Designing for giant sequoias and California redwoods in Puget Sound

I must be reading in the wrong places: I don't hear much about designing around massive trees that live thousands of years.''

I know nothing about California because it's outside of any biome in which I've considered living. (Also I know no part of it that isn't overpopulated for my tastes.) And yet, there is a project transplanting clones from select CA sequoias and redwoods as far north as Puget Sound.

I'm trying to understand the theory behind this and have contacted them for clarification. From what I can tell so far, the natural range of these trees is compromised, and conditions optimal for their growth are moving northward. If this is true, we need to have successional design that factors in climate change.

I only recall Edible Forest Gardens mentioning this, and not at any length. I'm sure the science is a moving target. Probably underfunded besides! And yet it must be out there.

Does anyone know of design principles informing the use of migrating trees, as it were, and particularly gigantic ones? I can only imagine that these trees should border a property at the northwesterly corner of its solar aspect, so as not to cast shadow on anything growing within the best-lit range. Providing they can get enough sun to keep growing, they will eventually overshadow anything that isn't southeast of their placement.

This has nothing to do with their ideal companions, however. What should be planted with them that will enjoy their company? What occurs naturally in their understories? (Looking at photos and videos, I can't recognize anything.) If you know of a book that addresses this I'd be happy to pick it up.

Thanks!

Recalled this great source on the restoration and management for this type of forest and species (around the 18 minute mark):     You may inquire with Charles directly here: cbello@savetrees.org and: http://www.savetrees.org/home.aspx

I live in the heart of redwood country. I work just a few minutes from a large redwood state park. They're stunning trees. The only two food species that I know and find regularly under them are wood sorrel (I think its an oxalis species) and huckleberry. There are also various mushroom species.

The thing about redwoods that I have seen (and I don't know how much this is a result of their natural character and how much is the result of their abuse of their natural ecosystem) is that they tend to congregate lower in the watershed and usually have a more diverse forest sitting above them. Down near the creeks and river banks I see alder and maple trees as well as some willow. Above the redwoods I see a variety of biomes ranging from mixed conifers (Doug fir, pine, some cedar and pacific yew) to oak savannah. Madrone is also neighborly.

One of the crazy things about redwood forests is that there are several levels of biomes within them. The forest floor is lots of ferns and sorrel with various berries filling in the patches of sunlight formed when these giants fall.  Then, there can be a whole canopy ecosystem that can have 40 ft trees and large bush berries growing dozens to over a hundred feet above the ground.

Their fascinating trees and if you'd like to experience them the Jedediah Smith State park in the northwest corner of the state, mostly along highway 199, is a beautiful and remote area with a fair bit of old growth. Also, from the state border down highway 101 for around 200-250 miles there is very.little in the way of "urban" society and that is where.the bulk of the remaining old growth can be found