There is among us a natural plant community; an ecosystem that has survived on our land thousands of years and will continue to survive with our help and to our collective benefit. When we are knowledgeable stewards, the land will heal.
PLAN EARLY
While we understandably focus on rebuilding our homes (main structure) after such a devastating loss, planning early for exterior design, and with it, hardscaping and plant material, has multiple advantages. Among them, a smoother permit process and best outcomes for restoring our local plants, wildlife, and incorporating best practices for fire resistant yards.
Include exterior vision and baseline landscape plans with any needed LADBS permit submissions to avoid time delays and incremental costs of submitting after the main structure is built.
In spite of the exemption given for post-fire rebuilds, consider Coastal Commission’s fire-resistance landscaping guidelines, not as a requirement or time-delaying hurdle, but to mitigate risk.
Early planning makes it easier to incorporate best practices for restoring our local plants & wildlife. EG., The more fire-resistant natives prefer overhead water vs driplines.
Identifying now what we plant in the future provides the benefit of time to source and grow local plants.
PROTECT WHAT REMAins
Unless it’s necessary for safety, it’s not always advantageous to dig up trees, or even yards. The root structures of existing trees and previously-growing native plants hold the soil in place, and protect against erosion. Any underground natives will resprout, bloom and thrive in time. Some already have.
plant native
There is an understated, unexpected beauty and power in that which naturally exists. When people think of natives, most think of succulents and water wise gardening, which, in reality, is quite different from the plant community which is native to most of the Southern California coastal lands. Planting native will bring the associated butterflies and birds (who are currently displaced) back home. Native plants, on their own, increase soil health. Perhaps most importantly, native plants possess adaptations that make them more fire resistant than non-native/invasive species; these can contain high levels of flammable oils and have unwieldy growth that can expand beyond your own yard. Natives can be lush, they flower in a rainbow of colors, they can be ferns and sweet smelling sages and shimmering golden yellow monkeyflowers.
SOURCES: California Native Plant Society (CNPS) Fire Recovery Guide | Alluvial Soil Lab | CALFIRE | LA Mayor’s Executive Order
California Poppies in full bloom in April 2025 on Swarthmore Avenue, Pacific Palisades. Originally installed as seedlings in August 2024.