Fire and Chaparral
The Myths, the Reality and the Balancing Act
Friday, January 30, Noon - 12:50pm
Blaksley Library, Santa Barbara Botanic Garden
Free Lunch time Lecture
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden will present the
first of its Brown Bag Lecture Series of 2009 on January 30 at
12:00 in the Blaksley Library. Dr. Bob Muller, Director of Research
will talk on Fire and Chaparral . This free lecture
will address issues relating to the wildland/urban interface, chaparral
as an important and dynamic ecosystem, and its recovery following
fire.
According to Dr. Muller, Santa Barbara's chaparral is home to many
endangered species. At least fifty of the 109 endangered plant species in
Santa Barbara County occur in chaparral, including some found only in the
foothills above Santa Barbara. His talk will discuss ways of
reducing the risk of fire while being sensitive to the unique and
important ecosystems in our region, and avoiding illogical and
impractical steps that are often taken regarding vegetation.
Dr. Muller received his PhD from Yale University in plant ecology.
He spent 24 years in the Department of Forestry at the University of
Kentucky where he taught dendrology, forest ecology, and ecosystem
analysis of forestry. Muller is currently the Director of Research
at the Botanic Garden and is the author of Trees of Santa
Barbara.
The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, 1212 Mission Canyon
Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93105.