The Napa County Resource Conservation District (RCD) is carrying out a local man’s vision to expand a grove of Coast Redwoods into a community forest.

“We’ve been marginally involved the past couple of years – Paul’s (Asmuth) been talking with our forester – and last year we were brought in for this large volunteer event,” said RCD Community Engagement Project Manager Ashley Kvitek.

“Since, we’ve talked with him about his vision and how this community forest can fit in with the district’s mission and goals, but Paul’s still the driving force,” she said.

More than four decades ago, Asmuth, a St. Helena resident, visited the Big Basin State Park and fell in love with the Redwood. Eventually, he relocated to California, and based on a town of Graton’s effluent irrigation project in Northern California, he approached the then-mayor of St. Helena with a proposal.

He requested he be allowed to use a fallow spray field next to the city’s Wastewater Treatment Plant to grow Redwoods that could be sustained by the effluent the plant released there. The city approved, and in 2012, after a failed first attempt, Asmuth planted 300 Redwood seedlings that today stand 30 feet tall.

With partners Napa County RCD and the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Asmuth and other leaders plan for the grove to grow across 10 acres of fallow land and become the Napa Valley Community Forest.

“The next step is creating better access to green space for community members and linking up with the trails and parks that already are in existence with this wonderful community forest and giving better access to these beautiful community landscapes,” said Kvitek.

Plans include walking trails, watershed projects, native tree and shrub plantings, a riparian buffer, and eventually school and group educational events.

Initially, Asmuth worked with RCD Forestry Program Manager Amanda Benton to create a professional mapping of the forest, then along with continued support from Benton, had visits by board members and soil experts, all to collaborate for the best possible outcome. Last year, there were about 800 healthy trees established on three acres.

There’s been some trial and error using coastal Redwood seeds – which Asmuth learned were not genetically predisposed to the colder temperatures further inland – and learning about potential chlorosis, the extent of which affects the Redwood based on how much salt is in the effluent the trees intake.

Asmuth has learned where to get seeds to create Redwood diversity, how to propagate from seeds and cuttings, and how weather affects the Redwood growth (foggier conditions increase growth because the trees can absorb water and nutrients from above and not have to fight gravity to reach all areas of the tree).

In July 2021, Asmuth and his wife Marilyn, held a volunteer event to recognize efforts and support from the community, a newly formed nonprofit Sustainable St. Helena an Environmental Alliance, different agencies, and city staff. There were an additional 300 seedlings planted at that time, along with the most recent one on January 29 to bring the count to 2,500 trees.

“The next phase is bringing in more native species you would find, like red alder, big leaf maple and oak species,” said Asmuth. “Even though we know the Redwoods are doing a great job with soil retention and carbon sequestering, we want it to be a more diversified ecosystem.”

The established grove already provides nesting for birds and tunneling and homes for voles, moles, and gophers, which then attract larger mammals and raptors, Asmuth said.

“For me, it’s the trees, especially the Redwoods,” he said. “They are one of the most amazing trees in the world.”

Tags: Forestry