Island Ecology

Status of Conservancy Facilities & Services

Update 8/13/2007
Catalina Island Fire, May 10-15, 2007
Frequently Asked Questions

How did the fire start?
• State and local authorities are still investigating the fire, but we understand that it was caused by human activity and was not a natural occurrence.

What burned?
• The Island is fortunate not to have suffered more damage than it did. A home and six commercial structures were lost within Avalon city limits.
• On Conservancy-stewarded land, some fences and signs, plus some recreational and camping facilities were lost, as well as about 4800 acres of chaparral, grassland, and rare coastal sage scrub and oak woodland—about one tenth of the Island. Luckily, most camping and recreational facilities were outside the fire area. The City of Avalon and most activities in the Interior are available for Island residents and guests to experience and enjoy.

What were the damages?
• We are still assessing the long-term impact, but believe the damage to the ecosystem and the structure (present and future) of the soils was significant.

What is the impact of fire in Catalina’s wildlands?
• Natural fires on Catalina are very rare. Of the 299 fires recorded on the Island in the last 100 years, only six were caused by natural events, like lightning.
• Catalina’s flora evolved with occasional fires. Seeds germinate from the seed bank in the soil and most trees and shrubs re-sprout from their bases.
• There are also several unique “fire follower” species — plants that thrive within the nutrient-rich and low-competition conditions that follow a fire. Some of the more widely known fire-follower species that are native to the Island are Whispering bells, Fire poppies, and the Catalina manzanita.

Some have said that fire is actually good for the ecosystem on Catalina…
• Actually, there were great losses from this fire, for example large stands of old oaks, numerous ironwood groves, and many mature and beautiful Catalina manzanita, to name a few that were burned. While many will survive and re-sprout, it will take years for them to achieve the splendor and beauty they had before the fire and to support the native wildlife as they did before. Natural fires on Catalina are very rare. Catalina’s flora evolved with only occasional fires and unfortunately, that’s not what the norm has been on Catalina; only six of 299 fires in the last hundred years were from natural causes. Luckily, few of these human-caused fires have been large enough to cause substantial damage. (Note: Of the 299 fires, 70 were structures only, 229 in were in natural areas.)
• Catalina’s unique plant communities are adapted to particular fire patterns, not fire in general. Too much fire or fire at the wrong time of year can seriously damage or even completely eliminate many of the Island’s native ecosystems. Some of Catalina’s beautiful, old-growth stands of chaparral that haven’t burned in centuries represent some of California’s most priceless natural resources. This fire occurred outside what would be considered the natural pattern, or season, for fire. What the long-term ecological effect will be, we don’t yet know.
• Island ecosystems like Catalina’s are sensitive and delicate because they tend to have a number of rare and unique species, often in low population numbers. Because of their isolation, many plants and animals have lost some defense mechanisms and/or behaviors against threats. For example, plants lose toxic chemicals that defend them against herbivores, and animals lose their fear of predators.
Catalina’s ecosystems are currently under recovery from over a century of impacting activities, including the introduction of numerous large herbivores and invasive plants. (Note: The largest native herbivore on the Island is the Catalina Island Beechy ground squirrel; the deer and bison are introduced species.)

So was the fire beneficial or not?
• What we can say with certainty at this time is that this human-caused fire took place outside of the natural fire pattern, or season that would normally benefit this fragile ecosystem. It is not an event we would have desired.

How has the wildlife fared?
• The welfare of wildlife is intertwined with the welfare of habitat, and it remains to be seen how the habitat will recover from this substantial loss. Obviously at this stage the area burned will provide few resources in support of the native wildlife.
• So far, we have recorded one fatality — a male bison that was badly burned in the fire. We are also treating one of our federally endangered Catalina Island foxes for injuries and are not yet sure if or when she will be able to be released back into the wild. Because the fire occurred during pupping season, we may have lost one or more litters of fox to the fire. We are hoping this was not the case.
• Most birds are able to fly away during a fire. Deer and other large animals also tend to run away. Squirrels, reptiles and many insects use burrows to hide from the fire. We are still evaluating the potential long-term effects of this fire on the wildlife.

The Conservancy removed goats from the Island. Some people allege that if they were still here, there wouldn’t have been a fire…
• This is not true. The lack of presence of goats didn't cause the fire, and their presence couldn’t have prevented it. An ignition caused the fire. The extremely low moisture in the plants caused by the harshest drought on Catalina in 100 years combined with strong winds sustained the fire. Having goats on the Island would not have changed the drought or wind conditions.
• There are many strategies to reduce brush, or fuel load. Goats are never an appropriate strategy in a nature preserve where rare native plants and animals are being protected. Goats eat those native plants, which in turn are habitat for the wildlife. Goats also are never an appropriate strategy in island ecosystems where native plants evolved in the absence of intensive pressures caused by human-introduced grazing and browsing animals like deer. Islands generally have more simplified ecosystems than those found on the adjacent mainland. Their simplified food webs are easily disrupted when non-native animals are introduced. The negative effects of introduced animals have been documented worldwide.
• While domesticated goats have been used to clear vegetation in some urban and agricultural areas and under strict controls, the use of goats in protected ecosystems with rugged topography in California (and particularly on islands) is not a viable option because:
— Goats are indiscriminate eaters. They eat all kinds of plants and further endanger rare and endemic species (those found on Catalina, and nowhere else in the world).
— Goats increase erosion in sensitive areas (steep slopes, loose soils, riparian corridors) because of their numbers, sharp hooves and propensity to create trails in very steep areas.
— Feral goats cannot be monitored or controlled easily and can overpopulate an island, creating widespread erosion and environmental damage.
• Many of us, who live in Southern California, and especially on Catalina, enjoy that we’re able to live close to wildlands. That means it is best to approach the protection of our communities and homes from “the structure out,” not from “the wildlands in,” or by “changing” the wildlands significantly.
Otherwise, we destroy what we are trying to preserve. Strategies include community design, building design, landscape design and personal responsibility. On Catalina, the various agencies and land managers will continue to cooperate to incorporate lessons learned into strategies for managing the interface between our community and our beloved wildlands.

How many goats did the Conservancy actually remove?
• There is actually quite an extensive history of goat removal on the Island by various agencies on Catalina dating back to the 1860s, long before there was a Conservancy. The earliest confirmed record of an established goat population on Catalina is 1827. In the 1860s during the Civil War period and a mining boom on the Island, the goats were used for meat and also sold to mainland southern California. At highest count, the population of non-native goats on the Island was estimated to be 25,000-30,000. In 1956, the Santa Catalina Island Company began organized goat control through erecting fences and hunting. Periodic control efforts continued until 1990 when the Conservancy began its concerted efforts.
• Between 1990 and 2004, the Conservancy and partners removed the remaining 8,200 non-native goats, with three spayed female goats left on the Island. The goats were denuding the wildlands that had suffered from intensive grazing pressure for nearly 200 years, causing extensive erosion –a cause of flooding and soil loss – and were destroying the natural habitat that supports the endangered Catalina Fox, eagles and other wildlife, all of which contribute to Catalina Island being such a very special place.

Are there particular threats to life and property after the fire?
• Humans and their activities have altered the natural ecosystems, so after a fire, we can’t “let Nature take its course.” Human activities include buildings (homes and other structures), roads and bridges, grazing areas, non-native plants and animals, and recreational infrastructure (trails, camp sites, etc.).
Over time, many of these activities have left their mark.
• After a fire, in order to protect human structures and lives, some activities need to occur. An Assessment Team of specialists has been assembled, which includes a forester from the California Department of Forestry, engineers from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, and engineers and biologists from the Natural Resources Conservation Service, as well as other consultants brought in by the Conservancy.
• This Assessment Team will evaluate the risks for erosion, landslides, mudslides, ecological damage, etc. Recommendations and strategies to reduce or eliminate these risks will be presented in a report that will be shared with all stakeholders, who will evaluate the various strategies.

Are there particular threats to the recovery of habitat?
• There are two major threats to the recovery of Catalina’s natural areas: invasive weeds, and damage from browsing non-native deer that will eat newly germinated native plants, particularly the unique endemics, to the point that they are eliminated. We will need to protect the burn areas, and are assessing the best way to do that.

What about the bison on the Island? They are non-native animals.
• The main diet of bison is grass, including non-native grasses. The herd on the Island is managed and kept to between 150 and 200 animals, a number that minimizes their impact to rare and endemic species.

What is the plan for protecting against mudslides and erosion?
• We are continuing to work with specialists and engineers to determine the best and most appropriate plan to protect against mudslides and erosion following the fire.
• The use of grass seed to rapidly create a layer of live material in denuded soils has been used in other areas for many years. Reseeding, also known as “hydroseeding” (because they use a mixture of water and seeds to spread the seeds) works well along new highways, cityscapes and landslide-prone areas.
• In natural areas, and specifically on Catalina Island, reseeding is not appropriate. First, the dry season is just beginning. Sowing seeds on a denuded landscape will expose the seeds to wind and drift and they will not germinate. After the rains begin, there is also the chance that seed will be carried down by runoff and concentrate in the gullies and riparian areas, where they may actually cause blockages. It is commonly accepted that under these conditions reseeding is not effective.
• Additionally, non-native seeds add to the problems of invasive species in natural areas. Reseeding can introduce copious amounts of non-native plants that compete with the natural plants already in the system.
• Permanent native vegetation is the best long-term solution to soil stabilization and erosion control.
Some replanting is possible, in combination with other measures, using native plants and seeds. This is especially important in areas such as islands where the species tend to be rare and unique.
• Other effective erosion control measures may include:
— Water bars, which redirect runoff to avoid the formation of gullies;
— Straw wattles used to reduce runoff velocity;
— Erosion control blankets and sand bags used to prevent the loss of topsoil; and
— K-rails (like the barriers used on highways), which help control erosion and the movement down-slope of rocks and debris that may damage structures or roads.

What is the plan for ecological restoration, and how do you know which strategies are the best ones?
• There are three major elements in the ecological restoration of disturbed areas after a fire.
— Allowing the native plants in the area to germinate from the seed bank or re-sprout from stumps or root systems, which requires protecting them from damage that may come from trampling and nonnative herbivores;
— Control of non-native weeds that would also germinate or re-sprout after a fire event. These nonnative plants can diminish or even prevent the success of the natural restoration process; and
— Controlling or minimizing the effects of the fire on the structure of the soils, particularly on steep slopes, which means protecting them from disappearing due to mud slides or landslides.
• The first element requires management of non-native herbivores, which could include, for example, their exclusion from the burned areas by fencing. The second requires control measures against the non-native invasive plants, for example, through the use of selective herbicides or mechanical means (like pulling). The third requires the use of mechanical or engineered structures, such as debris basins, water bars, K-rails, etc., as explained in the question before.
• Replanting with native plants can help the recovery of certain areas that were particularly denuded or that require special attention. For example, the Conservancy could increase the number of Ironwood groves by planting trees grown at the Native Plant Nursery. It also can replant areas that were previously under restoration and that lost their plants to the fire and mitigation areas that were affected by the firefighting activities.
• Additionally, there are different strategies for different areas. The areas immediately surrounding
Avalon and the camps will require special protection against the potential for mudslides in the rainy season, as well as against future fires. For this, a team of engineers, foresters, and ecologists are carrying out an assessment and will propose the most appropriate strategies for these areas. Areas on the outskirts of town and in the buffer zone between the wildland and the outskirts may require slightly different strategies. In the Interior, the Conservancy is developing strategies to control invasive weeds and browsing on recovering vegetation by non-native deer in the burn area.

What is the status of access to the Interior now, and how might that change in coming weeks, months?
• Access to hikers, bikers and campers is only restricted in the burn area. It’s important that hikers and bikers don’t leave the road, as recovery of the fragile ecosystem could be seriously hampered. Additionally, some areas are being worked on by utility companies and by the Conservancy, stabilizing roads and trails, removing dangerous debris, restoring utility poles and other services. Fires are allowed in all campgrounds with fire rings and barbeque pits (Blackjack, Shark and Little Harbors and Parsons).
• Next spring, if the Island receives sufficient rain, there will be germination of countless wildflowers and new growth.

How can people get into the interior?
• There are a number of wonderful tours, charters and a shuttle service, hiking and biking trails and campgrounds. The interior is accessible from both Avalon and Two Harbors.
 
What about future fire risk?
• Obviously, this is of great concern to the entire Island. The dry season has just started on the heels of one of the driest years on record for the Island and Southern California; the average rainfall on the Island is approximately 14 inches per year, and the Island received less than 5 inches this year. The land is very dry.
• The Conservancy works closely with the Los Angeles County Fire Department to follow all rules and regulations and comply fully, and is inspected each year. The organization will continue to work with these professionals to assess the best strategies for fire control in the Interior of the Island.

Web References For More Information:
The Catalina Island Conservancy website provides updates on current conditions and more detail about specific strategies chosen for different sites, reports, photographs and additional links. This is an excellent summary of the issues and the various solutions to post-fire erosion control. Fire in chaparral ecosystem. This is part of the Chaparral Institute (Rick Halsey, President). See especially the section Post-fire recovery: Nature's way or our way? by Wayne Spencer and Richard Halsey, April 1, 2004 San Diego Union- Tribune. The Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce Website also provides updates on tourism activities particularly around the city of Avalon. An overview of fire resources on the internet with the San Diego Natural History Museum and their recent exhibit “Earth, Wind, and Wildfire: Learning to live with fire.” Information on fire ecology for teachers. Classroom and field lessons as well as teacher training programs associated with a print manual on fire ecology.

If you would like to make a donation to help with the recovery effort please call: 310-510-2595 ext 114. We appreciate your support. Click Here to donate online.