by Mario D. Vaden, I. S. A. Certified Arborist, PN-5584A

This page is about the Grove of Titans project and Mill Creek trail in Jedediah Smith park, adjacent to Crescent City, CA. I am a Certified Arborist arborist who observed, photographed and documented yearly since 2008. Review these pages and all linked content for a broader understanding. A full narrative and VIDEO link about changes and fact vs. fiction are at the related web page GROVE OF TITANS

This project proved to be an essential need at a few specific spots that morphed into pork barrel spending and excess hardware. Of about $3,000,000 reported raised, I estimate $500,000 to $1,000,000 was essential with near $2,000,000 waste of labor and money. Some spots look better, but some stuff like the metal obelisks and fasteners seem worse. The single marsh crossing is maybe the only area where a metal walk seems justifiable, but even that span could easily have been eliminated with rails and using the pre-existing Mill Creek trail that leads downhill and through a “tunnel” many visitors raved about for years. Most of the trail did not need any boardwalk. And rustic wood decks would probably be better aesthetically (like for Big Tree in Prairie Creek, but much smaller).

Also, consider the huge plastic “railroad ties” used. See photo below. Those alone all-combined seal and destroy about 1000 square feet of vegetation.

Much of the change resides in aesthetics subject to the opinion of each visitor. Aesthetically the boardwalk appearance is ugly to some, but nice to others. In some places the social paths were only a few feet wide before, now broadened 5 to 6 feet wide. But there’s brand-new loss of vegetation equal to if not exceeding the so-called gain.

And about aesthetics, something can look better without being better. Take for example, building guitars. Some beautiful looking guitar sunburst finishes hide inferior grade woods beneath non-transparent coats of paint. I enjoy a nice coat of finish on anything, but consider this page as a look beneath the finish. Maybe it’s coincidence, but most of my guitars have natural transparent wood grain finishes !

Apart from that, I will say that the trail work holds the appearance of craftsmanship. It looks like workers payed attention to detail and taking pride in the work. The crews worked very hard and I’d like them to know I respect their work. To crews reading my assessment, I’ve been in your shoes doing this kind of work in parks, university campuses and golf courses since about 1976. So I observed and saw the sweat and effort you put into this project.

The end-result trends more to the vibe of an urban city forest loop while erasing a wilderness feel like hikers may experience at a place like Tall Trees Grove in Redwood National Park where there’s simple bare trail. And for those reading who have strolled Stout Grove, the fact we don’t see metal grates throughout that entire Stout Grove offers more than a clue.

EDIT / January 11, 2021 … apparently, decks under the main trees are constructed during wet winter, the worst time of year for soil damage and compaction (a fear used to fan flames for fund raising}. This is interjected for readers who want to learn. The winter work implies deficiency in management and planning and deviating from the project’s advertised fund raising goal of tree care. Consider reviewing my advice page for SOIL CARE and 10 Methods

EDIT / May 28, 2021 … I had a nice chat with workers assigned to this project and mentioned work under redwoods on wet winter soil. One replied they were constrained to operating equipment that time of year due to environmental rules or laws pertaining to wildlife. From a workers standpoint that’s a fair reason. For management, I don’t buy it because they did lengths of trail not under trees in the dry season and could have reversed order with tweaks to planning. It’s not hard to keep one trail closed an extra half year if tree care is truly the priority. A cable and pully system could have eased moving material directly across Mill Creek from Howland Hill Rd.

For some unaware, my background with construction, soil care and drainage started with five golf courses back in the 70s and 80s. That’s why repetitive crew traffic over bare wet soil in this grove caught my attention. And there’s implied contradiction about what the parks posts on its Facebook page vs. malpractice to tree and soil care. Is it possible they don’t know? Did they employ Certified Arborists for advice?

The first impression was how out-of-place part of the design looks compared to almost every other trail and grove in Redwood National and State Parks. To some people, it can, and will look aesthetically pleasing. For others, it will take time adjusting to.

In addition to the 2000 to 3000 square feet of vegetation lost along Howland Hill Rd. for bathrooms, this trail project appears to gut even more plants due to its width and design in some spots. Sorrel can grow under grates, but not under the beams. I think the project was reasonable for the pre-existing Mill Creek trail part. But considering lost vegetation was part of the panic originally interjected to news and fund raising, it’s fair to note this.

Part of the metal beams and grates bridge-over soil, preventing compaction and directing foot traffic. And even though the grate is see-through, there’s not enough for big plants to flourish beneath. But small stuff like sorrel can grow under. The sections shown above were gouged through some roots of two big redwoods seen on the left and right. Around the corner, the beams span across or touch the earth.

What do you think?

Is the damage on top of damage worth it? I would conceded it’s within reason. Although I’d have taken a different approach using less material and much less money. When this is finished, it should look nice, provided you like the look of the metal beams and grates.

The turn shown is here is just beyond the redwoods in the previous photo., and is directly across the marsh from a redwood referred to as a “Fused Titan”. Apparently, no real root damage ever happened to that redwood until this construction, and some de-barking is showing on some surface roots. It’s minimal, but worth pointing out due to the dialogue used for fund raising.

Here’s a view more close to show the look of the grate and the gouged area between the redwoods.

A combination of metal and synthetic beams is being used. The reddish “lumber” appears of similar material to Trex Deck or Bend-a-Board used for homes and landscaping. I’m not sure if the material is biodegradable. Certainly a long life is desirable for a project like this. If the material doesn’t “bio” degrade, I’m curious what the life span is, and what’s released over decades.

The materials are much different from the wooden bridges in most of the northern coast redwood parks. The foot bridge along Mill Creek trail will probably seem closer to what hikers have been accustomed too there. The shape and width is similar and the hand rails are the same look.

Here’s the Mill Creek trail sign by Howland Hill Rd. To accomodate the request stated, that’s why I used Mill Creek and some bushwhacking to take photos without actually being on the trai just to conform to the “letter” of the request.

Unless they are air-dropping with a helicopter, it looks like all the gravel is going in from the road.

Beyond the trail, little has changed in the part of the grove where the largest redwoods stand. Here’s one of the biggest trunks, about 26 feet diameter. If anything, the only change is a reversal of wear and tear because practically nobody has been walking around it in almost a year.

Here’s a view looking down the hill while bushwhacking back and forth. Usually I don’t care to photograph on sunny days, but the image came out reasonably pleasant.

In closing, I’d like to point out that the photo with the sign is not the actual grove sign. Although, that design could look appropriate. It’s an adjusted image from another grove, using some of the same words and letters of the original sign.