- Author: Hannah Bird
Join lizard wrangler Dr. Anne Vardo-Zalik for a journey into the world of the malarial parasite. Learn how research conducted on blue bellied lizards at Hopland can help inform decisions to protect humans from malaria in other parts of the world.
Malaria parasites infect a broad range of vertebrate hosts, including mammals (four species infect humans), birds, and reptiles. Since 1978, studies of Plasmodium mexicanum in the western fence lizard, Sceloporus occidentalis have greatly advanced the understanding of these parasites. An overall goal is to understand the ecology and evolution of the life history of the parasite, which can serve as a model for the evolution of parasite virulence. Current questions under investigation include: Do infected lizards have different white blood cell profiles than non-infected lizards? Are certain parasite genotypes transmitted more readily than others by the intermediate hosts, two species of sand flies? One species of sand fly is much more common than the other at Hopland, but does the species composition change over time?
Take a look at our short film "Beautiful Malaria" to get a taste of this project and then come meet Dr. Vardo Zalik in person.
Your $5 registration fee enables further outreach and education events at Hopland REC into the future!
Date: June 15, 2016
Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Contact: Hannah Bird (707) 744 1424 ext 105 hbird@ucanr.edu
Location: Hopland Research and Extension Center
Register online here: http://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=18175
- Author: Hannah Bird
Recently at Hopland REC a few novel approaches have been taken to manage our flock of over 800 Western whiteface sheep. We share our landscape with numerous wildlife species and need many and varied tools in our toolbox to help protect them including fencing, guardian animals and mob grazing.
Take a look at this article in our local paper the Ukiah Daily Journal which covers some of the results so far...
http://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/article/NP/20160602/NEWS/160609939
- Author: Hannah Bird
Have you ever wondered where your wool sweater came from? Or just how to keep a 160lb sheep still enough to shear it? Join the Hopland Research and Extension Center (HREC) team and friends on Saturday, May 28th, 10am-2pm to get the answers to these and many more questions.
Expert shearer Matt Gilbert and owner of the new Ukiah wool mill will be offering demonstrations with a few of HREC's flock of over 800 western whiteface sheep working as his models! Visitors will also have the chance to see different kinds of wool from the fine, soft merino to the long, coarse Navajo-churros and to learn how they are graded.
Throughout the day Cathy Hessom, Beth Keiffer, Tim Easterbrook and Aleshanee Akin will introduce visitors to felting, spinning, weaving and knitting projects. California Conservation Corps members will also be giving us a new use for Kool-Aid, using it to dye wool! Stories of sheep ranching in Mendocino will be offered by Jean Near, who at 101 years old has plenty of experiences to recount.
If you'd like to get a little closer to a sheep, meet "Willy and Mitten", 2 of the extension centers sheep and you will even get the chance to see some of their friends being kept in line by Nancy Todd (Redwood Empire Sheepdog Association) and her sheepdog at 12pm for the sheepdog demonstration.
The day will provide opportunities for sheep farmers, fiber enthusiasts and families to get involved and learn more about every step of the process from sheep to sweater! Visitors will be welcomed to the HREC new conference hall, The Rod Shippey Building, and will have chance to picnic on the patio. “We can't wait to welcome the community to our beautiful site and to raise awareness of just one of the areas of research and education that we conduct up here. Our sheep are not only vital for the UC Cooperative Extension sheep shearing school but also for research into best management practices for rangelands and animal science,” commented Hannah Bird, HREC community educator.
Admission is $5 for adults, children under 12 are welcomed for free (online registration or checks preferred). HREC asks visitors to leave their pets at home to protect the site and the sheep resident there. Bring your own picnic and all utensils; some light food will be available. Visit http://ow.ly/4mSr1g to find out more and purchase your ticket. Barn to Yarn will be held at the Rod Shippey Hall, 4070 University Road, Hopland, CA 95449 from 10am-2pm on May 28th. For more information contact Hannah Bird, (707) 744-1424, Ext. 105, hbird@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Hannah Bird
Catch up with the latest information on frost protection, irrigation and how your vineyard site affects wine character! REGISTER NOW for...
UC Davis Viticulture and Enology On the Road in Mendocino County
Hopland Research and Extension Center
4070 University Road, Hopland, CA 95449
April 5, 2016, 8:15 am-1:30 pm
$30
8:15-8:45 Check-in,light breakfast andcoffee
8:45-9:00 New Developments in Frost Protection and Weather Monitoring,
Glenn McGourty, UCCE Viticulture and Plant Science Advisor, Mendocino and Lake counties
9:00-9:35 Single-vine resolution irrigation,
David Block, Professor and Department Chair, Department of Viticulture and Enology and Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science,UC Davis
9:35-10:15 Impact of cap management on phenolic extraction during Cabernet Sauvignon fermentations, Anita Oberholster,UC Cooperative Extension Specialist, Enology, Department of Viticulture and Enology, UC Davis
10:15-10:25 Break
10:25-11:05 Advancing our understanding of the impact of microbial activity on grape berry ripening and composition,
Dario Cantu, Associate Professor, Department of Viticulture and Enology,UC Davis
11:05 -11:45 Elucidating relationships between vineyard site and wine characteristics,
Ron Runnebaum, Assistant Professor, Department of Viticulture and Enology and Department of Chemical Engineering, UC Davis
11:45-12:25 Can we mitigate the water footprint of red wine grapes and affect berry composition with trellis systems?
Kaan Kurtural, UC Cooperative Extension Specialist,Viticulture, Department of Viticulture and Enology, UCDavis
12:25-1:30 Lunch and discussion
To register: http://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=17150
- Author: Hannah Bird
On December 1st and 2nd we enjoyed bringing together a group of over 60 workshop attendees from diverse perspectives, including researchers, regulatory bodies, environmental non-profits and community members to talk through the issues of ranching on a landscape rich in wildlife and the challenges associated with it.
"Living with Wildlife While Managing Working Landscapes" was a two day event. Day 1 was organized by USDA APHIS Wildlife Services and brought us on a journey through the research that has been conducted on control of predators, right up to the present day and the current methods available including non-lethal methods such as guardian animals and fladry.
Day 2 allowed time for further discussion in small groups and the chance to hear from Mendocino County producers about the responsibility they feel to keep their animals safe and healthy for the duration of their lives on the ranch.
The event was a great success, allowing deeper understanding of what is sometimes an over simplified topic with strong emotion attached to it. As one attendee put it "what I realize after this event is that I knew nothing of this subject before it!"
The answers are not simple and the information provided expressed that each ranch is different and will need a wide range of tools to deter predators from their stock. That toolkit may include a relationship with Wildlife Services and their local wildlife specialist alongside guardian animals, minimizing attractants, improved fencing and pasture rotation. HREC hopes to assist ranchers to understand the best methods available to them that make both ecological and economical sense for their ranch by providing a number of training opportunities in 2016.
You can view the agenda, available presentations and notes from the small group discussions up on our website now, by visiting:
