Grace Woodmansee recently joined UC Cooperative Extension as the new Siskiyou County Livestock and Natural Resources Advisor. Grace grew up in Chico and spent her childhood in 4-H raising market lambs and being actively involved in club leadership. These experiences inspired her to earn undergraduate degrees in Animal Science and Sociology from CSU, Chico. As an undergraduate research assistant at the Chico State Beef Unit, Grace discovered her passion for rangeland science and management- a discipline that combines her interests in social, ecological and livestock production research. Grace enjoyed expanding these interests as a research assistant in the UC Rangelands lab at UC Davis where she completed her Master of Science in Agronomy in November 2020. For the past five years, Grace has worked with Cooperative Extension and is committed to conducting collaborative, applied research to address management challenges on grazing lands. “I am particularly interested in multi-disciplinary research and the role that it plays in solving complex issues”, she says. Grace's graduate work focused on drought adaptation and used rancher interviews to determine what management strategies were most effective in managing through historic drought conditions.

“I am very excited to join the community of Siskiyou County and to work with ranchers and land managers to identify research priorities, develop projects and address challenges related to livestock production and natural resource management”, Grace says. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the county with her lab puppy, Brooks. Grace is eager to meet the Siskiyou County community and encourages everyone to get in touch by emailing gwoodmansee@ucanr.edu or calling the extension office at (530)842-2711.

Intermountain Research and Extension Center

2816 Havlina Road, PO Box 850, Tulelake, California 96134 Phone 530.667.5117 Fax 530.667.5265 Website irec.ucanr.edu

The Intermountain Research and Extension Center is soliciting proposals from researchers for new and continuing research projects in 2021-22.

IREC is a 140-acre research facility located at 4,000 feet elevation near the Oregon border.  The Center specializes in crops grown in Northeast California including potato, small grain, onion, peppermint, forage grasses and alfalfa; however, most cool season field and vegetable crops can be accommodated and grown at the center.

Research topics of interest include variety development, integrated pest management, irrigation management, plant nutrition and agriculture-wildlife interactions.  Available facilities and equipment at the center include a greenhouse, controlled post-harvest facility, drying ovens, an automated potato grading line, a mini-still for essential oil extraction, clean and dirty laboratory space, specialized small plot pressurized irrigation equipment, research-adapted small plot planters and harvesters, and a full line of commercial farm equipment for field and vegetable crop production. IREC also has a multi-purpose conference and laboratory building for extension events with high speed internet connection, wifi, and audio-visual equipment for video conferencing.   Technical assistance is available for all farming practices, field instrumentation and equipment operation, data collection, and data entry and analysis.

The Center's Research Advisory Committee will evaluate proposed research for scientific merit and regional need.  Approved projects will be eligible for center-provided support, which includes land, labor, technical assistance, equipment and facilities.

Questions about the research proposal process or about research opportunities here at IREC should be directed to Rob Wilson, Center Director, or Darrin Culp, Center Superintendent at 530/667-5117.

Proposals may be submitted into the REC Manage System via our website at IREC Proposal Submission  beginning January 21, 2021 and are due no later than March 1, 2021.