In March, President Trump issued an executive order to increase the production of lumber on federal lands, calling it a matter of national security.  But conservation groups have fought hard to preserve America's forests for the future, including one that, on Sunday, was celebrating its past.

Roaring Camp in the Santa Cruz mountains is a replica of an old West mining town in the 1800s. But with tall trees towering overhead, it may not have looked exactly like that back then. 

"There was clear-cut logging throughout the Santa Cruz mountains," said David Cowman, director of land stewardship for the conservation group Sempervirens Fund. "Clear-cut logging means that any tree that can be cut and sold for commercial benefit or used for a commercial benefit is cut and sold. You can look at historical photos where there are essentially no large, mature trees left in any of these locations." 

That's because, back then, the forests were considered an economic resource to be exploited and not much thought was given to leaving anything behind.  

But around the turn of the century, it began to dawn on people that it was possible to lose the majestic forests, and the Sempervirens Fund was born. 

"It was pretty unusual for the vision of that crew of people who really saw the potential to preserve it for future generations," said Sempervirens board member Vishy Venugopalan. "And so, they banded together, acquired the land for conservation purposes, and that really set in motion the California State Parks, and eventually, the National Parks, as well." 

They've been preserving redwood forest land ever since. The first area saved by Sempervirens eventually became Big Basin State Park, California's first state park.  

Since then, they have protected more than 35,000 acres of forest in the Santa Cruz Mountains. On Sunday, Sempervirens celebrated its 125th anniversary, as the group that invented the concept of the conservation land trust.   

"It wasn't just about, 'Oh, let's conserve the environment, otherwise something bad's going to happen in the future,'" said Venugopalan. "It was just that these [trees] are almost like a national treasure that needs to be conserved for future generations and not just exploited." 

And that's why Mr. Trump's vision of the nation's forests as an economic asset has many in the conservation movement worried that the past may be repeating itself. 

Lee and Alice Pullen from Capitola were out hiking amongst the trees. Lee's walking stick was adorned with badges from the many national parks they've visited. 

"Glorious and peaceful. Just relaxing," said Alice as she gazed up at the canopy above. "You need it in our lives with so much hustle, bustle." 

But Lee, 83, once worked in a sawmill in Montana.  He said he sees the importance of both lumber production and preserving the beauty of nature. 

"I'm glad there's a balance. You need a balance," he said. "You can't go this way, and you can go crazy the other way. From don't cut any trees, to mow them all down. I'm in the middle." 

There's not a lot of middle ground in the country these days. It feels like people who can see both sides are becoming as rare as the old-growth redwood trees themselves.

In:
• Santa Cruz Mountains
• California