Key points:

“(Talking about fires, flooding and droughts) The core, the fundamental problem is that our land is degraded and no longer functioning at a high level, as it could be.” Kiss the ground
“Like a sponge, a healthy soil absorbs, retains, and infiltrates water.” Kiss the ground.
By consuming organic food, you are helping the planet and your health. It may seem more expensive now, but the more people buy it, the cheaper it will get. Vote with your dollars, help change the future!
Gophers are great hard working creatures that aerate the ground. Protect your plants from them with wire basket and enjoy the benefits they bring to the ground.
Get free mulch, plant native ground covers plants or let native grasses and flowers grow. Cover the ground to increase water retention, improved temperatures and protect the trees you already have.
You don’t need to “clear the ground” from “weeds” before planting trees. Let that grass or plants be your live mulch. As the tree grows, it will create shade and its own mulch by dropping the dead leaves. Planting small pines in between grass provide a little relief from the hard sun during the summer and allow them to grow healthier. Remember that naturally those seeds would fall under their “mother” canopy.