Calaveras Big Trees State Park
South Grove burn postponed to sometime later this year
Perspective
A WEEK AGO, I published the first issue of the new year — and the first issue since my planned hiatus was announced on Nov. 13, 2023.
I also shared the news that my dear husband died unexpectedly on Dec. 6.
Although I wasn’t able to accomplish any of the things I had planned to bring Giant Sequoia News closer to the vision that prompted me to start the newsletter in August 2022, I thought I was up to resuming the newsletter with one issue per week for a while.
That assessment may have been premature.
A week later, I find that although I did think about Giant Sequoia News, I made no forward progress, and with my husband’s memorial service at the end of the week, I am struggling to stay focused.
Still, here I am, and I do have a couple of thoughts to share.
First, thanks for your readership and support. I heard from a number of readers after last week’s issue, and I appreciate all of you.
Second, a piece of important news I did not report when the newsletter was on hiatus was the outcome of a planned prescribed burn in Calaveras Big Trees State Park.
As Guy McCarthy of the Union-Democrat in Sonora so aptly reported HERE:
“Plans for prescribed burning on 1,300 acres of Calaveras Big Trees State Park’s dangerously overgrown South Grove of Giant Sequoias, the largest stand of the threatened trees in Tuolumne County and the rest of the Mother Lode, have been put off until next year, state parks staff said Thursday morning (Nov. 16, 2023).
“This fall, conditions have not been favorable,” Amber Sprock, spokeswoman for Calaveras Big Trees and the state parks Central Valley District, said in an email. “The South Grove prescribed burn has been postponed until 2024.”
You can read more in McCarthy’s story, but it’s important to know that this isn’t the first time planned burning in the park has been postponed. In fact, planned burning is often postponed.
As I wrote HERE, Marcie Powers, one of the founders of a group called Save Calaveras Big Trees, told me last October that “it’s crucial that the South Grove burn happen. It’s our singular opportunity this year to start creating a resilient, healthy forest.”
The state parks folks put a lot of effort into planning for this burning. I’ve not been able to find an update, but more snow is in the forecast for the park this week. None of us know how the weather might go this year. The snowpack is below normal, but there’s always a chance of a turnaround. Throughout the Sierra Nevada, there is still much damage not repaired from last winter’s crazy weather. All of this impacts the ability of land managers to carry out projects.
There’s so much more to say, but I’m running out of steam here — I’ll try to catch up and write more next week.
Thanks for reading!
I really enjoy your articles, Claudia. During this time, take care of yourself. You are in my prayers. Love you my friend.