Dr. V. Thomas Parker, who presented a program on the effects of climate change on California plants one year ago, will present again at 3pm on Saturday afternoon, the 25th of January. This time he will explore in some detail how wildfires have been a major ecological process in the “Golden State” for millennia, and how our state’s plants have adapted to it.

Dr. Parker’s goal is to show the variation in patterns of fire across our diverse landscapes and how we should think about it: how we should plan for the future in general, with climate change in the mix. He will spend more time highlighting the thoroughly fire-adapted chaparral. In the end he’ll show ways humans are (not) trying to live with fire.

Though Dr. Parker has retired after 43 years of teaching ecology and related graduate programs, he plans to be even more engaged in fire ecology, telling us, “I plan to continue research & writing indefinitely.” Thus far he has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters, edited three books, and co-authored a Field Guide to Manzanitas (a plant of which he is an expert in its systematics & ecology).