California Chaparral Institute

[1] It is composed of naturalists, scientists, wildland firefighters, and educators who value the chaparral as both a valuable resource and a place to enjoy the wilderness.

It was founded in 2004 by Richard W. Halsey and aims to protect the California chaparral ecosystem through public education[2] and legal action.

[7] They argue that removing chaparral, through clearance or prescribed burns, promotes the invasive growth of non-native weeds and grasses which are even more of a fire hazard.

[9] In April 2010 they came to the defense of Joseph Diliberti, a Vietnam veteran, who eventually lost his home over his refusal to pay a $27,552 charge by a private contractor (Fire Prevention Services, Inc.) that cleared about a half acre of native habitat from his property under direction of the San Diego Rural Fire Protection District.

[10] As Diliberti continued to refuse to pay, San Diego County assumed the contractor's forced weed abatement lien.