David and Goliath: California Redwood Trees of Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve

There is no way that such a large tree can be captured in any one single photograph.  Here you can appreciate just what was needed to be done to make it happen in the video below.

These were extensive forests covering more than 500 miles, but these forests have all vanished due to the high demand for lumber. A paltry 3% of the original forest has been granted protection in state parks and one National Park.

(The Champion of Champions and it’s official)

 

Some two hundred miles to the east in the Sierras, one will discover another kind of Redwood(Sequoiadendron giganteum); these trees are not as tall as their Californian cousins. What they lack in height, they make up for it in sheer volume and weight. The two main rivals are the “General Sherman” in the Sequoia National Park in California. To the north the giant of Kings Canyon National Park, “General Grant”.

 

(size does matter, 2000-year Californian Redwood trees)

 

After accurate measurements and careful evaluations, the “General Sherman” tree was declared the undisputed champion. We will cross the Atlantic one day and visit these 2000-year-old beasts and pay our respects. Visiting these Santuaries to admire and reflect on these iconic trees will allow us to decide who are the real Champions.

 

(Breathtaking views of the Langeberg Mountains and the Duiwenhoks River Valley)

 

For now, we have resigned ourselves to record our South African Campion Redwood Groves. As the demand for quality Lumber in South Africa grew, indigenous trees could not sustain and regrow quickly enough; eventually, the forest was all but gone. Experimentation with exotic trees began, eucalyptus, pines, and of course, Californian Redwood trees.

 

(As straight as arrows, they dominated the scene)

 

These stands we planted on the slopes of Table Mountain, Grootvadersbosch near Swellendam, Hogsback in the Eastern Cape, and Misty Grove, Magoebaskloos in Limpopo. The grove in Grootvadersbosch caught our attention, and soon we would be standing underneath one of these majestic Redwood Trees.

 

 

(Heads in the clouds, almost impossible to get the complete tree in the frame)

 

Grootvadersbosch Nature Reserve is situated in the Langeberg Mountains near Swellendam in the Western Cape, comprising 250ha of natural forest. This indigenous forest is significant and most precious in the Langeberg; hence it was designated a World Heritage Site in 2015. This area now forms part of the extension of the Cape Floral Kingdom Protected Area World Heritage Site.

 

(Main Entrance to the Grootvaderbosch Nature Reserve)

This sanctuary was created to preserve one of the last remaining indigenous forests in the Western Cape. The Californian Redwood trees share the same protection from the chainsaws, thanks to their Champion Tree Status.

(Dence indigenous forest, back roads on route to the self-catering cabins)

 

We visited in April 2021, hoping to capture images portraying these iconic trees in our Afromontane forest. The grove was situated deep in the woods, and we had a one-hour hike to the point where they were marked on the map. As we made our way through the forest, admiring the lush greenery and streams along the way, nothing could have prepared us for the spectacle that was ahead.

 

(Like Ghosts, they appeared, they took our breath away)

(As we moved through the forest, we listened to the chorus of bird song)

 

This was an unforgettable experience connecting with these forest legends,  motivated by the prospect of visiting the Goliaths of North America, and fortunately, they will not be going anywhere soon.

(Captivated by the sheer beauty, mountains, forests, and the magical sounds of the wilderness)

(So many walking trails not completed, just as many mountain biking routes to explore)