Overlogged and Thirsty: Bay Area Redwoods Are Struggling

About this episode

This episode explores the history and current struggles of redwood trees in the Bay Area, particularly focusing on the impact of logging after the Gold Rush and the 1906 earthquake.

Muir Woods National Monument is known for its towering redwoods because some old growth trees have been preserved there. But redwoods used to grow all over the San Francisco Bay Area until they were logged for their timber just after the Gold Rush. Most of what we see in places like Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park in Oakland are second growth trees, ones that have grown since that time. After the 1906 earthquake and fire was another period of intense logging. Timbermen worked their way up the coast to provide the lumber that would rebuild San Francisco. Bay Curious listener Christy Dundon wants to know just how much of our old growth forests were devestated. Additional Resources: The Bay Area's Famous Redwood Trees Are Struggling Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcastsThis story was reported by (insert reporter name). Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Christopher Beale and Olivia Allen-Price. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED…

People in this episode

Host: Olivia Allen-Price

Topics covered

• society
• culture
• places
• history

Keywords

• Muir Woods National Monument
• old growth trees
• logging
• Gold Rush
• Reinhardt Redwood Regional Park
• second growth trees
• 1906 earthquake
• timbermen
• San Francisco

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Bay Curious

Places: Bay Area, the San Francisco Bay Area, Oakland, San Francisco, The Bay Area's

More episodes of Bay Curious

• What Happens When the Bay Area’s Beloved Ferries Break Down? · June 11, 2026 · 15 min
• Campsites Are Hard to Get in California. Try Dispersed Camping Instead · June 4, 2026 · 18 min
• The Wetsuit: Born of San Francisco's Frigid Waters · May 21, 2026 · 22 min
• The Brutalist Embarcadero Fountain Some Love, Many Hate · May 14, 2026 · 20 min
• The Delightful Story Behind A Thrift Store Vinyl Find · May 7, 2026 · 27 min
• The 24 Hour Job of Running Alameda's Bridges · April 30, 2026 · 19 min