The towering redwoods of Northern California have inspired awe for centuries. But the forest’s legacy isn’t just rooted in age or height—it’s shaped by the people who stood up to protect it, photograph it, and remind us why it matters.

Edgar Wayburn receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton, 1999.

Edgar Wayburn

The Reluctant Hero Who Changed the Map

Few figures have shaped the American landscape quite like Edgar Wayburn. A doctor by profession and a conservationist by calling, Wayburn served five terms as president of the Sierra Club and was instrumental in protecting over 100 million acres of wilderness—including the Redwood National Park.

At a time when clear-cutting threatened California’s last ancient groves, Wayburn used quiet diplomacy and relentless strategy to build unlikely coalitions in Washington. His efforts helped turn preservation from a local cause into national legislation.

In 1999, President Bill Clinton awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom, stating: “Dr. Wayburn saved more of our wilderness than any other person alive.”

It was a moment that captured decades of uncelebrated, relentless work—led not by ego, but by purpose.

Credit: Mitch Crispe WildCoast Photography 

Mitch Crispe & Nate Berg

Chasing Light in the Redwoods

For Mitch Crispe, a personal trainer, and Nate Berg, a wildlife biologist, the redwoods are more than a destination—they’re a canvas of light, mist, and silence.

The duo has spent countless early mornings on the Damnation Creek Trail, documenting a fleeting natural phenomenon: golden rays bursting through fog and ferns, illuminating the ancient trees like stained glass.

Their passion project—shared through WildCoast Photography – has helped bring new attention to one of the redwoods’ most mesmerizing traits: the way they hold and shape light.

“The redwoods, once seen, leave a mark or create a vision that stays with you always. — John Steinbeck”

Kay Walsh

Capturing Stillness in a Living Forest

Photographer Kay Walsh has returned to Damnation Creek Trail more times than she can count. Her mission isn’t just to take pictures – it’s to find stillness, and teach others how to see it.

She’s become known for her ability to capture fleeting redwood light: those surreal moments when sunbeams filter through coastal fog, turning the forest into a cathedral of shadow and sun.

Through workshops and storytelling, Walsh inspires hikers and creatives alike to slow down, look closer, and connect emotionally with the land. Her work reminds us that the redwoods are more than a place—they’re a feeling.

Redwoods

Legacy That Echoes

The redwoods are quiet. But the people who protect them are not.

From Wayburn’s political grace to Walsh’s quiet lens, and the light-chasing devotion of Crispe and Berg—these individuals remind us that the forest is not just scenery. It’s a story. And it’s still being written.