Publications
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Papers and books
Halsey, R.W. 2023. Iconoclastic thinkers in the mountains: How divergent spirits help us connect and preserve wildness in the eastern Peninsular Range of Southern California. In, M.A. Lang and V.E. Cournoyer, Eds., Volcan Mountain Symposium. Importance and Conservation Status of the Eastern Peninsular Ranges. Proceedings. Julian, CA. April 14-15.
"About 10,000 years ago in Mesopotamia, and a bit later in other parts of the world, our species crossed a Rubicon with the discovery of agriculture and its inevitable consequence - the ability to create huge food surpluses and the need to protect them. This quickly led to the development of large civilizations, citadels, and armies. Our time indoors, away from nature, rapidly accelerated. By the beginning of the twenty-first century, it was estimated that the average American spent about 7% of their time outdoors (Klepeis et al. 2001). And that was before the ubiquitous use of computers and cell phones. So, while we may consciously believe we are modern humans, our unconscious and physiological selves continue to live on the savanna. Our physical and mental processes have not had enough time to adapt to the controlled environments of civilized life. We are adapted to the uncertainty of wildness and pay a biological price having left it. The differences between outdoor unpredictability and indoor stability have caused psychological and physiological shocks that we have yet to fully understand (Table 1)."
Baker, B. and R. W. Halsey. 2020. California chaparral and woodlands. In, R. Berryman, Ed., Imperiled: The Encyclopedia of Conservation. Elsevier Inc.
Halsey, R.W. 2020. Threatened by too much fire. The science behind protecting southern California chaparral and sage scrub habitats. Sketches - San Diego Audubon 72, #1: 2-4.
Halsey, R.W. 2019. Coloring Nature in the California Chaparral. Sunbelt Publications.
Halsey, R.W., V.W. Halsey, R. Gaudette. 2018. Connecting Californians with the Chaparral. In Valuing Chaparral, Economic, Socio-Economic, and Management Perspectives. Eds Underwood, E., H. Safford, N. Molinari, and J.E. Keeley. Springer International Publishing.
Halsey, R.W. and J.E. Keeley. 2016. Conservation issues: California chaparral. Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences. Elsevier Publications, Inc.
Halsey, R.W. and A.D. Syphard. 2015. High-severity fire in chaparral: cognitive dissonance in the shrublands. In D. A. DellaSala and C.T. Hanson (eds), The Ecological Importance of Mixed-Severity Fires: Nature's Phoenix. Elsevier Publications, Inc.
Gordon, L., R.W. Halsey, J.E. Keeley, J.P. Rebman, D. Wiens, and A. Johanson. 2015. Mission manzanita, queen of the elfin forest: Is the species in decline? Fremontia 43: 23-28.
Halsey, R.W. 2011. Chaparral as a natural resource: changing the conversation about chaparral and fire. In Proceedings, CA Native Plant Society Conservation Conference, 17-19 Jan. 2009: 82-86.
Halsey, R.W., J.E. Keeley, and K. Wilson. 2009. Fuel age and fire spread in southern California chaparral ecosystems: natural conditions vs. opportunities for fire suppression. Fire Management Today 69, #2: 22-28.
USGS Science Brief on the above paper.
Halsey, R.W. 2008. Fire and the Reverence for Life. Sketches - San Diego Audubon Society. Vol 60, Number 1: 2-3.
Halsey, R.W. 2008. Fire, Chaparral, and Survival in Southern California. Sunbelt Publications. Second Edition. San Diego, CA. 188 p.
Halsey, R.W. 2007. Chaparral: Pure California. Fremontia 35: 2-7.
Halsey, R.W. 2004. In search of allelopathy: an eco-historical view of the investigation of chemical inhibition in California coastal sage scrub and chamise chaparral. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 131: 343-367. Send us an email to request a copy.
Finkenthal, D, B. Greco, R. Halsey, L. Pena, S. Rodecker, B. Simms, R.L. Lee, J. Lohr, M.J. Schaffer, and D.P. Schissel. 1996. Introduction to the Electromagnetic Spectrum. General Atomics, San Diego, CA. 96 p.
Halsey, R.W. 1993. Contributor. Benchmarks for Science Literacy, Project 2061, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Oxford University Press.
Halsey, R.W. 1985. What is the Use of it All? In Promising Practices - It's Role in Gifted Students, Lannie Kanevsky (Ed). San Diego State University. San Diego City Schools. San Diego.
Halsey, R.W. and J.E. Keeley. 2016. Conservation issues: California chaparral. Reference Module in Earth Systems and Environmental Sciences. Elsevier Publications, Inc.
Halsey, R.W. and A.D. Syphard. 2015. High-severity fire in chaparral: cognitive dissonance in the shrublands. In D. A. DellaSala and C.T. Hanson (eds), The Ecological Importance of Mixed-Severity Fires: Nature's Phoenix. Elsevier Publications, Inc.
Gordon, L., R.W. Halsey, J.E. Keeley, J.P. Rebman, D. Wiens, and A. Johanson. 2015. Mission manzanita, queen of the elfin forest: Is the species in decline? Fremontia 43: 23-28.
Halsey, R.W. 2011. Chaparral as a natural resource: changing the conversation about chaparral and fire. In Proceedings, CA Native Plant Society Conservation Conference, 17-19 Jan. 2009: 82-86.
Halsey, R.W., J.E. Keeley, and K. Wilson. 2009. Fuel age and fire spread in southern California chaparral ecosystems: natural conditions vs. opportunities for fire suppression. Fire Management Today 69, #2: 22-28.
USGS Science Brief on the above paper.
Halsey, R.W. 2008. Fire and the Reverence for Life. Sketches - San Diego Audubon Society. Vol 60, Number 1: 2-3.
Halsey, R.W. 2008. Fire, Chaparral, and Survival in Southern California. Sunbelt Publications. Second Edition. San Diego, CA. 188 p.
Halsey, R.W. 2007. Chaparral: Pure California. Fremontia 35: 2-7.
Halsey, R.W. 2004. In search of allelopathy: an eco-historical view of the investigation of chemical inhibition in California coastal sage scrub and chamise chaparral. Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society 131: 343-367. Send us an email to request a copy.
Finkenthal, D, B. Greco, R. Halsey, L. Pena, S. Rodecker, B. Simms, R.L. Lee, J. Lohr, M.J. Schaffer, and D.P. Schissel. 1996. Introduction to the Electromagnetic Spectrum. General Atomics, San Diego, CA. 96 p.
Halsey, R.W. 1993. Contributor. Benchmarks for Science Literacy, Project 2061, American Association for the Advancement of Science, Oxford University Press.
Halsey, R.W. 1985. What is the Use of it All? In Promising Practices - It's Role in Gifted Students, Lannie Kanevsky (Ed). San Diego State University. San Diego City Schools. San Diego.
Selected Articles and Print Interviews
LTE: Homes burn because of embers, not trees. Fire policy ignores that. Los Angeles Times. September 29, 2020.
Op-Ed: Wildfire is inevitable, but the destruction of our communities is not. Los Angeles Times. December 11, 2018.
Op-ed: Why are California's homes burning? It isn't natural disaster it's bad planning. Los Angeles Times. December 7, 2017.
All he is saying is give brush a chance. Column One. Los Angeles Times. November 26, 2008. Interivew by Joe Mozingo.
Op-ed: Why San Diego loses firefighters. San Diego Union-Tribune. April 6, 2006
Op-ed: The Cedar Fire: a question of blame. San Diego Union-Tribune. July 22, 2004
Op-ed: Reducing wildfire dangers with facts. San Diego Union-Tribune. November 4, 2003
Op-Ed: What dads are doing these days. San Diego Union-Tribune. June 18, 1995.
Op-Ed: Parents hold the key to a child's education. Los Angeles Times. June 12, 1992.
Audio
Podcast: Genuinely Interested. Episode 68, Richard Halsey - California's Chaparral & Wildfires. 12/2020.
Public Radio KPBS, Richard Halsey on Cal Fire's massive vegetation clearance plan, August 14, 2013.
Public Radio KPBS, Richard Halsey interviewed by Maureen Cavanaugh about all things chaparral, May 19, 2009.
NPR's Living Earth. May 2, 2008. When you go into a national forest, you expect to see trees, but in southern California the forests are covered with shrubby plants known as chaparral. Living on Earth's Ingrid Lobet visits San Bernardino National Forest and talks with scientists who are trying to protect the dry vegetation. Listen to the audio.
FM 95.9's interviews with Tommy Hough:September 24, 2009: The Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest, public misunderstandings about fire and chaparral, and the importance of California's state parks.
October 5, 2008: The best way to protect citizens and natural resources from wildfire with a focus on San Diego County. See our Video page for additional content.
Public Radio KPBS, Richard Halsey interviewed by Maureen Cavanaugh about all things chaparral, May 19, 2009.
NPR's Living Earth. May 2, 2008. When you go into a national forest, you expect to see trees, but in southern California the forests are covered with shrubby plants known as chaparral. Living on Earth's Ingrid Lobet visits San Bernardino National Forest and talks with scientists who are trying to protect the dry vegetation. Listen to the audio.
FM 95.9's interviews with Tommy Hough:September 24, 2009: The Station Fire in the Angeles National Forest, public misunderstandings about fire and chaparral, and the importance of California's state parks.
October 5, 2008: The best way to protect citizens and natural resources from wildfire with a focus on San Diego County. See our Video page for additional content.