Giant Forest Restoration Web Page

Giant Forest Restoration, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks

Overview

Move your pointer over this image to see a restored portion of the Giant Forest. © NPS photos by Athena Demetry.


		RESTORATION GUIDE

		Impact of Development Before and After Photos History of Development Demolition Activities New Visitor Facilities Ecological Restoration FAQ Home

Awe-inspiring giant sequoia trees are among the largest living things on earth, but the opportunity to experience them is rare. Approximately 75 groves exist, and only along the southern Sierra’s western slope on moist sites between about 5,000 and 7,000 feet in elevation. Giant Forest, one of the largest groves, was saved from logging by the establishment of Sequoia National Park in 1890. However, national park status did not fully protect the big trees. The road that brought visitors to Giant Forest also brought camping, cabins, commercial development, and congestion. The impacts of this development, both to the giant sequoia ecosystem and to the quality of visitor experience, conflicted with the National Park Service mandate to conserve park resources and values and leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of present and future generations. An early park superintendent, Colonel John Roberts White, recognized these problems over 70 years ago and vigorously toiled to protect natural values. While largely unsuccessful in clearing structures from Giant Forest, he did prevent additional development and set the stage for the eventual restoration of Giant Forest.

Years of planning, design, and construction are now converging into the realization of Colonel White’s vision. All commercial activity has been removed from Giant Forest. Overnight accommodations have been relocated outside the grove to Wuksachi Village. Demolition of 282 buildings in Giant Forest is complete, and ecological restoration of 231 acres is underway. The conversion of Giant Forest to a day use area is nearly complete.

The goal of the Giant Forest restoration project is to restore the ecological health of the Giant Forest sequoia grove, home of the world’s largest trees, and create opportunities for outstanding national park experiences. Specific objectives are the following:

Protect Natural and Cultural Resources

Remove inappropriate development from sequoia grove
Mitigate historic damage to sequoia forest
Limit future impacts through facility design
Preserve key historic buildings

Provide for Visitor Enjoyment

Improve parking and transportation system
Improve self-guiding trail system
Develop interpretive museum
Ensure accessibility to key features
Maintain national park character

Improve efficiency of Park operations

Remove/replace deteriorated utilities
Stabilize historic buildings
Simplify snow removal

Provide cost effective, environmentally responsible and otherwise beneficial development for the National Park Service. Establish precedent for removing development from key national park landscapes.

On these pages you will witness the dramatic transformation (see map) of the Giant Forest from city to forest. You will learn why and how the Park Service is carrying out this transformation. You will realize that a similar transformation in the Park Service’s commitment to correcting mistakes of the past was necessary before Colonel White’s dream of restoration could be pursued in earnest.

Today’s restored Giant Forest results from the efforts of many dedicated personnel, from biologists to heavy equipment operators. But the monumental accomplishments of this project stem from the unwavering ideals of managers and planners beginning with Colonel White. Truly we could not have achieved what we have without standing on the shoulders of giants.

HOME | SEKI NATURE & SCIENCE | SEKI HOME | NATURE NET | NPS HOME