#9: Rick Halsey - Wildfire Ecology in the Chaparral and the American West
11/10/20 • 92 min
My guest today is noted wildfire and chaparral ecologist Rick Halsey.
Rick authored the book “Fire, Chaparral, and Survival in Southern California”, and has given countless talks on the subject.
Rick has a background in Environmental Studies, Anthropology, and Education, with degrees from University of California Santa Barbara and Cal State San Diego and UC Berkeley.
In this episode we discuss the myths and realities of wildfire. There are many eye opening insights that, even today, get lost in the political rhetoric. We discuss the ecosystems of the west and their natural fire behaviors and how those were determined through charcoal records and tree ring analysis, the surprising negative impacts of fuel removal and prescribed burns, how indigenous fire management techniques fit into the discussion, simple solutions at the wildland-urban interface (WUI) such as exterior sprinkler systems, and much more.
In particular, we discuss the causes and factors leading to the Camp Fire that destroyed the town of Paradise, CA in 2018, the Yosemite Rim Fire, Oakland Hills Firestorm of 1991, and more.
While we focus extensively on California, the principles discussed apply to much of the west.
We take a few tangents in the discussion, including an insightful view of Rick’s education experience and approaches.
As an educator, Rick was the recipient of the Christa McAuliffe Fellowship. Over the years he’s fine-tuned his delivery and has a wonderful essay on his transformation from lecturer to the engage model.
Through the years, Rick has combined his educational skills and knowledge of ecology to focus on chaparral habitats - the most important habitat at the wildland/urban interface in California’s major cities.
He is the founder and director of the California Chaparral Institute, which is dedicated to preserving what remains of California’s chaparral through scientific research, nature education, and activism. One of his quotes that really reflects his approach to nature education is "Our job as educators is not to convince everyone how smart we are. Our job is to convince people how smart they are.
See Full Shows Notes at podcast.naturesarchive.com
Links to People, Events, and Resources Discussed:
Keith Lombardo, Ph. D.
Jack Cohen, Ph. D.
California Chaparral Institute
WASP exterior sprinklers
Santa Monica National Recreation Area wildfire and chaparral resources
Fire, Chaparral, and Survival in Southern California - by Rick Halsey
Santa Rosa's Coffey Park - a community burned by the Tubbs Fire
The Rim Fire at Yosemite National Park
The Nature Fix - Why Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative - by Florence Williams
Music
Fearless First and Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLoed, obtained from https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/
My guest today is noted wildfire and chaparral ecologist Rick Halsey.
Rick authored the book “Fire, Chaparral, and Survival in Southern California”, and has given countless talks on the subject.
Rick has a background in Environmental Studies, Anthropology, and Education, with degrees from University of California Santa Barbara and Cal State San Diego and UC Berkeley.
In this episode we discuss the myths and realities of wildfire. There are many eye opening insights that, even today, get lost in the political rhetoric. We discuss the ecosystems of the west and their natural fire behaviors and how those were determined through charcoal records and tree ring analysis, the surprising negative impacts of fuel removal and prescribed burns, how indigenous fire management techniques fit into the discussion, simple solutions at the wildland-urban interface (WUI) such as exterior sprinkler systems, and much more.
In particular, we discuss the causes and factors leading to the Camp Fire that destroyed the town of Paradise, CA in 2018, the Yosemite Rim Fire, Oakland Hills Firestorm of 1991, and more.
While we focus extensively on California, the principles discussed apply to much of the west.
We take a few tangents in the discussion, including an insightful view of Rick’s education experience and approaches.
As an educator, Rick was the recipient of the Christa McAuliffe Fellowship. Over the years he’s fine-tuned his delivery and has a wonderful essay on his transformation from lecturer to the engage model.
Through the years, Rick has combined his educational skills and knowledge of ecology to focus on chaparral habitats - the most important habitat at the wildland/urban interface in California’s major cities.
He is the founder and director of the California Chaparral Institute, which is dedicated to preserving what remains of California’s chaparral through scientific research, nature education, and activism. One of his quotes that really reflects his approach to nature education is "Our job as educators is not to convince everyone how smart we are. Our job is to convince people how smart they are.
See Full Shows Notes at podcast.naturesarchive.com
Links to People, Events, and Resources Discussed:
Keith Lombardo, Ph. D.
Jack Cohen, Ph. D.
California Chaparral Institute
WASP exterior sprinklers
Santa Monica National Recreation Area wildfire and chaparral resources
Fire, Chaparral, and Survival in Southern California - by Rick Halsey
Santa Rosa's Coffey Park - a community burned by the Tubbs Fire
The Rim Fire at Yosemite National Park
The Nature Fix - Why Nature Makes us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative - by Florence Williams
Music
Fearless First and Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLoed, obtained from https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/
Previous Episode
#8: Christian Shaw - Adventurer and Founder of Plastic Tides
My guest in this episode is Christian Shaw, adventurer and co-founder of Plastic Tides, a non-profit with a mission TO INSPIRE AND CATALYZE ACTION TOWARD A PLASTIC-FREE FUTURE THROUGH ADVENTURE, EDUCATION, AND YOUTH EMPOWERMENT, and as you’ll hear today, has a multi-faceted program to accomplish this. A graduate of Cornell University, Christian has become an expert on plastic pollution, its causes, and ways to mitigate the impact. He strikes an excellent balance of vision, science, and pragmatism in his approach.
Christian also talks about how he was able to merge his love for adventure with his passion for the planet. He’s circumnavigated Bermuda on a stand-up paddle board, led a multi-day expedition down the Erie Canal, and more.
Today we’ll talk about how Christian turned a project idea into the non-profit Plastic Tides, including how he got fiscal sponsorship. We get into the weeds of plastic pollution in the ocean and our waterways, plastic waste management, plastic alternatives, and the full impact of plastic microbeads and how they accelerate the accumulation of toxins in the food chain. We also discuss some of the latest science, including enzymatic breakdown of plastics and the field of permaculture.
Also, Christian gives us the details on Plastic Tide's Global Youth Mentorship Program (GYM) and the Global Rising Tide Relay fundraiser, a wonderful cause to mentor high school students to make long lasting environmental progress.
Find Plastic Tides on Facebook and Instagram. And you can Find Christian @chriscrossshaw on Instagram.
People and Organizations Discussed
In chronological order
5gyres.org - The 5 Gyres Institute is a global leader against plastic pollution.
Dr. Sherri "Sam" Mason - plastic pollution researcher who helped Christian's team analyze Erie Canal water samples
Dr. Marcus Eriksen - environmental scientist and co-founder of 5gyres.org
The Foundation Group - Christian used this company to set up his 501c3
Anato - A zero-waste skin care line
Books and Things
Plastic Tides Four Part YouTube Series on the Bermuda Expedition
Microbead Free Waters Act of 2015 - H.R. 1321 - which Christian's research partially contributed to this outcome
Oceanic Gyres - permanent, large scale circular currents in the ocean that drive weather and result in accumulation of waste and debris
The Canal - Christian's hour long documentary of his Erie Canal expedition Watch it here.
Planet Money's Waste Land podcast, discusses the fallacy of plastic recycling
Music
Fearless First and Beauty Flow by Kevin MacLoed from https://incompetech.filmmusic.io
Next Episode
#10: Mike Bergin - 10,000 Birds - Lessons from Pioneering an Online Nature Community
My guest in this episode is Mike Bergin, creator of 10,000 Birds, one of the oldest and most popular birding websites on the planet.
Mike was an early pioneer of nature blogging, carving a playbook for others to follow, and creating a community of birding bloggers. This carries on today, where his site has expanded to include top tier writers with diverse interests from across the globe.
In this episode we discuss the 10,000 Birds evolution, including how Mike grew the site, the challenges he encountered and overcame, and "transferable lessons" that can be used in other online pursuits. We dig into the unexpected opportunities that arose, as well as the lifelong community of friends and colleagues that it has created.
Mike also runs a podcast of his own, Tests and the Rest, relating to his other craft of college admissions prep, where he's been able to apply many of these lessons he learned through 10,000 Birds.
We have a wide-ranging discussion beyond the nuts and bolts of building an online community, including bird names and moving away from "honorific" naming, ecotourism (and a great quote from Mike: "True ecotourism compels you to care about the place"), why birders make great neighbors, and some of Mike's favorite field guides and books.
Links To Topics Discussed
People and Organizations
Corey Finger - Co-publisher of 10,000 Birds
Charlie Moors - early writer from Britain on 10,000 Birds
Rick Wright's Blog, which delves into many fascinating topics, including bird name etymology and history.
Clare Morton - the Australian writer that Mike mentions
Dragan Simic - the Eastern European write Mike mentions
The Bronx Zoo - one of Mike's childhood influences
Books and Other Items Discussed
Mike's Recommended Field Guides - Sibley's is his favorite, but he also likes the Crossley guides
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Eastern North America - Sibley
The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America - Sibley
The Crossley ID Guide: Eastern Birds - Crossley
The Crossley ID Guide: Raptors - Crossley
The Crossley ID Guide: Waterfowl - Crossley
Mike also recommends "What the Robin Knows" by Jon Young, which focuses on learning bird behavior - and especially vocalizations - to better learn what is happening in the environment. Jays and Crows "mobbing" behavior is an easy example, and this book gets much deeper.
Pilgrim on the Great Bird Continent: The Importance of Everything and Other Lessons from Darwin's Lost Notebooks, by Lyandra Lynn Haupt
Mike's article on "Wood-warbler Names Done Right"
Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival
Rio Grande Valley Birding Festival
Grey Treepie - one of the highlight birds Mike saw in Hong Kong
The Biggest Week in American Birding - Yes, it really is one of the bigger weeks in birding, held during migration in Ohio.
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