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Redwood Forest in Northern California 北加州的红木森林

 

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Discover how thousands of acres of redwoods are being preserved in Northern California  一探北加州保护数以千计英亩的红木林之道

 

Preserving the Redwoods  保护红木群

 

Chris Heppe climbed the trail Headwaters Forest as sunlight streamed through the towering redwood trees.

阳光撒落在参天红木林间，克利斯．荷波踏上海德沃特森林小径。

 

“See that?” he said, pointing to blue paint on an immense redwood 20 feet around and 1,000 years old. “That means it was going to be harvested. Cut down. But they never got to it.”

「看到那个了吗？」他说，一边指着一棵周长二十呎、树龄上千岁的巨大红木表皮上的蓝漆，「那表示那棵树将被采伐、被砍掉，但是他们从来没能砍到它。」

 

Ten years ago, the state and federal government spent $480 million to buy 7,472 acres to create the Headwaters Forest Reserve, six miles south of Eureka. Today, the misty forest is a national preserve. Some of its trees are more than 320 feet tall and were growing during the time of the Roman Empire.

十年前，加州与联邦政府花了四亿八千万美元买下七千四百七十二英亩的土地，在尤利卡市南方六哩处创立海德沃特森林保留区。如今这片雾蒙蒙的森林已经成为国家保护区，其中有些树木高逾三百二十呎，在罗马帝国时代就已经生长茁壮了。

 

Because of concerns over endangered species, the federal government has sharply limited public access, with only one year-round public trail into the forest. There is no visitor center, and last year just 10,300 pilgrims came to this wooden cathedral.

由于联邦政府担心濒危物种受影响，因此严格限制民众进入，只有一条终年开放的公共林径可以进入森林。此地没有游客中心，去年仅一万零三百人有幸来到这个林木耸立如大教堂般的保留区朝圣。

 

New life for an old forest  古林重获新生

 

The immense forest, 250 miles north of the Bay Area, is beginning a rebirth of sorts. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has been dutifully restoring Headwaters, roughly half of which is composed of untouched virgin timber. The other half was logged at one point or another as far back as the 1880s. BLM crews have eliminated 10 miles of old logging roads. They’ve conducted regular wildlife surveys for endangered spotted owls, salmon and other species. And they have thinned more than 1,000 acres of small Douglas fir trees to speed the return of massive redwoods.

这片位于湾区北方两百五十哩处的庞大森林，正展开某种新生。「土地管理局」一直尽责地修复海德沃特森林，其中大约有一半是原封未动的处女林，另外一半则是远溯自一八八０年代以来、一度被砍伐过的林地。「土地管理局」人员销毁十哩长的旧有伐木道路，对濒临绝种的斑点枭、鲑鱼以及其他物种，定期进行野生物调查。而且他们砍掉了一千英亩以上的小黄杉树，以加速巍巍红木的重现。

 

“The people of the United States and the people [of] California have 7,500 acres of the most glorious, pristine, ancient redwoods protected for all time,” said Senator Dianne Feinstein.

参议员黛安．芬斯坦表示，「美国人和加州人拥有七千五百英亩最壮观、永久受保护的古老原始红木。」

 

－by Paul Rogers

 

 

 

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trail [trel] n.（荒野中踏成的）小道

stream [strim] v. 涌入，涌进

national preserve 国家保护区 an outdoor area managed by the U.S. government for the purpose of research or the protection of wildlife

preserve [prɪˋzɝv] n.（动植物）保护区；禁猎区

sharply [ˋʃɑrplɪ] adv. 严厉地

pilgrim [ˋpɪlgrɪm] n. 朝圣者; 旅行者

of sorts 勉强称得上的

timber [ˋtɪmbɚ] n. 树林，林地

at one point or another 某一时刻; 一度 at several different times

thin [θɪn] v. (使)变稀疏

glorious [ˋglorɪəs] adj. 壮观的，壮丽的

for all time 永远

 

 

 

 

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A Respite From Urban Life  逃离都市生活的喘息空间

 

If you want perspective, go to the redwoods. The trees that seem to rocket out of sight don’t offer a rude awakening, but a gentle, beautiful reminder. Life is shorter than you imagine. Mountains may be forever, but redwoods are alive. They grow, they live, they die – it just might take a thousand years or so.

如果你想要有所展望，就到红木森林去吧。看起高不见顶的树，带给你的不是当头棒喝，而是温煦、美仑美奂的提醒。生命远比你想象的短暂，山脉也许亘古常存，但红木却是活生生的，它们会成长、存活、死亡──只是这段期间可能为期一千年左右。

 

I sit among the redwoods at Richardson Grove State Park on a quiet afternoon, with nothing but the sound of the wind through the branches. There are the young redwoods rising from the ferns; the mature kings of the stand scarred with black swaths where lightning struck; the toppled old giant gathering moss on the forest floor. Many years ago, my then-preschooler son, surveying the scene, turned to me with a comment worthy of a wise man. “Big trees fall down.”

一个安静的午后，我坐在理察逊森林州立公园的红木林间，一片静谧之中只有风吹过树枝的声音。此地有从蕨类植物中长出的幼红木，有遭雷击后黑痕斑斑的熟龄参天大树，也有倾覆地上、长满青苔的老巨木。多年以前，我儿子还在念托儿所年纪时，他看了看这片景色，转头我说了句犹如智者所说的话：「大树会倒下。」

 

Family vacations  全家度假去

 

The Hartsook Inn, just south of Richardson Grove, is where my family stayed throughout the 1960s. When Hartsook fell on hard times, my family started stayed at the Benbow Inn. It’s a 1920-era, Tudor-style inn that had been a favorite of Clark Gable, Charlie Chaplin and others who motored north on vacation. There’s always a roaring fire in the lobby. It’s where I took my Boston-born wife for a romantic trip when I was trying to lure her to live on the West Coast.

「哈苏克旅馆」就位于理察逊森林南方，是我们家在一九六０年代间住宿的地方。哈苏克因不景气歇业之后，我们家开始改住「班鲍旅馆」，它是一座二０年代都铎式旅馆，曾是影星克拉克盖博、卓别麟、以及其他驱车北上度假者的最爱。大厅中总是生着熊熊烈火，我为了要吸引我那出生于波士顿的太太住到西岸，也曾带她前来享受一趟浪漫之旅。

 

It’s where my kids learned to skip rocks on the lake next door. We’d ramble over to the old stone arch bridge, which acted like an echo chamber for our hoots. My parents just celebrated my father’s 80th birthday with a trip there. Despite the increase in noise from the widening of Highway 101, the lodge remains a cozy, friendly place that exudes the peace I prize in the redwoods.

我的孩子就是在附近湖边学会打水漂。我们漫步到老石拱桥，它的作用就像是我们叫声的回音廊。我的父母不久前才为了庆祝我父亲八十岁生日，到这里旅行。虽然一０一号公路的拓宽工程噪音增大，但是这个旅馆仍是个舒适亲切的地方，散发出我在红木林间所体验到且珍爱的宁静感。

 

 

 

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perspective [pɚˋspɛktɪv] n.（尤指受到某种思想、经验影响的）思考方法，态度，观点，角度

out of sight 超出视野 not visible; too far away to be seen

rude awakening 猛然觉醒; （对于希望或理想的）突然幻灭; 猛然的醒悟; 突然的惊醒; 后悔莫及 if you have a rude awakening, you have a severe shock when you discover the truth of a situation

swath [swɑθ] n. 长而宽的一长条；细长的列

topple [ˋtɑp!] v. 倒塌，倒下

moss [mɔs] n. 苔藓；地衣

preschooler 学龄前儿童

survey [sɚˋve] v. 环视; 俯视; 眺望

worthy of 值得, 适合, 配得上; 名副其实的

Tudor [ˋtjudɚ] n. 都铎王朝（1485-1603）

motor [ˋmotɚ] v. 驾驶汽车；乘汽车

roaring [ˋrorɪŋ] adj. 熊熊燃烧的; 炽烈的 used as an intensive

echo chamber 回音廊; 回音室 a room or enclosed space with walls that cause a sound to keep going after its source has stopped

hoot [hut] n. 猫头鹰叫声

exude [ɪgˋzjud] v.（气味等）散发

prize [praɪz] v. 重视，珍视

 

 

 

 

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Avenue of the Giants  巨木大道

 

No trip would be complete without the 32-mile drive up the Avenue of the Giants. This is the oldest of old Highway 101, back when engineers didn’t uproot the giants, but instead swung the road around them, more blacktop path than highway.

不开上三十二哩长的巨木大道，这趟旅程就不算完整。巨木大道是旧一０一号公路最古老的路段，当年工程师没将巨木连根拔起，而是让路绕着巨木而建，当年这段路比较像是柏油道路，而非公路。

 

The route starts near the Chimney Tree in Phillipsville and winds into Humboldt Redwoods State Park, where the best groves are found between the hamlets of Miranda and Pepperwood. My kids love Myers Flat, where they are able to climb around the Two-Story Tree House, then jump back in the car to watch as dad gingerly guides the station wagon through the Shrine Drive-Thru Tree. This tree has a natural cleave in its base that was widened in pre-environmental movement days so that a small-to-medium-size car can squeeze through.

这条路线从飞利浦维尔的烟囱树附近开始，蜿蜒进入罕博德红木州立公园，最棒的森林就在米兰达与派柏伍两个小村庄之间。我的孩子很喜欢麦尔佛列德，在这里他们可以爬上「两层楼树屋」，然后跳回车上，看爸爸小心翼翼地将旅行车驶进「神殿树洞」，这棵树的底部有天然裂口，早在环保运动问世之前就被拓宽，好让小车及中型车可以从中穿过。

 

Peace and quiet  平和与宁静

 

The Riverwood Inn in Phillipsville is a classic 1937 roadhouse along the Avenue of the Giants that is the best spot for lunch along the way.

飞利浦维尔的「河木旅馆」建于一九三七年，是巨木大道上典型的公路旅馆，也是沿途的最佳午餐地点。

 

The attractions and inns are fun, but my favorite thing to do along the drive is to pick an empty turnout (there are dozens along the way) and walk one of the groves.

观光景点和旅馆都很好玩，但我沿路开车最喜欢做的事，则是选个空旷的避车道（途中有许多避车道），并到其中一处森林走走。

 

On my last visit, I was alone. It was spring, and few cars were on the highway. It was wet, muddy, empty and silent except for the occasional woodpecker or roar of an SUV speeding by. But most of the time, the peacefulness was there amid the ancient trees. From childhood to middle age to whatever later years bring, I know the places are there. I can return again and again. The redwoods will be waiting.

我上次造访，是独自前来。当时是春天，公路上车很少，除了偶有啄木鸟或是休旅车呼啸而过，周遭一片潮湿、泥泞、空无又寂静。但多数时候，古树之间存在着一种平安，从儿时到中年，乃至于未来的岁月，我知道这些地方就在那里，我可以一次又一次归来，红木也会等待着我。

 

－by Gary A. Warner

 

 

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uproot [ʌpˋrut] v. 连根拔；根除；灭绝

grove [grov] n. 树丛，小树林

hamlet [ˋhæmlɪt] n. 村子，小村庄

station wagon 旅行汽车

cleave [kliv] v. 裂开(此处当名词用)

roadhouse [ˋrod͵haʊs] n. 旅馆；酒店

turnout（公路）避车道；出口道 a widening in a highway to allow vehicles to pass or park; a widening in a section of highway, allowing vehicles to pass each other, pull over, or park

woodpecker [ˋwʊd͵pɛkɚ] n. 啄木鸟

 

 

 

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immense [ɪˋmɛns] adj. 巨大的；广大的；无边无际的；无限的 extremely large; great in size or degree

dutifully [ˋdjutɪfəlɪ] adv. 忠实地；忠贞地；尽职地 doing something in an obedient manner because it is necessary or expected

pristine [ˋprɪstin] adj. 原始的 original and pure; not spoiled or worn from use

respite [ˋrɛspɪt] n. 暂时的休息（或喘息）；（痛苦的）缓解，暂止 a rest from something difficult or unpleasant

toppled [ˋtɑp!d] adj. 倒下的 fallen

lure [lʊr] v. 引诱，诱惑 to persuade someone to do something by offering them something they desire

ramble [ˋræmb!] v. 闲逛；漫步[（+about/over/through）] to walk for pleasure, especially in the countryside

blacktop [ˋblæk͵tɑp] n. 柏油路 a road with a surface made from a sticky, black material such as asphalt and tar

gingerly [ˋdʒɪndʒɚlɪ] adv. 极为谨慎地，极为小心地 in a slow, careful way

 

 

Headwaters Forest Reserve

 

 

In the Field at the Headwaters Forest Reserve

 

 

Save Richardson Grove

 

 

Richardson Grove

 

 

 more videos:

Tallest tree found in Redwood National Park (Part 1)

 Tallest tree found in Redwood National Park (Part 2)

Avenue of the Giants - Humboldt Redwoods State Park