Richard Halsey is a noted teacher, writer, and photographer who has been researching California chaparral for over two decades, and is the founder and director of the California Chaparral Institute. A popular speaker, Halsey coordinates education and research programs designed the help others reconnect with Nature and their wild, inner selves. Halsey has authored numerous publications concerning chaparral ecology, including his awarding winning book, Fire, Chaparral, and Survival in Southern California.