Disturbance. In ecological terms, when a wildfire rages across wild lands, there is a disturbance - a change in the environmental conditions that disrupts the functioning of an ecosystem. The process by which an ecosystem changes over time following a disruption is known as ecological succession, and it takes a very long time. Too long.

Restoration is something we can do to assist and speed up the process of ecological succession. Restoration is the goal of the Fire Recovery Project started by Oroville Foothill 4-H Club after the La Porte, Wall and Ponderosa wildfires in Butte County in 2017.

Last year, I wrote an article about our fire recovery efforts in Butte County. We worked hard and accomplished a lot in three fire zones, but restoration is not “one and done.” It takes persistence. Many of the “wildlings” (small wild seedlings) that we transplanted in the Ponderosa Fire zone did not survive the hot summer months. We knew we would need to go back the following spring and plant again, and we were determined.

Then, in November 2018, the Camp Fire raged through 153,000 acres in Butte County. After the most destructive wildfire in California history, it is hard not to feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of recovery work, knowing it would be a long time before the Camp Fire zone would even be ready for replanting. But we had our plan to follow up on our work in the Ponderosa Fire zone. This time, we had fir, pine and cedar seedlings donated by Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI). We knew these seedlings would have a better chance of survival.

On March 31, 2019, we planted 2000 trees on 12 properties in the foothills east of Oroville that burned in the Ponderosa Fire. We had a crew of over fifty people, including volunteers from Oroville Foothill 4-H, Durham 4-H, and Prospect High School. The Prospect High crew included students, teachers and family members from 5 to 50 years old.

Two foresters from SPI delivered the seedlings, provided instruction on optimal planting techniques, and worked with our crews. Many Feather Falls residents also helped with the planting, including members of the Concow-Maidu of Mooretown Rancheria, whose lands were burned in the Ponderosa Fire.

Two youngsters help carry the seedlings donated by SPI to plant in the Ponderosa Fire Area.

After the planting was completed, we gathered for a tasty picnic lunch provided by Mooretown Rancheria. Everyone enjoyed the beautiful spring weather and feeling of accomplishment.

Since we completed the planting, we have had frequent rain that will give the seedlings a good chance to survive. Building on this success, Oroville Foothill 4-H Fire Recovery Project is already making plans for next year. We hope to arrange for donations of fruit, nut, and ornamental trees for the families who are rebuilding in the Camp Fire communities of Paradise, Magalia, Concow, and Pulga.

As we wrap up our Fire Recovery Project this year and enter another fire season, we are hoping there will be no more “disturbances” to our wild lands. But we will be here with the help of our community, persisting in the best kind of collaboration - caring for our world!  

 

College applications and college scholarships all are looking for a good essay, an interesting story and a catchy topic. As a 4-Her who was has been active for 9 years in El Sereno's beekeeping project, I had lots of options to create a buzz with.

Writing college applications, I was able to talk about the environmental contribution our bee project had. This included helping the local environment by increasing bee populations, and donating the money we earned from our honey sells to help the endangered Mountain Gorillas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. On top of this, I was able to write about the leadership opportunities 4-H provided me.

When it came time for scholarships, all of the knowledge I had acquired from my leader Steve Demkowski, in conjunction with all the photos I had of me doing 4-H beekeeping, gave me lots of material to answer scholarship applications with. Here is an example of my scholarship project for Tulane University's Deans' Honors scholarship:

The prompt for this scholarship was “To give further evidence of your depth of thought, analytical skills, imagination, and creativity, use this box to explore an idea or academic area of interest. While your project should reveal something you are passionate about, you should not be the project's main focus or subject.”

My efforts led to numerous college acceptances and scholarship offers. Many of the acceptance letters cited my work with bees, and I credit 4-H for helping my essay topics stand out. The whole college and scholarship application process really made me appreciate all 4-H has given me. Best of all it exposed me to something I want to study in college – Environmental Biology, which I'll be doing at University of Puget Sound on the full-ride Matelich scholarship!

We are able to continually move our 4-H program forward because of the work of 4-H volunteers. Youth and adult volunteers serve on club, county, Area, and State level committees to plan and organize 4-H events and activities.

 

 

Advisory Committees help shape 4-H.

Youth and adult 4-H volunteers impact 4-H at the State level through the State 4-H Advisory Committees. Advisory Committees provide leadership within their respective areas. Committee members offer insight and input for the operation and management of the UC 4-H Youth Development Program.

Meetings are held throughout the year term, mostly through video chats and conference calls. When meeting face-to-face, travel costs and related expenses are reimbursed in accordance with UC policy. The number of meetings vary with the needs of the committee.

 

We want your voice.

Our goal is to have each Advisory Committee represent and reflect the diverse aspects of 4-H in California, including, but not limited to:

• Youth members and adult volunteers
• Geographic locations
• Years of experience in 4-H
• Program delivery modes
• Community members and partners

Committee terms start on July 1st of each year. Youth (ages 14 to 19) serve one year and adults (volunteers, staff, partners) serve two.

We are currently seeking applicants for the following Advisory Committees:

Policy

Provides leadership and guidance regarding implementation of new or revised 4-H policies.

Camping

Develops strategies to enhance 4-H camping programs.

Civic Engagement

Provides vision and direction for civic engagement programming.

Animal Science Education

Gather input on direction for statewide animal science programs and identify opportunities for youth interested in animal science education.

Shooting Sports

Identifies, discusses, and agrees on recommendations regarding the shooting sports program.

Incentives and Recognition

Reviews, formulates, and evaluates incentives and recognitions.

 

For more information about the Advisory Committees, the selection process, and committee timeline, please see our Advisory Committees webpage under the About tab on the State 4-H website.

Please spread the word — and apply by May 31st!

 

Go to Online Application

 

Dear 4-H Volunteer,

Thank you!

Thank you for your dedication, courage and your conviction, for bringing your sense of adventure to share and learn alongside the youth that you mentor.

Thank you for your compassion and your awareness, for seeing the need and responding. Thank you for sharing your skills and knowledge to help improve lives and build the capacity of youth to learn and grow.

Thank you for providing opportunities and education – and for knowing that the experiences you share, and the people you encounter, teach you more than you could have imagined.

Thank you for your patience, respect and perseverance. But most of all thank you for your kindness, and for being the inspiration youth need to thrive.

Whether you are a youth volunteer or an adult volunteer, your dedication and support is priceless. The snapshot below quantifies your contribution in time and economic impact, but we know it is so much more than that.

You and I may never know the exact, direct impact you made to help propel a youth member toward a successful life—but that, my friend, is your true purpose. It is your dedication, contribution, talent, time and gifts that make 4-H the amazing organization that it is.

On behalf of the University of California Statewide 4-H Youth Development Program, we thank you for your dedication to help youth lead happy, healthy, thriving lives.

In gratitude,

Gemma Miner
Academic Coordinator for Volunteer Engagement

 

 

4-H Runs on the Power of Volunteers

 

Adult volunteers mentor youth in youth-adult partnerships.

Events like the Youth Summits are planned by youth and adult volunteers.

Our State 4-H Horse Classic is planned and run by volunteers.

Horse Classic volunteers work behind the scenes