Editor's Note: 

Seeing Red in the Redwoods   

It has been an article of faith among movers and shakers in the conservation moment that California's coastal redwoods are products of natural disturbance - namely infrequent wildfire and coastal weather patterns, including seasonal gale-force winds. But Forest Service scientist, Dr. Steven Norman, has found evidence suggesting that more frequently occuring Indian fires have played a far more significant role in shaping these beautiful forests than has been previously recognized. His 2007 report, "A 500-Year Record of Fire from a Humid Coast Redwood Forest," tracks well with other studies that make a convincing case for the role Indian fire played in shaping and re-shaping so-called pre-European forests, which we have incorrectly assumed were soley products of natural disturbance. To read this fascinating report, click here to go to the "Wildfires" section and Dr. Norman's report.