{"id":94202,"date":"2025-05-07T19:06:21","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T02:06:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sempervirens.org\/?p=94202"},"modified":"2025-07-11T10:14:18","modified_gmt":"2025-07-11T17:14:18","slug":"125-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sempervirens.org\/news\/125-years\/","title":{"rendered":"125 Years"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

2025 marks Sempervirens Fund’s 125th anniversary.<\/h1>\r\n

In 1900, a group of citizen activists banded together to form Sempervirens Club-now Sempervirens Fund-and committed to protecting and nurturing our coast redwoods so they would remain sempervirens, or always green.<\/p>\r\n

As we reflect on our legacy and look forward to the future, we are forever thankful to our vast community of supporters like you for your unwavering commitment to protecting redwoods. Our community, like the redwoods we protect, endures.<\/p>\r\n

2 million years ago<\/h2>\r\n

Coast redwoods flourished, covering an estimated 2 million acres from central California to southern Oregon<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

10,000 BC through the 17th century<\/h2>\r\n

Prior to their forced removal by missionaries and colonists, the Santa Cruz Mountains region was home to the Awaswas-speaking people-tribes that had been living in California for approximately 12,000 years as active, sustainable stewards of the land<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

1849<\/h2>\r\n

With the start of the gold rush, redwoods were logged for lumber; today, only about 5% of coast redwoods remain.<\/p>\r\n

1900<\/h2>\r\n

Sempervirens Fund was established. The community-led movement to save the Santa Cruz Mountains’ redwoods from logging gained momentum at the turn of the century. Community members were horrified by the destruction they saw in their backyard and joined forces to demand preservation of these threatened trees.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Black-and-white <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Two <\/a> \"Three <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Five <\/a> \"Black-and-white <\/a> \"Black-and-white <\/a> \"A <\/a><\/p>\r\n

1902<\/h2>\r\n

At its founding, the first order of business for The Sempervirens Club (as it was then called) was to establish and permanently protect six square miles of old-growth redwoods, creating Big Basin Redwoods State Park<\/a>, or as it was known then, California Redwood Park. It was the first new park in the California State Park system.<\/p>\r\n

\"Black \"Two <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Black <\/a> \"Five <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Black <\/a> \"Three <\/a><\/p>\r\n

1920<\/h2>\r\n

Artist and photographer Andrew P. Hill was referred to as the “savior of the redwoods” for his work drawing attention to their destruction and as a founding member of Sempervirens Club. Ever since, he has been honored in many ways, including with a plaque and a fountain in his name at Big Basin State Park.<\/p>\r\n

\"Andrew \"A <\/a> \"Black-and-white <\/a><\/p>\r\n

1957<\/h2>\r\n

Butano State Park<\/a> opens, after we advocated for the land’s protection.<\/p>\r\n

\"Four <\/a><\/p>\r\n

1968<\/h2>\r\n

A group of local conservationists joined together to create a new state park at Castle Rock<\/a>. At the same time, we became Sempervirens Fund to reflect a new emphasis as a fundraising organization.<\/p>\r\n

\"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Black-and-white <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a><\/p>\r\n

1976<\/h2>\r\n

The Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail<\/a> began taking shape in 1969. With the help of partners including California State Parks, local Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club, and volunteers from many trail organizations, the trail opened to the public in 1976.<\/p>\r\n

\"A <\/a> \"Three <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Two <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Two <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Children <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Black <\/a> \"Black <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Two <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Poster <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Four <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Former Sempervirens Fund Executive Director Tony Look reviewing the Mountain Shadows property, which at the time was a recent 700+ acre addition to Castle Rock State Park.<\/p>\r\n

1980s & 1990s<\/h2>\r\n

We continued to lead ongoing efforts to protect not just the redwoods themselves, but the watersheds that nourished them. Active community support and negotiations facilitated land acquisitions that added thousands of acres to Big Basin Redwoods, Castle Rock, and Butano State Parks.<\/p>\r\n

\"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Two <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"An <\/a> \"Four <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Black <\/a> \"Three <\/a> \"Three <\/a> \"Four <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Black-and-white <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Two <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Two <\/a> \"Two <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Three <\/a> \"Three <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Six <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Three <\/a> \"Seven <\/a> \"Four <\/a> \"Two <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Four <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Black-and-white <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"An <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"\" <\/a><\/p>\r\n

1991<\/h2>\r\n

We protected Camp Hammer through our first conservation easement.<\/p>\r\n

\"221007<\/p>\r\n

2000<\/h2>\r\n

We protected the 1,340-acre San Lorenzo River Redwoods, and added these lands to Castle Rock State Park<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

\"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Five <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"A <\/a> \"Three <\/a><\/p>\r\n

2007<\/h2>\r\n

We protected the 535-acre Little Basin, a former camp retreat for Hewlett Packard employees. Little Basin was later added to Big Basin Redwoods State Park<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" <\/a> \"\" <\/a><\/p>\r\n

2011<\/h2>\r\n

An extensive coalition of community land trust partners facilitated the purchase and protection of the 8,532-acre San Vicente Redwoods<\/a> property to heal and restore the forest after decades of commercial use. It was the largest private forestland remaining in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and the largest land purchase in our history. This was only possible due to enthusiastic community support and investment.<\/p>\r\n

\"San<\/p>\r\n

2012<\/h2>\r\n

We partnered with the Girl Scouts of Northern California to protect their camp properties, including two large old-growth redwood groves, with two conservation easements.<\/p>\r\n

2014<\/h2>\r\n

We led the formation of the Santa Cruz Mountains Stewardship Network (scmsn.net), a regional collaboration of 25 organizations engaged in land stewardship in the Santa Cruz Mountains.<\/p>\r\n

\"Join<\/p>\r\n

2017<\/h2>\r\n

We partnered with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band to protect 96 acres of coastal land. We also became the fiscal sponsor for the Indigenous Amah Mutsun Land Trust and helped them become their own 501c3 nonprofit land trust.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" <\/a> \"\" <\/a> \"\" <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Former Sempervirens Fund Executive Director, Reed Holderman (R) on ridgeline at Cotoni-Coast Dairies.<\/p>\r\n

2017<\/h2>\r\n

Along with donors, foundation funders, and key partners, we led the campaign to designate the Cotoni-Coast Dairies<\/a>, over 5,000 acres adjacent to San Vicente Redwoods, as a National Monument.<\/p>\r\n

\"A<\/p>\r\n

2018<\/h2>\r\n

Sempervirens Fund and partners Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST), Save the Redwoods League, and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife worked together to remove the invasive plant, Clematis vitalba<\/em><\/a>, at San Vicente Redwoods.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" <\/a> \"\" <\/a><\/p>\r\n

2019<\/h2>\r\n

The Robert C. Kirkwood<\/a> entrance, built by Sempervirens Fund, opened at Castle Rock State Park.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" <\/a> \"\" <\/a><\/p>\r\n

2020<\/h2>\r\n

An unprecedented late summer dry lightning storm struck the Santa Cruz Mountains, igniting fires across the region. The 86,500-acre CZU fire<\/a> ravaged Big Basin State Park, San Vicente Redwoods, and 90% of land protected by Sempervirens Fund.<\/p>\r\n

2021<\/h2>\r\n

The Mill Creek Dam<\/a> was removed, helping\u00a0endangered coho salmon to return and thrive.<\/p>\r\n

\"\" <\/a> \"\" <\/a><\/p>\r\n

2022<\/h2>\r\n

In partnership with The Y, we purchased a conservation easement and created a stewardship fund to protect Camp Jones Gulch<\/a>, allowing the old growth treasures here, and youth access, to be permanently protected.<\/p>\r\n

\"Two <\/a> \"Three <\/a><\/p>\r\n

2022<\/h2>\r\n

Big Basin Redwoods State Park<\/a> reopened after the destructive CZU Lightning Fire Complex. Most redwood trees survived, and stewardship and restoration efforts in conjunction with our partners will speed the forests’ recovery.<\/p>\r\n

\"Sempervirens Sempervirens Fund Executive Director Sara Barth <\/a> \"New <\/a><\/p>\r\n

The Present<\/h2>\r\n

More recently, with your support, Sempervirens Fund:<\/p>\r\n