THE GHOST FOREST

A history of the efforts to preserve “one of the world’s greatest natural phenomena—the unique redwood belt.”

Early on, award-winning journalist and activist King points out that only 4% of the original 2 million acre ancient redwood ecosystem remains standing. As shocking as this statistic may seem, the number of old-growth redwoods remaining today would be much fewer were it not for the efforts of King and other activists. Beginning around 1850, settlers in California began commercially logging redwoods, and the destruction remained largely unchecked for generations even in the face of public outrage. “The rise of the United States, and especially of the western states,” writes the author, “to world economic and military dominance was paved, sometimes literally, with the life of the redwood forest.” Having grown up in Humboldt County, King was familiar with the lore of the great redwoods that once stood in his hometown, a grandeur that future generations would not have the pleasure of knowing. In the 1980s, while working as a journalist reporting on redwood logging, the author recalls being brought to tears at the sight of a clear-cut section of forest, a moment that forever changed his life. King goes on to share his continued efforts to preserve the redwoods of California, particularly the Headwaters Forest, despite facing arrest and numerous threats to his safety and life. The author’s strong passion and dedication to the cause can be felt throughout the text. Following the near-death experiences of two fellow activists, King felt the true story of redwood logging needed to be told, and he succeeds in his quest “to preserve the record and to honor the countless individuals who, for more than a century, have dedicated their lives to protecting redwoods.” His haunting, sometimes inspiring narrative is sure to move anyone interested in trees and nature.

A disheartening yet wholly engrossing, urgent account of redwood preservation.