The redwood trees growing close together, in many cases, have arisen as descendents of the same original tree. They have a strong regenerative ability, with a ring of trees able to sprout from the base of a damaged giant, and use of the old, established root system to ensure survival. The redwood forest is a unique, egalitarian community, home to a variety of other vegetation. And high up on the tree, fern families were peacefully thriving. Airborne seeds and spores, we learned, take root in the moist, nutrient-rich burls high up on the tree's resilient bark.
Cycles rule the redwood world.
A fallen tree lies in state and gradually decays back into the soil. This will complete the circle of life for the tree and provide a nursery for other forms of life and new sprouts from the root of the mother tree. The Fallen Giant not only serves as a nursery for new trees, it is also a host to many animals and hundred of other plant species. The complex soils on the forest floor contribute not only to the redwoods' growth, but also to a verdant array of greenery, fungi, and other trees. We saw dozens of different shrubs populating the forest floor.