I regularly visit my burned parcel in Bonny Doon to monitor progress of the redwoods and understory plants. It will take 30-50 years for the forest to regenerate but it’s trying. Amazing how Mother Nature takes advantage of a void. Succession plants like native Yerba Santa are everywhere. I don’t mean just a few. I … Continue reading Fire and Renewal
I?ve hiked the trails of the Bonny Doon Ecological Reserve for many years, even before the 2008 Martin Fire. Since then we?ve had wet and dry winters but I was amazed at the amount of regrowth this year when I visited recently. The trees are getting huge, the shrubs robust and the flowering perennials took … Continue reading Firesafe Landscaping
Last week I talked about how to make the area closer to your home more firesafe. Here are some more tips. In areas 30-70 ft. away from your house plants should be trimmed and thinned to create well-spaced groups and help prevent a fire from spreading to your home. Be cautious with slopes. If you … Continue reading Firesafe Landscaping – Part II
With the recent heat wave and the fires burning now in Southern California I?m reminded of our vulnerability to wildfires. The Martin Fire of 2008 and the Lockheed fire of 2009 together burned over 8,000 acres. I often hike in Bonny Doon Ecological Reserve and live close-by where these fires occurred. There?s a large, burned … Continue reading Firesafe Landscaping – Part I
I spent my holiday in a most remarkable place. I drove through miles of the Stanislaus National Forest devastated by the Rim Fire a couple of years ago. It was the 3rd largest wildfire in California history. I played in the snow at Crane Flat before descending into Yosemite Valley where water flowed freely after … Continue reading Yosemite: Fire, Water, Renewal
I walk regularly in Henry Cowell State Park in Felton. I can’t imagine losing the majestic redwood forest I enjoy so much to a fire. Over the summer there were several arson caused fires in the park. Actually 10 separate fires have occurred in the same general area and along the San Lorenzo River over … Continue reading Firesafe landscaping – Part II