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Arts & Culture

A GROWING PASSION: Chaparral, The Elfin Forest

Tour guide Rick Halsey of the Chaparral Institute and host Nan Sterman view montane chaparral. Chaparral is the shrubland that blankets our hillsides and valleys, from desert to coast. We don't always recognize its beauty and its value, but that makes it ripe for exploration.
Courtesy of AGP Productions, LLC
Tour guide Rick Halsey of the Chaparral Institute and host Nan Sterman view montane chaparral. Chaparral is the shrubland that blankets our hillsides and valleys, from desert to coast. We don't always recognize its beauty and its value, but that makes it ripe for exploration.

Stream now with KPBS+ / Watch Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 8:30 p.m. on KPBS TV + Encore Sunday, May 24 at 11 a.m. on KPBS TV

Chaparral is the shrubland that blankets our hillsides and valleys, from desert to coast. We don't always recognize its beauty and its value, but that makes it ripe for exploration. We start where desert vegetation gives way to chaparral near Anza Borrego Desert, then follow it to the coast at Torrey Pines State Reserve. We take an up-close look at these "Elfin Forests" and the environmental pressures that make them uniquely California.

Chaparral is the shrubland that blankets our hillsides and valleys, from desert to coast. We don't always recognize its beauty and its value, but that makes it ripe for exploration. We start where desert vegetation gives way to chaparral near Anza Borrego Desert, then follow it to the coast at Torrey Pines State Reserve.

About The Series: A GROWING PASSION is a lifestyle program that explores San Diego County’s agriculture and horticulture activities as an expression of this growing earth-friendly movement. From backyard food production to major horticultural growers, from low water landscapes to sustainable practices around the home and in the garden, we tell stories about the natural and man-made landscapes that shape the social, cultural, environmental and economic interests of our community. We celebrate how San Diego grows. The series is hosted by Nan Sterman.

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Tour guide Rick Halsey of the Chaparral Institute and host Nan Sterman discuss montane chaparral.
Courtesy of AGP Productions, LLC
Tour guide Rick Halsey of the Chaparral Institute and host Nan Sterman discuss montane chaparral.

Watch On Your Schedule: All episodes of A GROWING PASSION are available for streaming with KPBS+, a new free streaming video app designed for ease and enjoyment everywhere you watch including Roku, smart TVs and mobile devices. It’s locally curated for San Diego by the KPBS programming team. With a clean and intuitive design, discovering and enjoying KPBS and PBS content on-demand has never been easier.

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