The California Chaparral Field Institute

The unknown natural treasure that is quietly disappearing
due to increased fire frequencies

A Matter of Perspective

Is old-growth chaparral really something that "needs" to burn in order to remain healthy? Is chaparral older than 50 years really the "trash" some have claimed?

Here are some of the typical quotes stating or implying that old-growth chaparral is in need of removal or is in some way undesirable:

"Chaparral stands older than 60 years often are decadent..."

"Eventually they (chaparral plants) get too big for their britches. The older they get, the more they look like hell in summer."

"Chamise-chaparral stands in southern California older than 60 years often are senile."

"...scrub-infested savannas."

"...chaparral-choked areas."

Chaparral "turns into a rather trashy ecosystem when it's 50 years old."

All of these are value judgments and are not supported by scientific evidence nor by informed observations of old-growth chaparral stands.

Shrubphobia

There are a number of individuals who appear to have difficulty enjoying the beauty and dynamic nature of chaparral...especially old-growth chaparral.

They frequently use pejorative descriptions of chaparral at wildfire conferences and in newspaper editorials. Managed forests appear to be their favored environments and they see chaparral as a threat. They refer to shrubs and old-growth chaparral as "trash," or "brush" (emphasized with a deep, guttural sound) needing elimination. Rather than recognizing chaparral as a viable ecosystem, they think of it as a "scrub infested" savanna. Some appear to have vested interests in sending forth chipping machines to grind up large tracts of backcountry wilderness to provide fuel for power generators (yes, this is a serious proposal) while others are just sincerely ignorant.

Whatever the cause, allowing brushphobia to influence public policy has very real, and serious implications. It justifies damaging one of California's most valuable natural resources and the state's defining ecosystem.

Suggested treatment: Leave the office, take a walk into the chaparral with a few children...they have the uncanny knack for helping adults rediscover their natural (and often buried) appreciation for nature.