Protecting Sequoias From Wildfire Raises Tricky Questions

This article is part of The State of Science, a series featuring science stories from public radio stations across the United States. This story, by Marissa Ortega-Welch, was originally reported for KALW and the the “How Wild” podcast.

Sequoia National Park in California is known for its towering, iconic sequoia trees, some of which are thought to be thousands of years old. Severe wildfires fueled by climate change and a long history of fire suppression have put these trees at risk. One solution to this problem is to plant new sequoias. But an interesting debate has sparked between those in favor of this and those against it.

The vast majority of the park is officially considered “wilderness,” a federal designation that describes an area “untrammeled by man.” This concept of “untrammeled” has become more complicated in the age of climate change: Some people argue that it means humans shouldn’t intervene, even when the ecosystem is changing because of human-made climate change.

Guest host Maggie Koerth speaks with Marissa Ortega-Welch, host and producer of the “How Wild” podcast from KALW and NPR. The first episode of this podcast, “Untrammeled,” highlights this debate.

Further Reading

• Read more about the threat that climate change poses to California’s sequoia trees via Yale Environment 360.
• Learn about past efforts to protect sequoia trees from fire with aluminum blankets via NOVA Next.