‍Nelder Grove historically had about 400 mature giant sequoias, we lost some mature sequoias in our historic past, then we lost 277 mature sequoias that were cut down for fence posts agnd then a handful fell over due to natural events. We were then left with almost 100 remaining giants. During the 2017 Railroad Fire, we lost 40% of our remaining mature sequoia trees, and now we have approximately 60 left. The Shadow of the Giants Trail was destroyed due to the Railroad Fire.

In the 1990s Mark Lemmon wrote, “A Fire Protection and Restoration Strategy for Nelder Grove”, that said, “The fuel load in Nelder Grove was in excess of 140 tons per acre” and that was over two decades ago. We are long overdue for this project to be accomplished and today is a day to celebrate the protection of our remaining trees. The public needs to know that Nelder Grove just might be closed throughout next year, but this is a good sign that in our future Nelder Grove’s mature giant sequoias, and our forest as a whole, will remain standing because of the that that began today.

You can enjoy the plants, rocks and historical items because others left them for you. Leave what you find so that the next person can enjoy them.

Please observe the courtesies of the trail, the campground, and roads. Use existing camp areas and walk on the main trails to protect nature. Pick up your trash and take it with you. Remember this is a Pack It In – Pack It Out area. Follow the Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics.

Respect wildlife. Watch wildlife from a distance and never approach, feed, or follow them. Protect wildlife and your food by storing your meals and trash tightly.

Be kind to other visitors. Make sure the fun you have in the outdoors does not bother anyone else. Remember that other visitors are there to enjoy nature. Listen to Nature.

Practice Responsible Pet Ownership. This means controlling your pets’ interactions with people and wildlife in natural areas. Please keep your pets leashed within developed recreation sites. We also ask that you “scoop the poop.” ‍

The rare orchid shown below reaches it southern distribution limit in the Sierra Nevada at Nelder Grove. It is a Forest Service Sensitive species, and picking or disturbing these plants is prohibited. Please take only photographs.‍ ‍

Giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) cones are surprisingly small given the massive size of the tree. They typically measure 2 to 3 inches (5 to 8 cm) in length, or roughly the size of a standard chicken egg.

Key facts about giant sequoia cones:

• Shape: They are egg-shaped and woody, made up of 30 to 50 spirally arranged scales.

• Contents: Each cone holds an average of 200 to 400 tiny, papery seeds, each about the size of an oat flake.

• Maturation: Cones take about two years to fully mature, but they can remain green and closed on the tree for up to 20 years.

• Release: The cones require heat from forest fires, boring beetles, or drying out to open and release their seeds.