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"The beauty of this place cannot be expressed in words," says Sam Hodder, president and CEO of Save the Redwoods League. It is the California conservation group that wants to rescue Alder Creek Grove, the largest giant redwood forest that is still in private hands in the world. For this, it needs to raise 15 million dollars, the price set to protect this extraordinary forest considered the "crown jewel" of the species.

Most of the redwood forests in the US are federal or state owned, such as the Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks, the Sequoia National Forest or the Giant Sequoia National Monument. But of the nearly 500 hectares of forest left in private hands, the Alder Creek Grove, 300 miles from Los Angeles, is by far the largest and most valuable.

Hundreds of old giant sequoia trees hide in its 215 hectares, of which 483 reach a diameter of 1.8 meters or more. Among them, one in particular, the Stagg Tree , is ranked number five on the list of the world's largest trees. The sequoia measures what a 25-story building occupies at its base the same as a two-way road. It is estimated to be over 3,000 years old.

Despite living so many years, it is one of the most vulnerable tree species on the planet, due to the threat of drought, forest fires and climate change. Save the Redwoods League is dedicated to protecting these unique trees since 1918.

"the need is urgent"

The group has managed to create more than 66 reserves by exploring the forests and the surrounding territory. To preserve the Alder Creek Grove have until December 31 of this year. It is the deadline agreed to achieve the 15 million dollars requested by the Rouch family, owner of the forest since the times of World War II.

"The need is urgent," says Sam Hodder. "If we don't buy this property, we don't know who will do it or what they will do with it. Walking among these trees that have been growing since the first human civilizations changes your vision of the world and the place we occupy in it. We have to save this place." .

According to the Los Angeles Times , a "handful of great patrons" have already donated seven million to the cause.

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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