Harold Richardson kept his 730-acre patch of land a secret for almost a century. He spent his entire life watching over the towering redwood trees in Sonoma County until his death in 2016. He bequeathed the land to his heirs, who thankfully, wanted to preserve the land for years to come.

Some of the oldest and tallest redwood trees live in Richardson’s patch of private land. The heirs to the land contacted the Save The Redwoods League in hopes of permanently protecting the ancient trees.

The organization was excited to have such an opportunity and purchased the land for $18.1 million. There are over 1,450 ancient redwood trees on the property that soar as high as a 32-story building.

Some of the trees are taller than the Statue of Liberty and are over 1,000 years old. “It’s as if we’ve discovered an ancient civilization; an oasis of towering redwoods hidden from public view for over a century,” said Sam Hodder, League President and CEO.

After three years of conducting environmental surveys and research, the organization plans on opening the land as a national park for the public to use for free. Hodder says they are grateful that the Richardson family had the foresight in stewarding the forest with such care and giving them the opportunity to save it.

The park will be named the Harold Richardson Redwoods Reserve in honor of the family patriarch. It will be the first new old-growth redwood park in a generation and hopes are that it will provide inspiration, recreation, and clean water and air.

Check out the video below for more sneak peeks at the forest and be sure to share this beauty with your family and friends.