COSF Online Speaker Series to Examine Wildfire Safety and Wildlands Fire Recovery November 12
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thousand Oaks, California – October 29, 2020.
The Conejo Open Space Foundation’s popular, free Speaker Series will feature fire scientist Marti Witter, PhD, as its final guest of the year on November 12 at 6:30 p.m. Dr. Witter has served as a National Park Service fire ecologist in the Santa Monica Mountains since 2001.
Dr. Witter’s timely discussion will focus on the history of fire in the Santa Monica Mountains and what strategies work best in our region to protect our homes and landscapes against wildfire. She will also look at how plants and wildlife have recovered after recent fires and what role climate change is playing in wildlfires here and in other parts of California.
As City Biologist for the City of Malibu, Dr. Witter has hands-on experience with both the 1993 Old Topanga Fire and the 1996 Calabasas Fire. As an NPS fire ecologist, Dr. Witter uses the latest fire science to guide fire- management practices, while preserving the Santa Monica Mountains National Area’s unique natural resources and reducing fire hazards in local communities.
Dr. Marti Witter is a 35-year resident of the Santa Monica Mountains. She received a BS in Biology from the University of California, Irvine, a MS in Forestry from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and a PhD from the University of Hawaii studying evolutionary genetics in the silversword group.
Held 3 or 4 times a year since 2109, COSF’s previous Speaker Series have drawn TK attendees. Speakers have included NPS wildlife ecologist and mountain-lion authority Dr. Seth Riley, Hollywood historian Harry Medved, geologist Derek Field, and wildlife expert Dr. Jessica Sanchez.
Participants can register for the free program at COSF’s website: https://www.cosf-test.org/events/register/. (Although this is a free event, COSF encourages a $10 donation to support future Speaker Series presentations.)
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