It is very encouraging to read that there
are so many citizens who are aware of the crisis and who are willing to address
the realities of our situation. The are no silver bullets to cure the issues of
public safety by having an adequate supply of water for all of the community’s
foreseeable needs.
Friday there is going to be a show and
tell session for the committee of the GWD who are doing the preliminary review
of the expansion plans of UCSB. The meeting starts at 10 am at the offices of
the GWD and then will proceed to the campus for a guided tour and the answering
of questions as to the supplying of water per the development plans of the
University.
Jack Ruskey
From: LBUZZELL@aol.com
[mailto:LBUZZELL@aol.com]
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009
8:22 AM
To: Avoman202@aol.com;
LBSALTZMAN@aol.com; rewignot@west.net; ralmy@co.santa-barbara.ca.us;
johnruskey@sbcglobal.net; anno55@yahoo.com
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Subject: Re: Fire control, green
orchard belts
Hi Geoff,
I wonder if controlled burns are really
cheaper in the long run than water-thrifty orcharding? There are
costs involved with regular burning -- fire personnel and sometimes even
chemicals too. And what is the "yield"? A lot of
lung-unfriendly smoke and ash.
I'm guessing you may not be convinced that
water-thrifty orcharding is a real possibility, but I assure you it is!
Shaping the land to retain water, opening the soil with non-destructive keyline
plowing, using edible, deep-rooted underplantings and living mulches,
harvesting all available water in various ways -- these techniques all
help the soil absorb water deeply during rain season. This is all being done
now both locally and in other locations and can be done more widely here in
I think as we reshape our economies
towards sustainability we're going to need to adjust our interpretation of
costs and profit. Truly sustainable solutions are often slower and
gentler than the "solutions" we've been using without counting
their true costs and genuine yields.
It's great that we're having this
discussion of possible solutions for such important local challenges as
fire danger and water shortages!
Linda
In a message dated 2/24/2009 8:02:17 A.M.
Pacific Standard Time, Avoman202 writes:
Hi Linda
Intresting idea....but with scarce water and all the other things to manage an orchard I find it not practical..
Having lived with the brush since 1974 and being burnt in the Egale canyon Fire in 1979. Im convinced that controled burns are the way to go.... cheap and usually safe... The type of brush we have here mostly burl sprouts and is very effective in holding the hillsides during rainstorms...
Part of the problem is that people have gone higher and higher into the hills.. and also want privacy...so the houses are mostly surrounded by flamable plants and trees,,,,A controlled burn ever 5 years or so would go a long way to making safe areas and blocks to fire;s.. because no matter what you plan fires happen in So Cal when the Santa winds blow.
thats my 2 cents Thanks geoff Bloomingdale
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