As a parent living in Berkeley and running a local landscape design/build company, I don’t take fire season lightly. Like many of you, I’ve watched in heartbreak as fires across California—most recently in the hills above Los Angeles—have claimed homes, habitats, and lives. It’s a deep and ongoing tragedy that reminds me why the work we do at Sustain With Me Landscapes matters—not just for beauty and biodiversity, but for safety.

While we don’t specialize in fire mitigation, our core focus on California native and edible gardens naturally supports homeowners in meeting Alameda County’s updated 2024 fire abatement codes. By designing with ecological function and long-term sustainability in mind, we help create outdoor spaces that are both resilient and compliant.

Understanding Defensible Space: Zones 0 and 1

To meet current fire code standards, properties must establish and maintain defensible space in two key zones:

• Zone 0 (0–5 feet from structures): This area must be kept clear of combustible materials. We replace wood raised beds and bark mulch with non-combustible materials like gravel, steel, and concrete masonry units (CMU), and avoid flammable, high-oil plants near the home.

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What is a carbon sink?

A carbon sink is a natural Carbon sequestration process that removes carbon (CO2) from our atmosphere and stores it. Examples of carbon sinks include plants, healthy soil and the ocean. Plants sequester carbon by absorbing carbon dioxide through their leaves and storing it in the form of sugars. Plants then return to the soil as organic matter. In the ocean, phytoplankton (microscopic marine plants) absorb carbon that then returns to be stored on the seafloor.

Carbon sequestration is a process that is vital to Earth’s systems and human life as we know it. As our activities continue to release more and more carbon into the atmosphere, carbon sinks become increasingly important to cultivate and care for.

According to the Guardian, scientists have found that our major carbon sinks of Earth’s trees and land absorbed little CO2 in 2023. This breakdown of these essential systems is tied to rising heat resulting in drought and wildfires. The article explains how the last remaining carbon sink - a tropical rainforest known as the Congo Basin - is the only rainforest remaining that removes more carbon than it releases, due to its biodiversity and resilience (for now) against drought.

Ever heard of a food forest? Imagine walking through a lush forest, plucking fresh fruits, nuts, and vegetables straight from the plants around you. That’s the essence of a food forest, a sustainable and self-sufficient way to grow food by mimicking natural ecosystems. Rooted in the principles of permaculture, food forests are designed to be diverse, resilient, and abundant.

Today, I found myself pondering over the rising craze for wild yam cream, acclaimed for its hormone-balancing prowess. This intrigue led me down a rabbit hole of thoughts about the production process and its environmental ramifications. With a growing number of enthusiasts seeking this elixir, I can't help but wonder about the ethical and sustainable production challenges that loom large on the horizon.

Creating a sustainable garden is about smart planning and using techniques that work with nature. Water conservation is key in this process, drawing on practices that have been around for centuries. It's important to recognize these methods are rooted in the knowledge of indigenous peoples, and in my work in the Bay Area, particularly on land that was once home to the Ohlone people, I strive to honor these origins.

In the vibrant landscape of the Bay Area, where nature's beauty meets urban sophistication, cultivating a garden that thrives on minimal water usage is not just a choice; it's a sustainable lifestyle. As we delve into the realm of **low water gardening**, we uncover not only the secrets to a flourishing garden but also the environmental impact that accompanies this mindful approach.