Richardson Grove State Park

Hello from Richardson Grove State Park! Is anyone else missing the wildflowers of spring? This flower may look like it is from a tropical faraway island, but it is actually a Humboldt County native that can be found in front of our visitor center during the spring and early summer. This beauty is a Leopard Lily, or sometimes called Panther Lily. ... The Leopard lily offers more than just its good looks. The bulbs are actually edible, and local indigenous people would cultivate and harvest them. Remember that picking flowers (especially harvesting their roots) is not allowed in state parks. If you find something beautiful, take a picture and leave it for the next person to see. Also, Richardson Grove is located in ancestral Sinkyone and Wailaki land .

Ever see some animal tracks and wonder who left them? Find out with nature guide Mary in her livestream from 6/11/2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch

Hello from Richardson Grove State Park! Have you ever looked at a Redwood and seen bunches of these little green shoots springing up from the base? These little shoots are actually clones of the original large tree that are springing up from the roots or burls! Redwoods are some of the most resilient trees,and can really exemplify the idea of "life after death". In this photo we can actually see a bunch of new clonal shoots arising from this redwood stump along the Woodland Loop trail. Even after this tree was cut down to the base, it will continue to live on through the clones it sends up. Truly amazing!!

Ever wanted to know what owls eat? Find out with interpreter Kyle in his livestream from 6/3/2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch

The real scoop on the viral mountain lion "stalking" video

Hello from Richardson Grove State Park! Have you ever wondered how Redwoods get to be so tall? Many of our glorious Coastal Redwoods can reach heights of over 300 feet. But how to they manage to get water all the way up to the top of the tree? Coastal Redwoods have a special ability known as reverse transpiration. This means that once gravity gets in the way of their ability to suck water from the ground through the roots and vascular tissues, redwoods have a backup plan. The...y can actually absorb water through their leaves, or needles. Normally, plants release water through their pores as a product of photosynthesis. However, coastal redwoods can both release and absorb water through the pores in their leaves. Most of the water that Coastal Redwoods absorb through their needles is from fog, which is why you only find Coastal Redwoods within about 40 miles of the coastline. The water absorbed from the fog allows the redwoods to continue to grow even after gravity begins to get in their way. This awesome ability is yet another reason that our Coastal Redwoods are so amazing!

Maples are one of the most beautiful trees that exist in our redwood forests, but they're even more awesome than you would have thought! Learn how with naturalist Griff in his livestream from 6/6/2020 https://www.youtube.com/watch

Richardson Grove is home to towering Coastal Redwoods, but the park is also home to a wide array of other amazing trees and bushes. One of our favorite that can be found here is the Manzanita. There are around 95 species of Manzanita in Northern California. The name Manzanita is derived for the Spanish word manzana, which means apple. Manzanita means little apple, for the small, apple like berries it produces in the spring and summer. The berries in nearly all species are edi...ble, and the plants themselves are highly prized for their medicinal benefits. These plants have so many traditional medicinal uses that they could practically replace a pharmacy! The leaves are said to cure anything from headaches and colds to stomach discomfort. These plants also appear highly unusual, with their deep red bark peeling in many places along the trunk and branches in the late spring and summer. This is actually an adaptation that protects the plant from parasites, fungus and other advantageous clingers-on that may attempt to attach.

Hello from Richardson Grove State Park! This week we have another mystery for you to solve. Who had the gall to do this to these leaves??... Those round tumor-resembling marks on these California Cottonwood leaves are called galls. They're commonly left by insects who want to use the leaves to lay their eggs and hatch them in a safe environment. Many galls are caused by species of wasps, but here at Richardson we're not entirely sure who the culprit is in this case. Insects will sting a leaf or stem on a tree or bush, depositing the eggs at the same time. The insect will also deposit an enzyme that causes the leaf to grow abnormally around the eggs so as to form a protective home for the eggs to hatch in. Let us know if you have any guesses as to who may have had the "gall" to make these galls!

Invasive Pike Minnow! The bane of the Eel River. Learn how they're affecting our local salmon populations, and what you can do to help with interpreter Ryan in his livestream from 5/20/2020

Climate Week Announcement & California Coastal National Monument

Hello from Richardson Grove State Park! Who do you think lives here? The redwood forest is home to many burrowing animals like the grey fox, river otter, mink....the list goes on! This burrow was found just above Durphy Creek next to a large Douglas Fir tree. Does anyone have any guesses as to who might be making this whole home?... Reminder that here at Richardson Grove, we are here coexisting with our wild creatures. Be sure to keep it crumb clean so that we can keep our wild creatures wild and most importantly, safe.

Hello from Richardson Grove State Park! Today we'll be looking at one of the ferns that is often called the favorite fern of many visitors. The five-fingered fern! This beautiful wall of five fingered ferns can be found along the Durphy Creek Trail. Five-Fingered ferns love mossy embankments in moist environments, such as alongside creeks. The mossy embankment keeps the soil moist for longer, absorbing any runoff from the rain as it makes its way in to the creek. ... Five Fingered ferns are highly prized for their aesthetic, and also for their utility. Their black midrib stems were traditionally used in basket-weaving by our local native indigenous tribes. They allowed for a contrast in color, while also being flexible and strong. As a reminder, Richardson Grove is located on Sinkyone and Wailaki land.

Join Interpreters Kyle and Erika for the final Redwood Bioblitz Competition Update and Creature feature! Although our competition doesn't officially end until Sunday (9/13), we are discoraging anyone from continuing to recreate in the parks due to air quality. Thank you to everyone who has participated! Check out our iNaturalist projects to see the final scores: Prairie Creek: http://bit.ly/PCRSPbioblitz2020 Humboldt Redwoods: http://bit.ly/HRSPbioblitz2020... Compare the two: http://bit.ly/NCRDbioblitz2020 #CABiodiversityDay