Ask Your Senators to Cosponsor the Save Our Sequoias Act
Proactively protect these forests with stronger tools and resources 🌲
CCL & The Save Our Sequoias Act 🌲
This isn’t the first time CCL has engaged on the Save Our Sequoias Act! When the bill was first introduced in 2022, CCL’s Government Affairs team provided feedback to congressional offices on the initial draft and subsequent versions to help make the bill stronger.
Upon reintroduction in 2023, we also publicly endorsed the bill, saying, “CCL is pleased to see strong bipartisan support for a comprehensive plan to address the increased wildfire and climate threat to California’s treasured giant sequoias.” Later that year, the bill was one of our secondary asks when CCLers lobbied on Capitol Hill in June.
In March, the bill was reintroduced again with strong bipartisan support, and this time, it quickly passed the House with unanimous consent. Next up? The Senate.
Sending an email to your members of Congress will help build more momentum for the Senate companion bill by generating more cosponsors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What would the Save Our Sequoias Act do?
The Save Our Sequoias Act would give land managers stronger tools and resources to proactively protect these forests. The bill improves coordination across agencies and partners, prioritizes restoration work, and helps managers respond more quickly to wildfire threats before they become catastrophic.
Many of the activities detailed in this bill are measures that were already enacted by the Biden Administration, have since been continued by the Trump Administration, and now have the chance to be codified into law to continue to protect these forests into the future.
Where are the sequoias?
Giant sequoia trees only grow naturally in a 360-mile band on the western side of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California. This small geographic range makes them particularly vulnerable to extinction threats, especially wildfires.
How do sequoia trees help address climate change?
Sequoias, like all forests, play a key role in carbon sequestration. U.S. forests currently offset about 12% of the nation’s annual greenhouse gas emissions, but severe wildfires release much of that stored carbon back into the atmosphere.
Why is the Save Our Sequoias Act important now?
Wildfires are a growing crisis, impacting nearly every state. A historically warm winter and ongoing snow drought across much of the country have created dangerously dry conditions, increasing the likelihood of a severe and prolonged wildfire season.
Over time, giant sequoia trees evolved special bark with the ability to insulate the tree from wildfires. But recent wildfires have started to burn so long and so hot that this natural protection is no longer sufficient. We need to act now.
What’s the difference between the Save Our Sequoias Act and the Fix Our Forests Act (FOFA)?
The Save Our Sequoias Act includes some of the same emergency authorities that FOFA would use to expedite forest management, but in this bill they are targeted to just the sequoias. CCL is supporting both bills to better protect American forests.
How will the Forest Service reorganization affect this bill?
Sufficient funding and staffing at the U.S. Forest Service are central to enacting the wildfire prevention and resilience legislation that we hope Congress will ultimately pass.
CCL is closely monitoring a concerning Forest Service reorganization initiative under consideration by the Administration. We have significant concerns about any proposal that would diminish scientific research or institutional capacity. Any reduction in research or capacity would have direct implications for the implementation of legislation such as the Save Our Sequoias Act, as well as for forest management more broadly.
In response, we are actively engaging with key appropriations committees and following up with Members of Congress based on their statements during recent hearings on this topic. We are also planning a broader mobilization effort to elevate this issue and support strong funding and operational capacity for the Forest Service.
Should I customize my message to Congress?
Absolutely! Your voice matters—make it count! Adding a personal touch to your email grabs attention and makes your message harder to ignore.
How else can I help?
Share this page with any friends, family, and coworkers who want to help save America’s sequoias!
Who is Citizens’ Climate Lobby?
Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan grassroots advocacy climate change organization that exists to create the political will for climate change solutions by enabling individual breakthroughs in the exercise of personal and political power.
Our consistently respectful, nonpartisan approach to climate education is designed to create a broad, sustainable foundation for climate action across all geographic regions and political inclinations.
CCL empowers everyday people to work with their community and their members of Congress. Our supporters cover the political spectrum and work in more than 450 local chapters. Together, we’re building support for a national bipartisan solution to climate change.
