The Problem
The City of Arcadia faces growing threats from wildfires, which pose serious risks of home damage, smoke-related health hazards, and forced evacuations. As climate change intensifies fire seasons and dry conditions persist, neighborhoods bordering wildland areas are increasingly vulnerable. Despite these mounting dangers, there remains a lack of public education around fire-resistant and drought-tolerant landscaping practices. Many residents are unaware of the vital role that cultivating California native plants can play in reducing fire risk. These plants not only require less water and maintenance but also tend to be more resilient to fire, helping to create defensible space around homes. Bridging this knowledge gap is critical to improving community preparedness and promoting sustainable, fire-safe urban environments.
Our Plan
1) Provide an interpretive experience at the Los Angeles Arboretum to inform visitors: Elements of a fire-resistant landscape and how to cultivate California native flora and why they’re important for wildlife and us 2) Engage the visitors beyond just sharing facts- make them care about the topic and feel a sense of appreciation and responsibility. Enhance engagement by providing QR codes to direct visitors to online resources and tools such as a page on the Arboretum website or iNaturalist 3) Research and prepare educational materials including steps to start a native plant garden on the arboretum website: Promote ecological stewardship by encouraging visitors to adopt native and fire-resistant landscaping at home and in community spaces, enhancing the beauty and resilience of our spaces while supporting local wildlife 4) Run a workshop at the local library to educate students on conservation, practices to protect local wildlife. Workshop has been scheduled with the library.