What the dawn redwood does do, besides growing so fast, is to grow its lower branches higher than edible level as a form of defense. That's why dawn redwoods look like other conifers in that there are no leaves on the interior. But in the dawn redwood you get the sports on the trunk. In case all the outer leaf bracts are eaten the tree still has leaves which are unreachable to all but the most determined predator. This kind of event is naturally disastrous to the tree but it works.
Larches work the same way.
Gingkos are no different but you have to see them in the lesser-known conical form. An interesting note is that today nothing eats gingko leaves. If there were forests comprised of either trees you might guess how high sauropods could reach based on what natural height these trees would reach before branching out into a canopy in a forest environment. Unfortunately neither of these trees has ever been seen in such a state. Gingkoes can no longer propagate naturally without direct human intervention.