Who Saved the Redwoods

Sound Bite

Powerful lumber interests stood in the way of the first campaigns to save the redwood trees of Humboldt County, California, but they were boldly opposed and pushed back. This history of the early 1900s recalls the Progressive Era crusades of women and men who prevailed against great odds, protecting the best of California's northern redwood forests.

About the Book

The Unsung Heroines

Have you ever stood in a redwood grove and wondered how it was saved from the loggers' saws? The answer isn't as simple as a few famous names or a single act of government. Who Saved the Redwoods? tells the gripping, untold story of the women who formed the front line of the forest conservation movement in the 1920s. This was an era of intense, industrial-scale logging, when it was seen as inevitable that the ancient forests would be turned into grape stakes, railroad ties, and construction lumber. As one newspaper lamented of a clear-cut area, what was once a primeval forest had become "a scene of utter desolation".

Into this fight stepped a determined coalition of women from local California clubs. At a 1913 meeting, as the fate of the beloved Carson Woods hung in the balance, Vida Lane rose and defiantly recited the poem "Woodman, Spare That Tree," setting the tone for the long battle ahead. This book chronicles how these women, led by tireless organizers like Laura Mahan of the Humboldt County Women's 'Save the Redwoods League,' refused to be ignored. They were not just sentimentalists; they were savvy and relentless campaigners. They employed what newspapers called a "barnstorming tactic," using a dedicated "Save the Redwoods car" to rally support across the county. They understood that "The Pen Is Mightier Than the Ax" and helped orchestrate a national media campaign in magazines like Travel and Natural History to awaken the nation's conscience.

This carefully researched book reveals the blow-by-blow account of their struggle against powerful, Eastern-financed timber companies. It details their frustrations with indifferent politicians and their public showdowns with lumber executives, whom they openly accused of deceit. It was these women who built the grassroots momentum that attracted wealthy philanthropists, including the Rockefellers, and allied with national organizations like The Garden Club of America. Before the famous environmental battles of the late 20th century, these unsung heroines laid the groundwork, proving that a dedicated group of citizens could stand up to corporate power and save a priceless natural treasure for generations to come. This is their story, finally told.