed July 2, 2025.
[link removed]
7. "Welcome to Sierra National Forest," U.S. Forest Service, last accessed July 2, 2025.
8. Gavin Newton, "SIERRA NEVADA ANIMALS: A WILDLIFE GUIDE," Learn California, last accessed July 2, 2025.
[link removed]
[link removed]
9. "Sierra National Forest: Recreation," U.S. Forest Service, last accessed July 2, 2025.
[link removed]
10. Josephine Campbell, "Sequoia National Forest and Giant Sequoia National Monument," EBSCO, last accessed July 2, 2025.
[link removed]
11. "Freeman Creek Grove," U.S. Forest Service, May 21, 2025.
[link removed]
12. "Exploring Giant Sequoia Groves," National Park Service, September 17, 2024.
[link removed]
13. "Trail of 100 Giants (Long Meadow Grove)," U.S. Forest Service, June 6, 2025.
[link removed]




-----------------------------------------------------------

Your donation will be used to support all of our campaigns to protect the environment, from saving the bees and protecting public lands, to standing up for clean water and fighting climate change. None of our work would be possible without supporters like you.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Environment America, Inc.
1543 Wazee Street, Suite 410, Denver, CO 80202
Ph: (303) 801-0581
Member Questions or Requests: 1-800-401-6511
[email protected]
Facebook: [link removed]
Twitter: [link removed]
Instagram: [link removed]
If you want us to stop sending you email then follow this link: [link removed]