Mother of the Forest

Mother of the Forest was a giant sequoia in the Sierra Nevada that was stripped of its bark and used as an exhibition tree. Discovered in 1852 by Augustus T. Dowd, it was the second largest tree in Calaveras Grove, standing at 328 feet (100 m) tall with a circumference of 93 feet (28 m).^[1] During the California Gold Rush, its bark was harvested and exhibited in New York and London. However, the remaining tree was eventually destroyed by fire in 1908, leaving only a fire-blackened snag.

The damage to Mother of the Forest and felling of other giant sequoias during the mid-1800s sparked public outcry and led to the conservation movement and the legal protection of these trees. In 1931, Calaveras Grove was designated as a part of California State Parks, ensuring the preservation of these remarkable trees for future generations.