Green Blog

Sunlight shining through grove of cottonwoods

The Green Blog shares news and information related to forestry/wildfire, sustainability, climate, environmental stewardship and other green topics.

About 60% of California water flows from the state's forests, an invaluable ecosystem service.

To protect California ecosystem services, they must be valued

November 21, 2019

The ecosystem services of landscapes in California are essential to the state's future, but many people take them for granted.

View Article

Western bluebird eating a caterpillar pest. (Photo: Glenn Bartley/VIREO)

How to attract bug-eating birds to farms

November 18, 2019

Hedgerows bordering farmland plantings with native trees, shrubs, bunch grasses and wildflowers support bug-eating birds, which helps with on-farm pest control, according to research by recent UC Davis graduate Sacha Heath and UC Cooperative Extension advisor Rachael Long.

View Article

Matteo Garbelotto refers to a resource provided to citizen science volunteers who participate in the 2019 SOD Blitz. More thank 400 participants helped gather data this year. Photo by Jim Block.

Green Blog: Article

2019 SODBlitz shows Sudden Oak Death on the rise in California

November 14, 2019

Sudden Oak Death (SOD), a serious exotic tree disease, threatens the survival of tanoak and several oak species in California. Currently, SOD infects trees in 14 coastal California counties, from Monterey to Humboldt.

View Article

Hemp growing in breeding plots at UC ANR's West Side Research and Extension Center in Five Points in September 2019.

Green Blog: Article

Early UC hemp research already yielding results

October 29, 2019

For the first time ever, UC Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR) researchers harvested an industrial hemp crop at one of its nine research and extension centers this fall. It's an interesting crop, said UC Cooperative Extension specialist Bob Hutmacher.

View Article

Gabe Youtsey, lower right, chief innovation officer for UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, shares the scope of the VINE (thevine.io), UC ANR's innovation center, at Open Farm 2019.

Farming technology focus at Open Farm 2019

October 28, 2019

From robot vacuum cleaners and doorbell cameras to social media and e-commerce, technology is continually transforming lives and businesses. The world's oldest industry agriculture is no exception.

View Article