California redwoods see growth spurt

California redwood Sequoia sempervirens, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, California (Credit: Brian Gratwicke, Wikimedia Commons)

Giant redwood trees in California are having a growth spurt, according to the Associated Press. Experts say that climate change is to blame, noting the trees have produced more wood over the past century than any other point in their lives.

The conclusion was made following a four-year study of 137 coast redwoods and giant sequoias that spanned 16 plots over the trees’ geographic range. Measurements were taken manually, as well as from other growth monitoring devices.

But extra growth isn’t necessarily a bad thing, the researchers say. With warmer temperatures, the redwoods simply have a longer growing season and it’s likely that the trees will thrive in higher temperatures.

Image: California redwood Sequoia sempervirens, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, California (Credit: Brian Gratwicke, Wikimedia Commons)