Hu Maliwu (Malibu): Carbon Canyon 2

The residents moved to Carbon Canyon in 1995, where the 1993 Old Topanga Fire had left the steep slopes nearly barren. Initially, they planted rosemary and other drought-tolerant Mediterranean plants to stabilize the steep slope. However, ongoing drought led to soil degradation and a profusion of dry, dead rosemary, prompting a shift towards California native plants to better restore and sustain the property. Dead rosemary has now been replaced with cover crops to rejuvenate the soil, and native species like ceanothus, coyote bush, and manzanita have been introduced for erosion control. Dried, dead materials are chipped on site and turned into compost and mulch. The property now features a mix of native plants and a growing food forest, including toyon, lemonade berry, sycamore, and various fruit trees and vines, along with native herbs and green manure crops for soil enrichment.