Naturalist Night: Living with Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus globulus, aka Tasmanian blue gum, has become a prominent feature of the California landscape since its deliberate introduction in the mid-19th century. Love it or hate it (and few plants elicit so much emotion), controversy and misunderstanding swirl around this undeniably impressive tree. Just why was this tree brought here from Australia? Is it an aggressive invader? How does it affect the native plants and animals that were already here? How does it affect us? What, if anything, should we do about it?

A local amateur naturalist who has lived closely with this tree for the last 42 years brings a unique perspective to these questions. The history, ecology, and human impacts of Eucalyptus globulus in California will be presented broadly, and then applied to what the speaker knows best – the 23-acre piece of land known as Lupinvale that has been his charge for nearly half a century. Not only has he observed the eucalyptus forest at Lupinvale and the surrounding area, but he has managed it as a resource, struggled with it as an invader, watched as its flames threatened to consume his family’s home, and then studied how his neighbors and the forest itself responded in the 9 years after the Trabing Fire. Some of the lessons learned are not just about Eucalyptus, but apply more generally to the way we rural Californians now live and interact with the natural environment around us.