- Author: Lilyana Elola, HREC GrizzlyCorps Fellow
The California Department of Food and Agriculture's Healthy Soil Program provides funding for on-farm initiatives aimed at implementing soil practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon storage. The UC Hopland Healthy Soils Project was created in collaboration with the Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC) and undertaken by UC Berkeley's Dr. Gordon Frankie to assess the impact of various hedgerow plant species on pollinator diversity. Hedgerows typically consist of shrubs, trees, grasses, and flowering plants that offer various advantages to the surrounding farm ecosystem. These advantages include but are not limited to: weed control, windbreak, erosion control, improved air and water quality, biodiversity enhancement, and increased pollinator activity.
To measure the effect of the hedgerows on pollinator activity, Dr. Frankie and his team at the UC Berkeley Urban Bee Lab conduct bee surveys on both the treatment area (hedgerow) and the control area (weeds and grasses) four times a year during spring, summer, and fall. The ultimate objective of this project is to strike an ecological balance by selecting plant species that benefit a range of organisms such as bees, birds, butterflies, and others, while simultaneously mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and sequestering carbon in the farm soil.
Assistant Researcher Jerid Vega with Pineapple Sage (Salvia elegans) at the Urban Bee Lab Garden in Berkeley, CA
Dr. Frankie, with the UC Berkeley Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, is an urban entomologist with over 25 years of experience focusing on the behavioral ecology and community organization of solitary bee species in specific environments within California and Costa Rica. Over the past two decades, Dr. Frankie has conducted extensive studies on bee diversity, seasonality, and host plant preferences at various sites in northern California and seasonal dry forests in Costa Rica. His research also involves monitoring changes in annual bee frequencies and mortality factors that may impact bee populations. Recently, Dr. Frankie's work has shifted from pure wildland studies to comparative bee studies in both wildlands and urban residential gardens, driven by the discovery that urban areas can support diverse local bee species. This shift aligns with a broader concern of global pollinator decline and the need to find new ways to conserve and protect pollinators across different habitats.
A pollinator visiting Lantana or Shrub Verbena (Lantana camara) at the Urban Bee Lab Garden in Berkeley, CA
Dr. Frankie and his assistant researcher Jerid Vega recently stopped by HREC to add herbaceous plants and flower seeds to their project's test hedgerow. Jerid graduated from Berkeley in the spring of 2023 with a B.S. in Molecular Biology from UC Berkeley's College of Natural Resources. Both Dr. Frankie and Jerid argue there is inherent value in recognizing what biodiversity is. “Supporting that biodiversity can be achieved through investments in smaller, more pollinator friendly gardens” says Vega.
Admittedly, Dr. Frankie acknowledges that picking plants for the hedgerow and observing their relationships with pollinator visitors is a very slow process. The time it takes for plant species to establish can be an obstacle to speedy species surveying. When asked how their research team selects and manages the plant species for a specific project, Dr. Frankie and Jerid credit nursery workers, master gardeners, and community members for their suggestions. Dr. Frankie's ideology on plant selection is collective, the product of conversation about pollinator activity from his team, colleagues, and master gardeners. “Those are the people who spend time with the plants, watching them far more than I do!” Dr. Frankie chimes.
Urban Bee Lab Garden in Berkeley, CA
The Desert Mallow and native Redflower Buckwheat (pictured below) are just two of the many plant species that Dr. Frankie and his research team are in the process of observing. These native wildflowers not only produce striking, colorful blooms but also offer a wealth of nectar and pollen, making them a valuable food source for bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects. Their extended blooming periods, typically from spring through late summer, ensure a consistent supply of sustenance for pollinators throughout the season. Additionally, both plants are well-adapted to arid and semi-arid regions, making them resilient and low-maintenance choices for gardeners. The Desert Mallow and Redflower Buckwheat exemplify the harmonious relationship between native plants and their pollinator counterparts that enhances biodiversity and contributes to a healthier ecosystem.
It's important to recognize that these pretty flowers attract all kinds of insects that aren't as suitable to some as the docile hummingbird. “It's not just bumble bees that these plants attract, it's wasps and flies that do their own part in benefiting ecosystem biodiversity,” adds Jerid Vega. The myth of insect pollinators being inherently eager to sting humans can be a significant obstacle in the way of convincing people to plant pollinator-friendly gardens. This fear of insects perpetuates reluctance to support both wildland and urban insect populations. In reality, these insects are not naturally aggressive toward people. “They're primarily focused on foraging for nectar/pollen to feed their colonies, and will only sting as a last resort if they feel threatened or cornered” concludes Jerid.
Educating people about the behavior and importance of bees and other pollinators is crucial. Dispelling the myth that bees are out to sting us can encourage more individuals to embrace pollinator-attracting plants, contributing to the conservation of these vital species. Understanding the true nature of bees and their role in pollination can lead to a more harmonious coexistence between humans and these remarkable insects.
When asked what potential small gardens with pollinator-preferred species have to attract a high diversity of bee species, Dr. Frankie provided some examples of encouraging results starting with his lab at the Oxford Tract. When the Bee Lab first moved to this site off campus, they started with bare soil. Since moving there full time in 2020, the garden has attracted over sixty species of native bees. The Bee Lab has also consulted on community gardens outside of the Bay Area in the past, including Emerson Community Garden in San Luis Obispo and a Diverse Home Garden in Ukiah. Emerson Community Garden surveyed 5 native bee species pre-planting and 42 species post-establishment. Diverse Home Garden in Ukiah surpassed that of Emerson, surveying 65 bee species in total over the course of 12 years.
The Bee Lab does their work with the help of community educators and a select group of volunteers primarily composed of undergraduate students interested in entomology, resource studies, or environmental conservation. Dr. Frankie's team sifts through volunteer applications annually, and are attracted to students they know will stay on board and have an interest in community outreach. Despite The Bee Lab being a small non-profit entity, they still respond to any invitations they can asking for lessons about pollinator vs. plant relationships.
Learn more about the UC Berkeley Bee Lab here.
This project was supported by funding through the CDFA's Healthy Soils Demonstration Program and 'California Climate Investments'. The HREC Hedgerow Demonstration Project is part of California Climate Investments, a statewide initiative that puts billions of Cap-and-Trade dollars to work reducing greenhouse gas emissions, strengthening the economy, and improving public health and the environment - particularly in disadvantaged communities.
- Author: Hannah Bird
- Author: Lily Elola
My name is Lily (she/her) and I'll be working as a Climate Resiliency Fellow for the Hopland Research and Extension Center through July 2024. My position was made possible through GrizzlyCrops, an AmeriCorps program operated through UC Berkeley's Center for Law, Energy and the Environment. I grew up in the East Bay, after which I moved to San Luis Obispo where I got my B.S. in Environmental Management and Protection at Cal Poly. The first couple years of my undergraduate education I worked as an application aid for Calfresh, federally known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). After that, I worked as a researcher on two different projects under the supervision of Cal Poly's Natural Resource and Environmental Science Department. One project created a triangulated methodology for managing sustainable consumer experience using eye-tracking and biometric data collection. The other evaluated nitrogen mineralization rates of various organic fertilizers in order to better inform sustainable agricultural operations. In the spring of 2023 I received a grant from Cal Poly's Natural Resource and Environmental Science Department to host the LEAD Scholars Talk. Exhibit, an on-campus event showcasing the voices and experiences of black, indigenous, and queer environmental activists/industry professionals.
My work at the HREC in the coming year aims to: (1) Increase community preparedness and resilience to extreme weather and climate change, (2) Improve access to natural environments, (3) Increase diversity, inclusiveness and cultural competence in environmental education, and (4) Increase youth awareness of natural resource and agricultural systems, issues, and solutions. I'll be working with community educator Hannah Bird to develop and deliver environmental education programs to K-12 students about the importance of ecosystem management, fire science, rangeland conservation, and natural resource ecology.
I consider the ability to foster a meaningful relationship with Earth's natural resources an immense privilege! I'm excited to share what I have learned with the HREC and the greater community it serves.
Learn more about how the GrizzlyCorps program works to promote regenerative agri-food systems and fire and forest resilience around the state of California here.
- Author: Hannah Bird
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- Author: Hannah Bird
I lived and worked at a ranch in Santa Barbara the following semester, doing school online. During that time, I wrote my undergraduate thesis based on feedback from some regenerative ranchers and farmers in California who said that there's not enough information about how regenerative techniques are applicable on a given farmer's land with its particular conditions. To engage with this, I proposed an experiment to study the effect of the Indigenous Three Sisters intercropping system and no-till techniques on soil health and soil organic carbon across climate types. I graduated in the fall of 2021 with a degree in biology and a minor in studio art. Since then, I lived at and helped renovate a collective in Germany, hitchhiked through Greece and Albania, and worked restoring a piece of land in Bodega, CA. I firmly believe that a community facing a challenge is best positioned to find appropriate solutions for it, and that science should be done by and for the people it affects. Values which I'm excited that the extension system shares.
While here, I will be building HREC's capacity to conduct work around climate resiliency: supporting regenerative grazing and sustainable forest management; educating and facilitating citizen science using the land as our primary teacher; supporting new technologies on working and research landscapes; and building and deepening partnerships in the community.
If you're curious about the GrizzlyCorps program you can find more information here: https://www.grizzlycorps.org/
- Author: Hannah Bird
University of California Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program (UC SAREP), UC Cooperative Extension and the UC Hopland REC have partnered with Mendocino County Farm Bureau, Visit Mendocino County, , experienced local agritourism operators and other local partners to offer a five-session agritourism planning course for farmers and ranchers and others involved in agritourism in Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma Counties. Farmers and ranchers who are considering, starting or expanding agritourism or nature tourism enterprises on their farms or ranches are invited to register for this low-cost participatory course.
Agritourism is a commercial enterprise at a working farm or ranch conducted for the enjoyment and education of visitors, and that generates supplemental income for the owner or operator. Agritourism can include farm stands or shops, U-pick, farm stays, tours, on-farm classes, workshops, tasting rooms, fairs, festivals, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, Christmas tree farms, winery weddings, orchard dinners, youth camps, barn dances, hunting or fishing, guest ranches, and more.
“Agricultural operations in the North Coast region can offer visitors a diversity of natural beauty and unique experiences with local farmers and ranchers. It can be difficult for small-scale farmers and ranchers to make a living when dealing with production challenges, uncertainty and lack of economies of scale. Our workshops will give agricultural producers contacts and tools to understand regulatory requirements and to develop and market their agritourism enterprises, adding to their income and helping spread the risk of tough production years,” said Penny Leff, UC SAREP Agritourism Coordinator.
Participants will evaluate their own farms or ranches for agritourism potential and consider the costs and potential benefits of various activities. Each will receive the UC ANR published handbook, “Agritourism and Nature Tourism in California,” which will be used as the text for the class. Attendees will hear from experienced agritourism operators and experts in business planning, risk management, regulatory compliance and marketing. Class instructors will provide individual guidance and help participants form a supportive network as they plan their own agritourism or nature tourism businesses.
Registration is now open.
Important: The Mendocino region Agritourism Intensive class is open only to farmers, ranchers and others involved in or planning agritourism in Mendocino, Lake and Sonoma Counties.
Registration:http://ucanr.edu/agtourmendo
Format: 4 participatory 2-hour Zoom meetings, every Wednesday morning from March 3, 2021 through March 24, 2021, and one in-person field day on the site of a Mendocino County agritourism operation (location TBD) on March 31.
Workshop fee: $40 (for all class sessions, class manual mailed to each participant, lunch on March 31)
Information & scholarship options: Penny Leff, paleff@ucanr.edu, 530-902-9763 (cell)
This material is based upon work supported by USDA/NIFA under Award Number 2018-70027-28587.
Mendo agtourwkshop flier
