- (Public Value) UCANR: Developing an inclusive and equitable society
- Author: Ben A Faber
Unlock the Secrets to Healthy Avocados:
Learn about Avocado Sunblotch Viroid
September 13,2024
9am-12:30pm
The Farm Bureau,Escondido
420 S Broadway,Escondido,CA 92025
Registration link:
https://forms.gle/12LxUUdkPb8DmNdm8
Fatemeh Khodadadi fatemehk@ucr.edu(845) 901-3046
Presentations:
- Fatemeh Khodadadi: Understanding ASBVd: from discovery to diagnostic hurdles
- Elize Jooste:An overview of ASBVd in South Africa:transmission challenges and how to mitigate the spread
- Peggy Mauk:Protecting California's avocado genetic resources through sunblotch viroid detection
- Mehdi Kamali:Rapid and sensitive detection of Avocado Sunblotch Viroid Disease (ASBVd) using our digital methodology
- Author: Ben Faber
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) developed the Underrepresented Community Technical Assistance Program (URC TA Program) after learning that some Groundwater Sustainability Agencies (GSAs) have not been able to address the needs, risks, and vulnerabilities with the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) to a sufficient extent within their Groundwater Sustainability Plan(s) (GSPs) or Alternative to a GSP (Alternative). DWR recognizes the need for addition assistance and, thus, implemented the URC TA Program to address this need and is the sole mission of the URC TA Program.
The mission of the URC TA Program is to determine the needs, risks, and vulnerabilities with the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) for URCs in medium and high priority basins, including critically overdrafted (COD) basins.
DWR retained the services of a consultant group in 2021 to begin the URC TA Program utilizing Proposition 68 funds.
DWR is assisting Tribes and other URCs identified in the heat Maps found below. The URC TA Program will provide onsite engineering, geologic, hydrologic, and other technical services to the communities based upon a ranking of water systems. The types of services provided include, but are not limited to:
- Groundwater level monitoring
- Aquifer testing to determine long-term yield and supply
- Identifying Groundwater Dependent Ecosystems (GDEs)
- Analyze well interference
- Identifying additional water supply
- Analyze existing well condition using downhole video log
- Rehabilitation of water storage tank
- Long-term water supply and demand analysis
- Analyze and help to facilitate water transfers
In addition, DWR hired a nongovernmental agency (NGO) in 2022, using General Funds provided by the Budget Act of 2021, to expand upon the URC TA Program. The additional services DWR is providing through this agreement will:
- Create a template for local domestic well impact mitigation to develop plans for drinking water well protection. Share the data with three (3) local GSAs for the GSAs to develop a mitigation program. Provide ongoing community engagement by attending the three GSAs board meetings or committee meetings to submit the community's needs, risks, and vulnerabilities of URCs in their basin to amend GSPs or Alternatives.
- Analyze and provide feedback on proposed policies and programs by submitting written feedback to the three identified GSAs a minimum of three times a year for two years.
- Revise the existing Communication and Engagement Plan (CEP), if needed.
- Develop educational and outreach materials, if needed.
- Work with the three GSAs and community leaders previously identified to support and implement drinking water and wastewater service projects to help reduce vulnerabilities to groundwater contamination by providing written feedback to those three GSAs.
- Develop a financial strategy plan for the three GSAs to identify long-term strategies for addressing impacts of depleting groundwater supplies, drought, and climate change.
- Identify two common groundwater dependent vegetation species and develop groundwater thresholds that would lead to irreversible transition from a stable state of ecosystem structure. Develop a technical memo with the results of the study and datasets to support incorporation of results into GSP updates.
DWR was provided an additional $9.5 million in General Funds to expand the definition of a URC to include small and socially disadvantaged farmers and to provide technical assistance to the small farmers located within medium and high priority basins and COD basins. Additional information will be provided in early 2023.
Local entities will be able to request services through the SGM_TA@water.ca.gov email address managed by SGM Grant Program Team.
The Technical Assistance Program identifies communities throughout California with water supply challenges such as dry groundwater wells, water shortages, or poor water quality. Using publicly available data, DWR prepared a community identification tool (CIT) that collects relevant information for each census block within the State of California. The data includes, but is not limited to, Median Household Income (MHI), threats to groundwater, access to drinking water, and surface water quality. This information is used to quantify areas of greatest water-related need and applied statewide for Tribal Communities and within hydrologic regions including Northern California, Central California, and California's Central Coast for other Underrepresented Communities. For more information on the Underrepresented Community Prioritization Tool methodology, please refer to the Technical Memorandum Summary.
https://water.ca.gov/Work-With-Us/Grants-And-Loans/Sustainable-Groundwater/Underrepresented-Communities-Grants
- Author: Ben Faber
Scholarship Opportunities for 2021 This year, in lieu of the Professional Soil Scientists Association of California's (PSSAC) usual scholarships covering registration and lodging to attend PSSAC's annual meetings, we are pleased to announce that PSSAC is offering two $1000 financial scholarships!
The deadline to apply is Tuesday, April 6 (midnight). Students wishing to be considered for this scholarship must email their application information (see below) to info@pssac.org on or before the deadline. The scholarship recipients will be announced on Friday, April 23rd, during PSSAC's 2021 Virtual Annual & Business Meeting. Please spread the word about this scholarship opportunity! |
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Scholarship Application Requirements: 3. University Currently Enrolled & University email address 4. Academic Standing/Year 5. Planned Major 6. 3-4 Paragraph “Interest” Statement: a) about how student became interested in natural resources; b) what classes they have taken relative to that interest; c) how they have been inspired/encouraged by this field of study; and d) describe their career intentions after graduation. 7. Paragraph explaining their financial need. 8. Additional email from one natural resources professor in support of the student's application for a scholarship. (Faculty email to be sent to: info@pssac.org) |
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The generous contributions to PSSAC's Scholarship Fund allow us to offer this year's substantial scholarships. Thanks to the following for their generous support:
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Professional Soil Scientists Association of California
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- Author: Ben Faber
The UC Davis Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (WCAHS) is inviting all California growers, farm labor contractors and ag supervisors to complete a short survey about their experience addressing COVID-19 in the workplace.
“At the UC Davis Western Center for Agricultural Health and Safety, we are working to respond to the COVID-19 crisis with practical resources for growers, ag employers, and farmworkers,” said Heather E Riden, agricultural health and safety program director. “The goal of this survey is to understand what practices farms are implementing to prevent COVID-19, where they have seen success, and where there may be challenges. We will take this information to assess whether there are new resources, trainings, or information that we can provide.”
The survey is anonymous, should take less than 10 minutes to complete, and is available in English and Spanish at https://ucdavis.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2f6Dn5TL8x2aNgh and https://bit.ly/agCOVIDsurvey.
Respondents are given the opportunity to share their contact information at the end of the survey. We plan to share any findings as well as new materials with anyone who expresses interest. We will also communicate via our regular channels.
Please contact aghealth@ucdavis.edu if you have any questions and visit the WCAHS website for COVID-19 training resources and employer guidance.
For your reference, we have a robust COVID-19 website with many resources, including an employer checklist and tailgate training discussion guide.
Sign up for COVID-19 udpates and ag health & safety training events here
Regístrese para recibir actualizaciones de COVID-19 y eventos y capacitaciones de salud y seguridad en agricultura aquí
And More on COVID Impacts on Agriculture:
To read ARE Update's Special Issue: Implications of the Coronavirus Pandemic on California Food, Agriculture, and the Environment, visit https://bit.ly/ARECOVID19impact.
News release is at https://bit.ly/AREupdateCOVID19.
- Author: Ben Faber
Join us on alternate Tuesdays in May and June, 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm, for this opportunity designed for middle and high school students. Treemendous Tuesdays is a collaboration of U.S. Forest Service, Los Angeles Center for Urban Natural Resources, California Project Learning Tree, California 4-H, and University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.
Five webinars will be hosted every other week starting May 5 and ending June 30. These events are free and registration is required. Flyer is attached. Dates, topics, and link to registration are below.
Please share this online opportunity with organizations, community members, teachers, parents, and students. We look forward to giving students a glimpse of the wonders and benefits that trees offer!
- May 5: Invasive Species (invasive shot hole borers)
- May 19: Invasive Plants & Trees
- June 2: Benefits of the Urban Forest
- June 16: iTree
- June 30: Living with Fire
Register at https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=29846