Wikipedia describes Desertification as the “the degradation of land in arid, semi arid and dry sub-humid areas resulting primarily from human activities and influenced by climatic variations.” This effect, occurring at an increasing rate worldwide, stems from the direct impact of the overuse of land by rising populations. As Wikipedia goes on to describe, one of the first side-effects of desertification is a loss of biodiversity in the region. One example it sites is the sage and chaparral ecosystems of Southern California, which have been replaced by non-native and invasive grasses. It just so happens that I live right in the middle of this ecosystem.

Every few years, a widespread fire devastates the landscape of Southern California. The hillsides, charred black, have the appearance of a lunar landscape. In order to return the hills to their former green and living selves, and to prevent possible erosion, crews spray acres upon acres of land with a green-on-color cocktail of grass seeds. Sure, the hills once again look well and living. But this practice directly interferes with nature’s wishes. The region is burned so often for a reason, and human interference is only going to make matters worse.

I was reminded of Desertification, a topic I heard about sometime in the past, when I went on a recent day trip to Julian, California. This quaint small town is located close to forty minutes from where I live, and the drive there takes you through the dry and arid landscape of east San Diego county. The area around Santa Ysabel, on the way to Julian, is currently experiencing a drought. That combined with the abundance of fires in the region nearly a year ago equate to a desert-like landscape. In fact, the only difference between this area and a desert is the abundance of wild grasses, dry from the lack of precipitation. Only minutes away from Santa Ysabel is the Anza Borrego desert, which is located down the mountain from Julian. Though the dryness of the region is probably only temporary, it certainly seems as if the Anza Borrego desert is slowly creeping westward.

Photograph by Flickr user bachmont.