This year marks an exciting new chapter for Turtle Island Restoration Network’s (TIRN) 10,000 Redwoods Program. With renewed capacity and a long-term vision, we have an opportunity to build on the program’s foundation while expanding its impact across Marin County and beyond.
At its heart, the 10,000 Redwoods Program uses redwood restoration as a catalyst for strengthening watersheds, addressing the climate crisis, and reconnecting people with the natural world. By restoring redwood ecosystems, we are not only planting trees—we are restoring relationships: between forests and watersheds, people and place, science and storytelling, and present communities and future generations.
Our work is guided by four interconnected pillars.
Supporting Healthy Watersheds
Redwoods are a cornerstone species within healthy riparian ecosystems. Through strategic planting in areas where historical evidence and ecological data indicate redwoods were once part of the landscape, we aim to support watershed restoration and resilience.
By planting redwoods in appropriate locations, including along creeks and within the Lagunitas Creek watershed, we can help stabilize streambanks, reduce erosion, improve water quality, and contribute to habitat conditions that support native species such as Coho salmon.
Building Climate Resilience
Coast redwoods are among the world’s most effective natural carbon sinks, capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it within their trunks, branches, roots, and surrounding soils. Their immense size, longevity, and ability to accumulate biomass allow them to store carbon for generations, making them one of nature’s most powerful tools for addressing climate change.
Through local seed collection, propagation, and strategic planting, we aim to restore redwoods to landscapes where they historically thrived while also supporting community members and landowners who want to plant redwoods on their own properties. Whether planted in a restoration area or a backyard, every tree represents a tangible act of hope and an opportunity for individuals to contribute to climate resilience.
Cultivating Stewardship Through Reciprocity
Long-term conservation depends on more than healthy forests—it depends on meaningful relationships between people and the natural world. The 10,000 Redwoods Program invites people to participate in restoration as an act of reciprocity: caring for the ecosystems that sustain us.
Through volunteer opportunities, educational partnerships, and community engagement, we hope to help people deepen their connection to the environment and recognize their role as stewards of the places they call home.
Sharing the Story Through Data and Learning
Restoration is a journey that unfolds over decades. Through Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping, photography, storytelling, and data collection, we are documenting that journey so our community can witness restoration in action.
By establishing baselines and tracking progress over time, we hope to transform data into an interactive learning experience—helping people understand where restoration is happening, how ecosystems are changing, and the collective impact of their participation.
Our mapping efforts will help us identify restoration opportunities, document historical and current planting sites, track partnerships, and communicate the ecological benefits of the work over time.
Looking Ahead
This first year is focused on building the foundation needed for long-term success. Our priorities include collecting locally sourced redwood seeds, expanding propagation efforts, identifying restoration opportunities, developing partnerships, and creating the systems needed to measure and communicate our impact.
Already, we are excited by the momentum building around the program. We have welcomed thought partners and critical friends, including Mia Monroe, Ben Anderson, and Matthew Ricards, who are helping strengthen the program through their expertise and perspectives.
We are also developing promising partnerships with organizations such as Forest Unlimited, Rancho Compasión, Spirit Rock Meditation Center, and local schools. These collaborations reflect the diverse community needed to make restoration possible, from land stewards and educators to conservation practitioners and community members.
Our interns are also helping advance the program through GIS mapping, storytelling, and data collection, creating tools that will allow us to document this restoration journey and share it with the wider community.
As the 10,000 Redwoods Program continues to grow, so too does the community behind it. Whether through collecting seeds, planting trees, sharing knowledge, or supporting our work, every contribution helps restore not only redwood forests but also our relationship with the natural world. We look forward to sharing this journey with you.
