Summer Shade

Hello Plant Lovers!

This summer we have been happily hammering, sawing, and soldering away in our outdoor studio… and all the while we have been  very aware of the heat! 

Trees provide a measurable reduction in heat, and the bigger the tree, the more it can cool.  So let’s talk about the biggest of the big trees...the Sequoias!

In April, the Redwood Genome Project announced that it had finished sequencing the genome of the tallest tree on earth, the Coast Redwood, Sequoia sempervirens. The other iconic redwood isn't as tall, but it is far more massive; the Giant Sequoia, Sequoiadendron, was sequenced in 2017. (1)

The project is funded by the Save the Redwoods League, which has partnered with UC Davis and Johns Hopkins to do the sequencing. As the project states: “[R]edwood trees are not identical; like human beings, they manifest a broad genetic range. Some grow slowly, some rapidly. Some can withstand drought and other stressors better than others.” (2)

Now that researchers have the DNA map of two particular redwoods, they hope to soon understand a whole population of redwoods. In the future, they may be able to use selective harvesting to better manage redwood forests. Which trees can survive more heat and less water? Which trees are needed to preserve genetic diversity in any given forest? 

A redwood must remain in one place for thousands of years and defend itself against pests, micro-organisms, weather, and anything else that comes its way. We are at the very beginning of understanding the genetic code that allows them to do this, and it’s fun to think that one day we might get to see the world more like a redwood sees it. You can read more about the project in the links below. 

We haven’t made a sequoia piece yet, but we are both very happy with the new ring design for our favorite east coast conifer, the Eastern Hemlock. If you follow the link below, you will be able to rotate and spin this 3D rendered piece, kind of virtually handle it. 

This summer we are  offering  free repolish, refurbish, resize, or repair to any of your Shade Metals!  Send us an email with your address, and we will reply with a return shipping label so that you can get any of your Shade Metals jewelry serviced. This service is available through the end of August, and we hope to do it again next summer.

Take care out there everyone! Drink lots of water, plant some trees, or pay someone to plant some trees, and have a fun summer :) 

Best, 
Cesar & Sara