Andrew and newly-retired George Koch recently traveled to Carmel Valley, CA, to remove instrumentation from six redwoods in the upper reaches of Potrero Canyon, which lies within the Santa Lucia Preserve. Instruments to measure microclimate, fog, phenology, tree growth, and water stress had been installed two years ago with the objective of determining whether trees grow more on foggy nights than clear nights. The project has been funded by the Save the Redwoods League.
With more than 25 kg of equipment in each tree (including batteries, instruments and cables, fiberglass enclosures, and solar panels), and with trees averaging about 230 ft in height, assistance from both gravity and also Steve Sillett and Marie Antoine was greatly appreciated! Also: huge thanks to Tom and Alayna Gray, who hosted the arbornauts at their beautiful home within the Preserve, and a nod of appreciation to Emma Levy, conservation ecologist with the Santa Lucia Conservancy, who both helped to coordinate our visit and trekked out to the big trees to say hello.
Top: George at the base of a big tree; Bottom left: George, Steve, and Marie; Bottom right: George and Emma.
