Giants on New Ground with Philip Stielstra

About this episode

Philip Stielstra discusses the role of coast redwoods and giant sequoias in assisted migration and their future in the Pacific Northwest.

We are joined by Philip Stielstra , founder of PropagationNation , to explore the fascinating world of coast redwoods ( Sequoia sempervirens ) and giant sequoias ( Sequoiadendron giganteum ) . Philip shares his inspiring journey from Seattle Tree Ambassador to becoming a leader in assisted migration, helping these ancient giants find a new future in the Pacific Northwest. We dive into: The unique traits that make coast redwoods and giant sequoias candidates for assisted migration , including their fire resistance, drought tolerance, and pest resistance. Challenges such as slow seed production, low natural regeneration, and the ecological and ethical considerations of introducing these species to non-native environments. Insights into Indigenous perspectives on land stewardship and how they inform restoration practices. Propagation Nation's Redwood Test Plot Grant Initiative , which studies the viability of these iconic trees in new environments. This episode builds on themes from previous treehugger podcast ep isodes featuring Dr. Sally Aitken on climate-smart forestry , Chelsey Armstrong on Forest Gardens and Indigenous knowledge systems , and last but not least the Climate…

People in this episode

Host: Michael T Yadrick

Guest: Philip Stielstra

Topics covered

• assisted migration
• coast redwoods
• giant sequoias
• ecological considerations
• Indigenous perspectives
• climate adaptation

Keywords

• coast redwoods
• giant sequoias
• assisted migration
• ecological restoration
• Indigenous knowledge
• climate-smart forestry
• fire resistance
• drought tolerance
• pest resistance

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: PropagationNation

Books & works: Climate Feels

Places: Pacific Northwest, Seattle, non-native environments

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