Would you like to learn more about our coastal redwood forests? We've listed some wonderful books, arranged (for the most part) alphabetically by title. There are separate lists for children's books, selected out-of-print books that are known to be available on the used book market and trail guides.

Most books on this list can be obtained at your local library, from your local bookstore, and from online booksellers.
The Sempervirens Story
Special Selection: The Sempervirens Story: A Century of Preserving California's Ancient Redwood Forest, 1900-2000 by Willie Yaryan and Denzil & Jennie Verardo, Sempervirens Fund Press, 2000.

An intimate historical narrative about Sempervirens Fund and its predecessor organization, Sempervirens Club, containing many contemporary and archival photos. Click to order from this site.
California Forests and Woodlands: A Natural History by Verna R. Johnston. University of California Press, 1996. Splendid illustrations and photographs accompany vivid descriptions of the ecology of each of the state's dominant forest types, including redwood forests.
Coast Redwood: A Natural and Cultural History by Michael G. Barbour (Ed.), John Evarts (Ed.), Marjoie Popper (Ed.). (See Special Offer below!)
Conifers of California by Ronald M. Lanner. Cachuma Press, 1999. An informative natural history and field guide to all of California's native cone-bearing trees, richly illustrated with original watercolor botanical illustrations
Discovered Alive: The Story of the Chinese Redwood by William Gittlen. Pierside, 1999. Describes the 1948 journey by California paleobotanist Ralph Chaney to Sichuan, China, to confirm the discovery of a 450-year old tree thought to have been extinct for 20 million years.
Field Guide to Old-Growth Forests: Exploring Ancient Forest Ecosystems from California to the Pacific Northwest by Larry Eifert. Sasquatch Books, 2000. Not a scientific treatise on old growth forests, but a good current guide to accessing and appreciating them.
The Fight to Save the Redwoods: A History of Environmental Reform, 1917-1978 by Susan R. Schrepfer. University of Wisconsin Press, 1983. A solid academic profile of redwood conservation in the mid-20th Century.
Forest Giants of the Pacific Coast by Robert Van Pelt. University of Washington Press, 2002. This books isn't just about redwoods. It surveys 20 known species of the tallest Pacific coast trees. Sequoia sempervirens is beautifully featured.
Giants in the Earth: The California Redwoods by Peter Johnstone (Editor), Peter E. Palmquist (photographer), Heyday Books, 2001. This is a highly illustrated literary anthology containing stories, poems, and articles about contemporary conservation issues, all of which feature the California Redwoods.
The Legacy of Luna by Julia Butterfly Hill. Harper, 2000. Julia's memoir of the two years she spent living on a platform in the branches of Luna, a 1,000-year old coast redwood, in a fight against the Pacific Lumber Company.
Monarchs of the Mist: The Story of Redwood National Park and the Coast Redwoods by Joseph E. Brown. Redwood Natural History Association, 1982. A slim but pleasing volume.
Plants of the Coast Redwood Region by Mary Beth Cooney-Lazaneo and Kathleen Lyons. Looking Press, 1988. An indispensable guide with beautiful color photographs.
The Redwood Coast: Natural Wonders by Jason Cooper. Rourke Book Company, 1995. As informative about the seashore as the redwood forests.
The Redwood Forest: History, Ecology and Conservation of the Coast Redwoods edited by Reed F. Noss, Island Press, 2000. A current and comprehensive academic overview.
Trees of the West by Mabel Crittenden. Celestial Arts, 1977 Redwoods and more. A thorough reference for the redwood forest and more.
Special Offer on: Coast Redwood: A Natural and Cultural History by Michael G. Barbour, Sandy Lydon, Mark Borchert, Marjoie Popper, Valerie Whitworth and John Evarts. This book is the first contemporary illustrated book to offer a comprehensive account of the ecology and human history of Earth's tallest tree. This handsome volume, with more than 230 color and 100 black & white photos, covers the entire range of coast redwood, from the Big Sur Coast to the southwestern corner of Oregon.
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Just for Sempervirens Fund Members!
Sempervirens Fund members get 20% off the retail price for orders sent directly to the publisher:

Cachuma Press
P.O. Box 560
Los Olivos, CA 93441

Hardcover: $35.00 includes tax & shipping
(regularly $37.95 + S&H)

Paperback: $26.50 includes tax & shipping
(regularly $27.95 + S&H)
  • checks only; no credit cards
  • include your return shipping address
  • mention your Sempervirens Fund membership for your discount
  • not a member yet? then Join Now online!
Conservation Bonus: 5% of your purchase price will be returned to Sempervirens Fund for redwood preservation projects!

OUT OF PRINT
All of these books have been recently available from the used book collections of various online booksellers. 
  • Adventures in the Redwoods by Harriett E. Weaver
  • Plants of Big Basin Redwoods State Park and the Coastal Mountains of Northern California by Mary Beth Cooney-Lazaneo
  • Pocket Flora of the Redwood Forest by Rudolf Willem Becking
  • Redwood Country: A Guide Through California's Magnificent Redwood Forests by Hariett Weaver
  • Redwood Country and the Big Trees of the Sierra Lane Books (Sunset)
  • Redwood National and State Parks by Donald F. Anthrop
  • Redwoods: The World's Largest Trees by Jeremy Hewes
  • Secrets of the Old Growth Forest by David Kelly
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CHILDREN'S BOOKS
  • Ever-Living Tree: The Life and Times of a Coast Redwood by Linda Vieira. Walker & Company Library, 1996. A 2,500-year history.
  • Redwood Trees by John F. Prevost. Abdo & Daughters, 1998.
  • Redwoods: Naturebooks Series by Peter Murray. Child's World, 1996.
  • The Sacred Redwood Forest by Dror Shai Levi. American Literary Press, 1999.
  • The Tree Giants: The Story of the Redwoods, the World's Largest Trees by Bill Schneider. Falcon Publishing Company, 1988.
TRAIL GUIDES
The Santa Cruz Mountain Trail Book
by Tom Taber, Publisher's Group West; 2002. This is the 9th edition of this perennial favorite hiking guide includes not just great trail descriptions, but information about local history, geology, and camping. The book tells which trails are open to bikes and/or horses.
South Bay Trails
by Jean Rusmore, Betsy Crowder, Frances Spangle, Wilderness Press, 2001. This updated hiking guide describes hiking adventures in and around Santa Clara Valley from the Diablo Range to the Pacific Ocean. Maps are clear and simple; photos are black & white. The 131-pages section on the Santa Cruz Mountains includes wonderful details on hikes in redwoods parks.
Peninsula Trails
by Jean Rusmore, Betsy Crowder, Frances Spangle, Wilderness Press, 2000. This new, expanded third edition is the only guidebook that covers all the parks and trails along the Bay, in the foothills and mountains, in the forests of southwest San Mateo County and the parks and beaches along its coast. Included too, are newly opened routes leading to Big Basin Redwoods State Park.
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