Roadless Areas
Home/Species/ Giant Sequoia

Sequoiadendron giganteum

(Lindl.) Buchh.

Giant Sequoia

G3Vulnerable (G3G4) Found in 35 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G3VulnerableGlobal Rank
EndangeredIUCN
Medium - lowThreat Impact
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.130747
Element CodePGTXO03010
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
IUCNEndangered
Endemicendemic to a single state or province
KingdomPlantae
PhylumConiferophyta
ClassPinopsida
OrderPinales
FamilyCupressaceae
GenusSequoiadendron
Other Common Names
giant sequoia (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodLegacy Rank calculation - Biotics v1
Review Date2020-04-30
Change Date2000-02-29
Edition Date2020-04-30
Edition AuthorsTreher (2020)
Threat ImpactMedium - low
Range Extent5000-20,000 square km (about 2000-8000 square miles)
Number of Occurrences21 - 80
Rank Reasons
Sequoiadendron giganteum is endemic to California, occurring in the western Sierra Nevada. Giant Sequoia are a beloved and iconic species of California that can live to be thousands of years old and have earned their spot as the largest trees in the world by volume. The species has a limited range but nearly all occurrences are on protected lands. This species is highly adapted to fire and requires low intensity but frequent fires to maintain favorable conditions for germination. Fire suppression, which can also lead to infrequent, high intensity fires that are fatal to young trees, is the primary threat to the species.
Range Extent Comments
Sequoiadendron giganteum is endemic to California, occurring in the western Sierra Nevada in Calaveras, Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, Placer, Tulare, and Tuolumne Counties (Habeck 1992c).
Threat Impact Comments
This species is protected from many threats, as nearly all occurrences are on protected lands. Some threats to the species include fire suppression which reduce favorable germination conditions and increase the likelihood of high intensity fires that can kill seedlings and saplings and possibly more mature specimens. Fire not only removes duff, exposing soils for seed germination but it removes species that compete for resources, especially light needed for germinating seeds (Habeck 1992c).
Ecology & Habitat
Terrestrial Habitats
Forest/WoodlandForest - ConiferForest - Mixed
Other Nations (1)
United StatesN3
ProvinceRankNative
CaliforniaSNRYes
Threat Assessments
ThreatScopeSeverityTiming
7 - Natural system modificationsLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1 - Fire & fire suppressionLarge - restrictedModerate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1.1 - Increase in fire frequency/intensityRestricted (11-30%)Moderate or 11-30% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
7.1.2 - Suppression in fire frequency/intensityRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)
8 - Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseasesRestricted (11-30%)Slight or 1-10% pop. declineHigh (continuing)

—

Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL, Long-lived, EVERGREEN
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (35)
California (35)
AreaForestAcres
AgnewSequoia National Forest9,561
Black Mtn.Sequoia National Forest15,102
Caples CreekEldorado National Forest17,854
Carson - IcebergStanislaus National Forest56,430
Castle PeakTahoe National Forest14,974
ChannellSequoia National Forest45,429
ChicoSequoia National Forest39,836
Dennison PeakSequoia National Forest6,293
Devil GulchSierra National Forest30,490
Dinkey LakesSierra National Forest34,171
Domeland Add.Sequoia National Forest3,046
Duncan CanyonTahoe National Forest8,621
Ferguson RidgeSierra National Forest6,104
Greenhorn CreekSequoia National Forest28,226
Jennie LakeSequoia National Forest2,388
Kings RiverSierra National Forest52,999
Lion RidgeSequoia National Forest5,265
MonarchSierra National Forest697
MosesSequoia National Forest22,077
Mt. RaymondSierra National Forest6,965
Mt. RebaStanislaus National Forest3,869
North Fork American RiverTahoe National Forest38,495
North Fork Middle Fork American RiverTahoe National Forest11,245
North MountainStanislaus National Forest7,856
PyramidEldorado National Forest24,347
Raymond PeakStanislaus National Forest3,646
RinconSequoia National Forest54,610
Salt SpringsEldorado National Forest133
San JoaquinSierra National Forest22,474
Slate Mtn.Sequoia National Forest12,299
TinemahaInyo National Forest27,060
Tragedy - Elephants BackEldorado National Forest20,866
Trumbull PeakStanislaus National Forest6,164
WaterhouseStanislaus National Forest4,394
WoodpeckerSequoia National Forest11,936
References (5)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 1993a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 2. Pteridophytes and gymnosperms. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xvi + 475 pp.
  2. Habeck, R. J. 1992c. <i>Sequoiadendron giganteum</i>. In: Fire Effects Information System [Online]. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). [http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/]
  3. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  4. Little, E.L., Jr. 1979. Checklist of United States trees (native and naturalized). Agriculture Handbook No. 541. U.S. Forest Service, Washington, D.C. 375 pp.
  5. Schmid, R., and A. Farjon. 2013. <i>Sequoiadendron giganteum</i>. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2013: e.T34023A2840676. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2013-1.RLTS.T34023A2840676.en (accessed 30 April 2020).