In the wake of increasingly devastating and unprecedented fires in Los Angeles—driven by climate change, expanding development in the Wildland-Urban Interface, and a lack of guidance for place-specific management practices in at-risk communities—it is essential that recovery and preparedness discourse reflects the complex intersection of ecological, social, and spatial characteristics of the hillside and foothill communities we call home. As part of the rebuilding conversation, we believe it is vital to consider the benefits of long-term successional management practices for these lands and plant communities that we call “Defensible Spaces.” Such practices will ultimately promote biodiversity, support ecological health, and help mitigate wildfire risk.
In redefining what it means to “defend” a home, we propose rethinking our relationship with fire—not only as a threat, but also as a natural process and ecological force that has shaped the chaparral, oak woodlands, and coastal sage scrub ecosystems in our backyards and beyond. As we deepen our understanding of the places we inhabit, and as we learn from the cultural practices that preceded us, we can better manage our gardens and the surrounding land not only as homeowners, but also as stewards. We believe that inherent to our presence on the land is a collective responsibility to care for it.
Join Foad Vahidi and Ivy Pan from Hyperlocal for a discussion on how design and management of landscapes and gardens in our region can reduce fire risk while cultivating stewardship and fostering long-term resilience for both human and nonhuman neighbors.
