Friends of the Dunes

I am originally from Idaho so being in the mountains and forests is what I love most. What is new, however, is having the ocean so near. I had heard that with the ocean so close it keeps temperatures much cooler but I did not realize how much cooler until we got there. Another new experience for me in the CA Redwoods was seeing many different habitats all in the same area. While we volunteered with Friends of the Dunes, we saw forests, mountains, ocean, and dunes all in the same area. I have only ever experiences the forests and the ocean in completely separate trips so it was really awesome to see all of it so close together. I have also always been a fan of flowers, both wildflowers and the classics like roses and tulips, and this trip allowed me to see some new flowers that are not native to the Midwest or to Idaho. While I am used to the green forests in Idaho, they were not nearly as tall as the Redwoods. Seeing some of the largest and oldest trees in existence, was surreal and a great experience for me. I did not expect the wood of these trees to truly be as red as it is, and it was so intriguing. Another great thing I got to see was all of the old growth in the forests. We had talked about it in class and I had an idea of what it was, but seeing it in person was a whole other experience. I could sit and wonder about how these ferns and mosses and other trees are able to pop up and grow right out of a tipped over and hollowed out tree. It truly is an amazing ability of nature.Read more