WILLITS, Calif. – On Saturday, Feb. 4, at 2 p.m., Greg Giusti of the University of California Cooperative Extension will present “Redwoods and the Mendocino Landscape” at the Mendocino County Museum.

This free public program is presented in conjunction with the museum exhibit “A Passion for Plants & Place: Carl Purdy of Mendocino County” on view through March 18.

Coastal Redwoods, native to the Pacific Coast from Big Sur to Southern Oregon, were named “Sequoia Sempervirens” meaning “forever green” or “everlasting.”

Although these grand trees – the world’s tallest – can live up to 1,800 years, only 5 percent of old growth remains. The 368-foot specimen at Montgomery Woods stands as one of the tallest survivors.

According to Giusti, Mendocino’s forests still support a number of 1,000-year-old redwoods.

Giusti, a forest and wildlands ecologist, will address the history of Coastal Redwoods and how past practices have effected the forest we have today.

He also will discuss some of the plants and wildlife that are part of redwood habitat. In addition, he’ll survey changes in the region’s forest ownership over the past decade.

“There has been a tectonic shift in who controls our forests and for what purpose. The number of acres now under conservation management is nothing short of astounding,” he said.

The museum, located at 400 E. Commercial St. in Willits, is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

For information, contact the museum at 707-459-2736 or visit www.MendocinoMuseum.org.