Candelabra Trees

Shady Dell harbors a redwood grove that takes your breath away and defies belief. Just a few feet off the ground, the trees seem to have been split into a dozen trunks, each reaching to the sky like haphazard candelabra. The medieval "Enchanted Forest" as it's known by locals, is important for forest science. "We know that these gnarly branches and these strangely shaped trees create needed habitat for wildlife," said Emily Burns, PhD, the League's Director of Science. "We have a lot to learn from these trees. Their development offers clues into how the environment shapes redwood forests." Strong winds and salty air are believed to have shaped the trees, which are close to the coast. Because of its steep topography, the Lost Coast contains several ecological zones at multiple elevations from the sea to the ridgeline. The steep slopes of Shady Dell link the sea and the land with a diverse ecosystem. Shady Dell's diverse ecosystem includes a rich array of wildlife such as salmon, black bears, Roosevelt elkand mountain lions.  "What's unique about Shady Dell is that it is right on the ocean," Limm said. "There is this important landscape connection between water and nutrients and the plants and animals." "Redwood forests depend on fog water coming in off the ocean, and then they create habitat for salmon to spawn," Burns said, explaining that the trees shade streams and filter sediment to provide the cool, clear waters that the fish need to reproduce."In turn, the redwoods get nutrients from fish that come up from the ocean," Burns said. After salmon spawn in redwood forest streams, they die, and the trees absorb the nutrients from their bodies. The Lost Coast is one of the most rugged, remote and wild places in California. Perhaps that's why so manyhikers and surfers consider it the best-kept secret in the state. NOTE: Address is Approximate! Contact this website for detailed directions: http://www.savetheredwoods.org/what-we-do/protect/ShadyDell.php