California Chaparral Institute

The California Chaparral Institute is a non-profit organization for the research and conservation of chaparral habitats in California. It is based in Escondido, Southern California.[1]

The California Chaparral Institute logo.
California Chaparral Institute
Founded atEscondido, Southern California
Typenon-profit organization

Description

It is composed of naturalists, scientists, wildland firefighters, and educators who value the chaparral as both a valuable resource and a place to enjoy the wilderness. It was founded in 2004 by Richard W. Halsey and aims to protect the California chaparral ecosystem through public education[2] and legal action.[3]

Fire ecology and conservation

In particular, based on fire ecology, the research group is known for opposing the clearance of chaparral habitat from natural areas, and to require an environmental review of any such habitat destruction proposals before their implementation.

In June 2010 the group filed suit against an "emergency" habitat clearance project by San Diego County,[4] and a San Diego Superior Court judge agreed that the county should conduct an environmental review first.[5]

The group has also objected to similar plans by the U.S. Forest Service to clear native habitat in the Cleveland National Forest[6] and the Los Padres National Forest.[7] They argue that removing chaparral, through clearance or controlled burns, promotes the invasive growth of non-native weeds and grasses which are even more of a fire hazard.[8] They have expressed concern that the combination of habitat clearance and massive wildfires, especially as the climate dries due to human-caused climate change, could eliminate chaparral in southern California within a century.[9]

In April 2010 they came to the defense of Joseph Diliberti, a Vietnam veteran, who was threatened with losing his home over his refusal to pay a $27,552 charge by a private contractor that cleared about a half acre of vegetation from his property under direction of the San Diego Rural Fire Protection District.[10] As Diliberti continued to refuse to pay, San Diego County assumed the contractor's forced weed abatement lien. Between fees and interest, the bill grew to more than $72,000. The County of San Diego sold the property during public auction on March, 2014.

The California Chaparral Institute has also proposed that residential communities should not be build in the most fire-prone areas.[11]

Education and Research

The Institute began the Chaparral Naturalist Certification program in 2015 to help fill the void in the public's knowledge of the chaparral plant community. It has also published a number of publications on chaparral ecology, fire behavior, and nature education philosophy.

Ceanothus chaparral in the Cleveland National Forest

California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion

The California chaparral and woodlands ecoregion is in the Mediterranean forests, woodlands, and scrub biome. It is one of the biome's only five Mediterranean chaparral ecoregions in the world.

Sub−ecoregions

Plant communities

See also
  • California chaparral and woodlands—related topics
  • Flora of California chaparral and woodlands
  • Fauna of the California chaparral and woodlands

References
  1. Davis, Kristina. "Firefighter study urges 4 per engine". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  2. About Us, California Chaparral Institute
  3. Joyce, Ed (July 8, 2009). "Group Sues San Diego County Over Fire Protection Project". KPBS. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  4. Lee, Mike (February 27, 2010). "Brush-clearing for fire safety faces a battle". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  5. Joyce, Ed (March 5, 2010). "Court Puts San Diego County Backcountry Tree Removal Plan On Hold". KPBS. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  6. Joyce, Ed (April 1, 2010). "Group Questions Plan To Remove Chapparal [sic] In Cleveland National Forest". KPBS. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  7. Preston, Ben (December 23, 2009). "Forest Service Under Fire; Environmental Groups Sue Over Prescribed Burns". Santa Barbara Independent. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  8. Mieszkowski, Katharine (October 27, 2007). "The Burning Question". Salon. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  9. Downey, Dave (November 13, 2007). "One-two punch could knock out chaparral". North County Times. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  10. Krueger, Anne (April 13, 2010). "As Dehesa's unique art house faces seizure, a defense rallies". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
  11. Mishak, Michael J. (July 18, 2011). "Gov. Jerry Brown, Legislature require rural homeowners to pay fire fee". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2 October 2012.
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