World Heritage Identification Number: 134
World Heritage since: 1980
Category: Natural Heritage
WHE Type: Protected Areas & National Parks
Transboundary Heritage: No
Endangered Heritage: No
Country: 🇺🇸 United States of America
Continent: Americas
UNESCO World Region: Europe and North America
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Redwood National and State Parks: A Haven for the Tallest Trees on Earth
The Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP), situated along the rugged coast of northern California, offer a unique blend of natural beauty and historical significance. This expansive network of protected areas encompasses four distinct entities: Redwood National Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. Together, these parks protect approximately 139,000 acres of land, home to over 45% of the world's remaining old-growth coast redwood forests.
More to come…UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site
Redwood National Park comprises a region of coastal mountains bordering the Pacific Ocean north of San Francisco. It is covered with a magnificent forest of coastal redwood trees, the tallest and most impressive trees in the world. The marine and land life are equally remarkable, in particular the sea lions, the bald eagle and the endangered California brown pelican.
UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site
Criterion (vii): Redwood National and State Parks comprise a region of coastal mountains bordering the Pacific Ocean. It is covered with a magnificent forest of Coast Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens), the tallest living things and among the most impressive trees in the world. Several of the world's tallest known trees grow within the property.
Criterion (ix): Redwood National and State Parks preserve the largest remaining contiguous ancient coast redwood forest in the world in their original forest and streamside settings.
Encyclopedia Record: Redwood National and State Parks
The Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) are a complex of one United States national park and three California state parks located along the coast of northern California. The combined RNSP contain Redwood National Park, Del Norte Coast Redwoods State Park, Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, and Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park. The parks' 139,000 acres preserve 45 percent of all remaining old-growth coast redwood forests.Additional Site Details
Area: 41,571 hectares
Number of Components: 1
(ix) — Outstanding example representing ecological and biological processes
Coordinates: 41.37388889 , -123.9980556
IUCN World Heritage Outlook
The 2025 Conservation Outlook on Redwood National and State Parks reports the following assessment:
Source: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) · View assessment
Image
© Michael Schweppe, CC BY-SA 2.0 Resized from original. (This derivative is under the same CC BY-SA license.)
World Heritage Research
Discover scientific research and academic studies that deepen our understanding of Redwood National and State Parks from its history and significance to its conservation, management, and contemporary challenges.
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Redwood National and State Parks: Geologic resources inventory report
Redwood National and State Parks' geologic landscape spans 200 million years, from the Jurassic Period to the present. The Geologic Resources Inventory (GRI) report synthesizes data from scoping meetings in 2004 and 2019, delivering two key GIS datasets: one for geology and another for geohazards. These datasets, available on the NPS GRI publications website, provide critical information for park management, visitor safety, infrastructure planning, and resource preservation. The report includes a geologic map poster and simplified maps illustrating major features, alongside a geologic time scale to contextualize the parks' complex history. Specialized terms are defined at first mention, ensuring accessibility for both academic and general audiences.
KellerLynn, K. (2021). Redwood National and State Parks: Geologic resources inventory report (, Ed.). National Park Service. https://doi.org/10.36967/nrr-2287676
View Publication Record | Read Publication -
California’s Redwood National and State Parks: Wild or Constructed Nature?
California’s Redwood National and State Parks (RNSP) exemplify both ecological restoration and cultural intervention. Established in 1978, the RNSP combined existing state parks with the Redwood National Park to protect coastal sequoia forests, many of which had been devastated by logging. Beyond conservation, the park engaged in large-scale ecological reconstruction, guided by scientific principles but also shaped by Progressive-era ideals of crafting nature to meet cultural expectations. This dual approach highlights how RNSP balances rigorous ecological restoration with anthropogenic influences, revealing a tension between natural and constructed landscapes.
Bolton, M. (2016). California’s Redwood National and State Parks: Wild or Constructed Nature? Caliban, 55, 239–254. https://doi.org/10.4000/caliban.3541
View Publication Record | Read Publication
