On this day in 1908, President Theodore Roosevelt declared 554 acres in Marin County, California, a national monument. William and Elizabeth Kent, who donated the land, insisted the monument be named after naturalist John Muir, the environmentalist known as the "father of the national parks." Part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods is best known for its old-growth coastal redwood forests, which make up more than half its land. The redwoods in the monument are 600-800 years old, on average, with the oldest being at least 1,200. The tallest tree is about 258 feet, though redwoods grow as high as 379 feet farther north. Redwoods are an important part of the forest ecosystem. They absorb and "strip" moisture from fog, which then drips into the ground, supporting the trees as well as other forest life.
Into the woods
Today in History
More Desktop Wallpapers:
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Gateway to America
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Skagit Valley Tulip Festival
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Welcome to the Alien Egg Hatchery
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Burchells zebras for International Zebra Day
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Welcome to the Year of the Pig
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International Day for Biodiversity
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Celebrating the UN’s International Day of Families
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Let s get lost
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It s National Mushroom Month!
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Overlooking the Douro
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An island oasis in the Indian Ocean
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Penguins can t fly!
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A stunning sight in Mexico s wilderness
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Gespensterwald, Nienhagen, Germany
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International Day of the Tropics
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All Rhodes lead to the beach
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The aftermath of a meteorite
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And to think that I saw it in Cappadocia
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Poinsettia Day
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Taiwan yuhinas in Alishan National Scenic Area
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Oh, happy day!
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In the Himalayas for International Mountain Day
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World Poetry Day
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Yarn bombing in the village of Gurnard, England
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Nothing plain about it
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Eurasian scops owl
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Martin Luther King Day
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Groundhog Day
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Presidents Day in America’s front yard
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All eyes on sustainability