Outside the lumber boomtown of Occidental, on a ridge off Fitzpatrick Lane, lies a peaceful, 48-acre forest once owned by families who made their living sawing timber – yet they couldn't bear to cut down these ancient giants. Environmental activists rallied to these old-growth redwoods' defense in the 1990s, and conservation nonprofits purchased the entire grove. You can still see faint blue marks on towering trees once destined for lumberyards, now thriving in this designated "Forever Wild" conservation site.
The forest and its trails are managed by Sonoma nonprofit LandPaths, and if you're inspired to help, sign up for a community stewardship workday online.
