OtterKnow Kids Encyclopedia

The redwood forests of California are home to the tallest trees on Earth! These giant trees are called coast redwoods, and some of them grow taller than a 35-story building. The forests are cool, quiet, and shady. Walking through a redwood forest feels like stepping into a magical giant world.

Coast redwoods only grow in a narrow strip along the coast of California and a tiny part of southern Oregon. They need fog to survive! During the dry summer, fog rolls in from the Pacific Ocean. The redwood needles catch tiny water drops from the fog, and the water drips down to the roots. Without this fog, the trees could not grow so tall.

Many animals call the redwood forest home. The banana slug is one of the most famous. It is bright yellow and can be as long as a banana! You might also see black-tailed deer, gray foxes, and raccoons. Up in the treetops, the marbled murrelet builds its nest. This small seabird flies from the ocean to nest high up in the old redwood branches. Salmon swim in the streams that flow through the forest.