Land Development/Degradation

-There are four primary threats to the chaparral ecosystem in California: development, excessive fire, conversion to rangeland, and negative public attitudes.

-After the flood of December 1964, 12 gaging sections in northern California widened as much as 100% and aggraded as much as 4 m, and then degraded to stable levels during a period of 5 years or more. As channels aggraded, bed material became finer, and low to moderate flow through gaging sections in pools became shallower, faster, and steeper.

-Three significant fires in 16 months

-Public attitudes about chaparral have the potential of being the most dangerous because without the public's understanding and support, chaparral and other native shrublands have no protection against the other three.

-Chapparal as an ecosystem runs off fire, because of that the land is being over degraded.

-Non-native plants grow in the burned areas to try to reduce erosion