Take steps to create ‘fire smart’ landscape

As director of Cooperative Extension Marin County, I’m writing in response to a recent Marin Voice commentary by Bruce Goines fromthe new Marin Wildfire Prevention Authority (“As threat rises, Wildfire Prevention Authority shares resources, education,” Aug. 22).

We applaud the efforts of this remarkable new MWPA program that will help residents prepare for and mitigate future wildfire impacts. Along those lines, we want to make people aware of a recently established and developing relationship by UC Marin Master Gardeners with FireSafe Marin and, therefore, indirectly with MWPA — including participation in the training program for the inspectors.

We know that homeowners want to create beautiful, biodiverse, environmentally sensitive home landscapes that keep concerns about climate change, water resources and fire safety in mind. When creating a

“fire smart” landscape, Steven Swain, our environmental horticulture adviser, recommends that homeowners design defensible space and maintain their landscapes according to Master Gardener guidelines. With this in mind, project leader Fay Mark’s team has created a robust landscaping program that gives Marin residents up-todate, science-based information they can use to create, manage and maintain healthy, earthfriendly and “fire smart” landscapes.

We are living in times that require us to change our thinking and behavior. We need to take precautions and safeguard our community’s health and well-being. Look for our webinars presented through public libraries and through FireSafe Marin. You can also find a link to the UC Marin Master Gardener guidelines and to in- depth information, landscaping tips and a short informative video on our website, marinmg.ucanr.edu.

— David Lewis, Novato