Help Diane & Matthias Replant and Reseed!
Donation protected
The Crisis
Our friends Diane, a Malibu native, and Matthias, a transplant from Germany, lost their home in the Woolsey fire and along with it, a vital ecosystem of native plants and animals. Insurance will not cover any reseeding or replanting, and they are heartbroken at the prospect of not being able to support the recovery of this precious habitat.
Help is urgently needed to prevent further damage from post-fire rains that could cause erosion and blend with the toxic debris. While only the authorities are legally allowed to move the toxic debris, they have not given Diane and Matthias a start date or a timeline for this work. (Meanwhile first rains are forecast for this week!) Help is also needed to speed recovery with reseeding and replanting of the property and surrounding hillsides.
The Backstory
Diane and Matthias have lived with their two dogs - and chickens who sadly perished along with the coop in the fire - for the last seven years on a romantic and enchanted property. When they found it in a short sale during the economic downturn, it was a major miracle. They are not wealthy, although they are stable and live richly. They just got lucky and were at the right place, at the right time.
They are committed environmentalists and have lived in a way that reflects their values. They turned their unique property in the rugged Malibu Hills into warm home that welcomed guests from around the world, provided organic produce and eggs to friends and family, and nourished bees, birds, and a host of other animals with acres of lavender, rosemary, and other native wild shrubs.
Each painstakingly-made improvement to the property they did with little outside help and with as little impact as possible. When drought took some of their big pines, they milled and laid their own floors. Knowing the threat of fire, they used rocks from their hills to fortify hillsides – rocks which still stand after all has burned.
They bought the house with two big dreams. One was to work together, from the home they loved, to advance industry and governments toward a sustainable future. The other was to someday raise a child there. They built the Renewables 100 Policy Institute , a thriving and effective non-profit focused on 100% renewable energy targets and solutions as well as a successful consultancy to “afford their non-profit habit.” With that goal accomplished, they spent all of last year and a major chunk of their hard-earned funds remodeling to be able to comply with the licensing necessary to foster a child in need.
In May, they finally brought home their son, a boy who just turned sixteen this month. The fostering has been mutually successful. Their son loves their home, the dogs, and them, and the adoption will finalize this spring.
On November 8th, this amazing home was destroyed by the Woolsey Fire. While this, in and of itself, is devastating, they are especially saddened at this further disrupt in the life of their child, who has seen more than his fair share of tragedy.
Still, Diane and Matthias feel grateful. Most importantly, the entire family evacuated safely to the house of loving cousins. Although the main house was completely destroyed, a stone cottage and much of the property's unique hardscaping survived. This was especially miraculous, given that their entire canyon was consumed that day.
They have fire insurance which they hope will help with much of the repair and rebuilding of the property and their lives. They are committed to making any rebuild a learning laboratory of sustainability.
However, fire insurance will not pay for the immediate protection of their property from post-fire flooding and mudslides. It will not pay for bringing back the massive amount of flora that was lost, which is the feeding ground and nursery for so much life. The slopes of state park and national recreation area above their property, once host to the chapparal, coastal sage, wildflowers, and oaks that scented the air are now bare and ash-covered.
Not only was the vegetation a home to a rich ecosystem of insects, bird, frogs, reptiles, and small mammals, but it also provided the property with vital protection from erosion. Diane and Matthias urgently need to address this. While the County has been alerted to their need, so far, there are no specific assurances from government authorities.
A conservation expert has assured them that under normal conditions, the hillsides should resprout after the first rainy season. But if there are heavy rains, erosion and slides from unsecured slopes are sure to cause further damage to their property. To prevent this, they will need additional funds for clean-up and reseeding of up to 20+ acres around their property to help spur recovery. Reseeding with indigenous plants costs $750+/acre.
Aerial photo of the property before the fire.
Aerial photo of the property after the fire.
What this Go Fund Me (GFM) will do
This GFM initially will provide funds for the protection of the watershed and drinking water (the property is on a well) from the toxic waste at the burn site by allowing Diane and Matthias to put in silt fencing at the foot of the slopes, straw wattling along the hillsides, and tarping over the toxic site before the rains.
It will also provide funds to regenerate the landscape, organic garden, and organic hen coop on the property that were destroyed.
Our initial goal is to raise $12,000 to cover these expenses.
There may be additional funds needed if re-seeding or extra clean-up is required. If Diane and Matthias indicate more funds are necessary, we will modify the goal and post updates.
We will donate any funds that we receive in excess of our goal to the Renewables 100 Policy Institute. The ferocity and frequency of wildfires like the one Diane and Matthias experienced are an example of what Governor Jerry Brown has called “The New Abnormal.” The Institute will use this donation to study and advocate for a safe, sustainable, economical, and just transition to all renewable energy across all sectors, including the built environment.
We will post updates with progress and are deeply grateful for any support, as we know Diane, Matthias and their son will be.
We have known Diane since childhood and Matthias since he entered her life when Diane was in high school and Matthias was still a university student. They have always been kind and caring and supportive of their friends, family, community, and the environment. We are honored to lead this fundraiser in which we hope that many of their friends and soon-to-be friends can channel their support.
Our friends Diane, a Malibu native, and Matthias, a transplant from Germany, lost their home in the Woolsey fire and along with it, a vital ecosystem of native plants and animals. Insurance will not cover any reseeding or replanting, and they are heartbroken at the prospect of not being able to support the recovery of this precious habitat.
Help is urgently needed to prevent further damage from post-fire rains that could cause erosion and blend with the toxic debris. While only the authorities are legally allowed to move the toxic debris, they have not given Diane and Matthias a start date or a timeline for this work. (Meanwhile first rains are forecast for this week!) Help is also needed to speed recovery with reseeding and replanting of the property and surrounding hillsides.
The Backstory
Diane and Matthias have lived with their two dogs - and chickens who sadly perished along with the coop in the fire - for the last seven years on a romantic and enchanted property. When they found it in a short sale during the economic downturn, it was a major miracle. They are not wealthy, although they are stable and live richly. They just got lucky and were at the right place, at the right time.
They are committed environmentalists and have lived in a way that reflects their values. They turned their unique property in the rugged Malibu Hills into warm home that welcomed guests from around the world, provided organic produce and eggs to friends and family, and nourished bees, birds, and a host of other animals with acres of lavender, rosemary, and other native wild shrubs.
Each painstakingly-made improvement to the property they did with little outside help and with as little impact as possible. When drought took some of their big pines, they milled and laid their own floors. Knowing the threat of fire, they used rocks from their hills to fortify hillsides – rocks which still stand after all has burned.
They bought the house with two big dreams. One was to work together, from the home they loved, to advance industry and governments toward a sustainable future. The other was to someday raise a child there. They built the Renewables 100 Policy Institute , a thriving and effective non-profit focused on 100% renewable energy targets and solutions as well as a successful consultancy to “afford their non-profit habit.” With that goal accomplished, they spent all of last year and a major chunk of their hard-earned funds remodeling to be able to comply with the licensing necessary to foster a child in need.
In May, they finally brought home their son, a boy who just turned sixteen this month. The fostering has been mutually successful. Their son loves their home, the dogs, and them, and the adoption will finalize this spring.
On November 8th, this amazing home was destroyed by the Woolsey Fire. While this, in and of itself, is devastating, they are especially saddened at this further disrupt in the life of their child, who has seen more than his fair share of tragedy.
Still, Diane and Matthias feel grateful. Most importantly, the entire family evacuated safely to the house of loving cousins. Although the main house was completely destroyed, a stone cottage and much of the property's unique hardscaping survived. This was especially miraculous, given that their entire canyon was consumed that day.
They have fire insurance which they hope will help with much of the repair and rebuilding of the property and their lives. They are committed to making any rebuild a learning laboratory of sustainability.
However, fire insurance will not pay for the immediate protection of their property from post-fire flooding and mudslides. It will not pay for bringing back the massive amount of flora that was lost, which is the feeding ground and nursery for so much life. The slopes of state park and national recreation area above their property, once host to the chapparal, coastal sage, wildflowers, and oaks that scented the air are now bare and ash-covered.
Not only was the vegetation a home to a rich ecosystem of insects, bird, frogs, reptiles, and small mammals, but it also provided the property with vital protection from erosion. Diane and Matthias urgently need to address this. While the County has been alerted to their need, so far, there are no specific assurances from government authorities.
A conservation expert has assured them that under normal conditions, the hillsides should resprout after the first rainy season. But if there are heavy rains, erosion and slides from unsecured slopes are sure to cause further damage to their property. To prevent this, they will need additional funds for clean-up and reseeding of up to 20+ acres around their property to help spur recovery. Reseeding with indigenous plants costs $750+/acre.
Aerial photo of the property before the fire.Aerial photo of the property after the fire.What this Go Fund Me (GFM) will do
This GFM initially will provide funds for the protection of the watershed and drinking water (the property is on a well) from the toxic waste at the burn site by allowing Diane and Matthias to put in silt fencing at the foot of the slopes, straw wattling along the hillsides, and tarping over the toxic site before the rains.
It will also provide funds to regenerate the landscape, organic garden, and organic hen coop on the property that were destroyed.
Our initial goal is to raise $12,000 to cover these expenses.
There may be additional funds needed if re-seeding or extra clean-up is required. If Diane and Matthias indicate more funds are necessary, we will modify the goal and post updates.
We will donate any funds that we receive in excess of our goal to the Renewables 100 Policy Institute. The ferocity and frequency of wildfires like the one Diane and Matthias experienced are an example of what Governor Jerry Brown has called “The New Abnormal.” The Institute will use this donation to study and advocate for a safe, sustainable, economical, and just transition to all renewable energy across all sectors, including the built environment.
We will post updates with progress and are deeply grateful for any support, as we know Diane, Matthias and their son will be.
We have known Diane since childhood and Matthias since he entered her life when Diane was in high school and Matthias was still a university student. They have always been kind and caring and supportive of their friends, family, community, and the environment. We are honored to lead this fundraiser in which we hope that many of their friends and soon-to-be friends can channel their support.
Organizer and beneficiary
Wendy Fish
Organizer
Deep River, CT
Diane Moss
Beneficiary