Restoring Fire-Resilient Trees

The Jefferson Exchange

In the remote reaches of northern California and a small section of southern Oregon is the Baker Cypress, a rare species of tree and cypress notable for its unique adaptation to fire—a characteristic that has ensured its survival through millennia of wildfire seasons.

However, the intensity and frequency of modern-day wildfires have pushed this species to the brink in some regions. Cal Poly Humboldt Forestry Professor Jeff Kane has teamed up with Ecologist Kyle Merriam and a team of students to reestablish the Baker Cypress in areas where it was nearly wiped out by the 2021 Dixie Fire.