Anatomy of a Chaparral Ecosystem

If you’ve been hiking in California, odds are you’ve encountered the chaparral, the most widespread native plant community in the state. Here’s everything you need to know about this amazing (but often under-appraciated) ecosystem: Home to 20 percent of California’s plant species, chaparral is defined by dense, low-lying shrubs like sagebrush, ceanothus, manzanita, and chamise,…

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Pruning 101: the TreePeople guide to proper tree pruning

If you’re a homeowner, a landscaping professional, or someone who just cares a lot about the health of your local trees, you’re probably familiar with the practice of pruning.  In its simplest form, pruning involves removing branches from a tree for a specific purpose. But how often should you be doing this? Which branches should…

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The Health Benefits of Nature

In a world glued to screens and constant connectivity, it’s not just a feel-good myth—nature’s got some serious perks for our well-being. Besides the “get off your phone” and “touch grass” cliches, science backs up the fact that spending time outdoors can benefit your health. We’ve compiled a non-exhaustive list of ways that nature can…

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Meet Toyon: The Official City Plant of Los Angeles

Have you noticed red berries around southern California lately? Chances are they might belong to heteromeles arbutifolia, a California-native shrub also known as toyon or “California holly.” Toyon — a perennial found throughout western California and the Sierra foothills — has dark green, toothed leaves and white flowers in the summer that yield to red…

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How to Prevent Your Trees From Falling During Storms

If you were in Los Angeles over the weekend, you no doubt felt the wrath of the winds! A wind advisory remained in effect across Los Angeles, Ventura, and Santa Barbara counties throughout the weekend with gusts ranging from 25 mph to 50 mph across the region. Unfortunately, the winds brought dangerous conditions to the…

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The Magical Relationship Between Fungi and Our Trees and Plants

Recent research has revealed that the relationship between fungi and trees is much more complex than previously thought. Fungi have long been known to form symbiotic relationships with trees, exchanging nutrients and helping trees absorb water. However, scientists have now discovered that these relationships extend beyond individual trees to form a complex network of underground…

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What I Learned Planting My Native Garden

Are you thinking of replacing your lawn with a native garden? Turning your yard into a native landscape can be a powerful tool in protecting local habitat, saving you money on your water bill and lowering your carbon footprint. It can seem like a daunting challenge: where do you start, how hard is it to…

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