UCLA to Hold Dec. 12 Webinar on Zone 0 & Vegetation Clearance

By Laurel Busby

News & Information Editor

UCLA will host a public webinar next week about vegetation clearance and Zone 0, the state’s proposed stringent regulations that would require a substantial reduction in greenery near homes.

The webinar, “Policymaking Under Uncertainty: Zone 0 and Vegetation Clearance,” will be held at noon on Dec. 12 and will be the first in a series called “Living with Future Fire: Getting to Research-Informed Policymaking for Fire-Resilience.”

Board members of The Canyon Alliance’s Resilience Committee plan to attend in order to learn more about the topic and potential options to Zone 0.

“Many Canyon residents are very concerned about the Zone 0 regulations now being considered by the State of California,” said Doug Suisman, chair of the Resillience Committee. “These would require a clear zone of 5 feet around all structures in fire-prone areas, and would result in a mass cutting of trees, hedges, shrubs, and other vegetation across the Canyon, the Palisades, and much of Los Angeles, with a resulting loss of greenery, shade, and privacy. Many scientists and experts in landscape and fire prevention are pushing back, arguing that Zone 0 is not the correct approach, and that properly watered and trimmed trees and vegetation can actually limit fire damage. This free UCLA webinar is a great opportunity for Canyon residents and the general public to learn more about Zone 0 and what they can do make their voices heard.”

The webinar will be moderated by Nurit Katz, the chief sustainability officer for UCLA, and will include the following panelists: Edith De Guzman, a water equity and adaptation policy specialist for UC Cooperative Extension, Travis Longcore, the senior associate director of the UCLA Institute of the Environment and Sustainability, Max Moritz, a statewide wildfire specialist for UC Cooperative Extension, and Allesandro Ossola, an associate professor of UC Davis’ Department of Plant Sciences.

To register, visit this link.

A previous Canyon News article about Zone 0 can be found here.