- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
On the four-year anniversary of the devastating Tubbs and Nuns fires in Sonoma County, the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) and Pepperwood Preserve are launching the Wildfire Fuel Mapper, a comprehensive toolkit to assist landowners in managing vegetation that may fuel wildfires.
The October 2017 fires, which destroyed nearly 7,000 buildings and left 25 people dead, underscored the importance of wildfire mitigation, community safety and long-term resilience. To prepare for wildfire, the Wildfire Fuel Mapper toolkit connects Sonoma County landowners with resources, professionals, specialists and funding opportunities to subsidize fuel reduction...
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
The green leaves of the trees that line city streets soften the visual harshness of concrete and asphalt. Walking in the shade of their canopy, you may not think about how trees live in a small patch of soil surrounded by sidewalks and streets.
Behind every thriving street tree is science. Scientists evaluate trees to determine which species will grow well in a particular environment. Scientists study the best ways to protect the tree against pests and diseases. Scientists research how to prune the tree for the best performance.
“I think that the most overlooked and under-recognized value of trees is the subtle calming and healing effect that urban trees...
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Wildfires that generate their own weather, drought, record-breaking heatwaves, and frequent flooding are compelling more people to try to mitigate and adapt to climate change. A new book co-authored by Adina Merenlender, UC Cooperative Extension specialist at UC Berkeley, shows how Californians are working together across diverse communities and landscapes to improve resilience and address climate justice.
“The climate leaders profiled in this book are inspirational,” said Wade...
- Author: Janet Hartin
- Author: Ricardo A. Vela
Partnering for California
Spring 2021 proved to be one of the hottest in California, breaking heat records in several cities. It was a perfect opportunity to plant “climate-ready landscape trees” in inland cities identified in a study conducted by the University of California Cooperative Extension in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service.
The idea of bringing together community groups and volunteers to enhance tree canopies that cool urban heat islands --which can be more than 50 degrees hotter than...
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
To help prioritize lands for growth and conservation, the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) has been collaborating with local organizations and stakeholders to develop an innovative online regional mapping tool called SoCal Greenprint.
The SoCal Greenprint is the first database of natural resources for all six counties in the SCAG region – Imperial, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura counties – and 191 cities in an area covering more than 38,000...
