For more than a decade we've fought off the misguided and controversial Caltrans proposal to realign a section of Highway 101 in northern California that runs through Richardson Grove State Park, an unnecessary project that would kill or damage irreplaceable ancient redwood trees. Unfortunately, our lawsuits to try to halt the project have not been successful. Now the only thing that can save Richardson Grove is your voice added to a massive public outcry. Our elected officials need to intervene to rein in a highway agency that is out of control and intent on destroying the iconic redwoods of Richardson Grove.

Richardson Grove is the gateway to the redwoods, where tourists first encounter large redwoods when heading north. It’s one of the last protected stands of accessible old-growth redwood trees in the world. Caltrans’ road project is intended to rework curves on the road to provide for oversized trucks with limited turning capacity to drive through the grove, making the road more of a freeway than a rural highway. Caltrans intends to cut into and pave over the root systems of thousand-year-old trees, which if it does not kill trees outright is likely to weaken them, cause canopy dieback, and shorten the lifespan of irreplaceable ancient redwoods. We could lose parts of this grove.

The irony is that this risky project is unnecessary since Caltrans has already implemented exemptions that allow some oversized trucks to currently drive through the grove. And there are other highway routes to move goods besides 101 through Richardson Grove. California has not adequately explored other alternatives or more cost effective and environmentally sound transportation solutions.

Please send a message to the Biden Administration, your state representatives and to Caltrans to save the redwoods of Richardson Grove.