UC ANR Climate Smart Agriculture Educator team assisted growers to win CDFA grants that reduced greenhouse gases equivalent to removing roughly 7,000 cars off the road, supporting UC ANR's public value of building climate-resilient communities and ecosystems.

The Issue

Increasingly extreme and erratic weather patterns caused by climate change threaten crop yields and farm profits across the state. Growers must continue to adapt to climate stressors, such as increased temperatures and occurrences of drought, and can aid in reducing climate change through their farming practices.

How UC...

UC ANR Advisors restructured Range Camp, a rangeland education program that has helped 95% of participants improve their understanding of ecosystem processes in California's rangelands, supporting a more qualified workforce.

The Issue

Rangelands cover 62.9 million acres of California; almost 63% of the state. California rangelands support livestock production and provide important ecosystem services including wildlife habitat, recreation opportunities and beautiful viewsheds. California's Range and Natural Resources Camp (Range Camp) provides a five day immersive camp experience for high school students ages 15-18 focused on the science and art of range and...

Eighty-six percent of private forest landowners indicate they are highly motivated to develop a forest management plan after attending a Forest Stewardship workshop, which puts them on the path towards improved management of forest lands, participation in cost-share funding programs, and protecting California's natural resources.

The Issue

Protecting California's forests starts with a plan. There are 87,000 private forest landowners in California who collectively own nine million acres. For private forest landowners, identifying desired goals and objectives is not always easy especially when there are seemingly conflicting goals. Forest stewardship is based on conservation principles...

Participants commit to improving the safety of their landscape after receiving Cooperative Extension information about safely planting drought-tolerant plants, contributing to improved community health. 

The Issue

Gardeners and homeowners have become more concerned and aware of the importance and need to conserve water in San Diego County in order to help protect California's natural resources. As they replace their water-consuming plants with more drought-tolerant options, they may have unknowingly planted harmful or poisonous plants. Also, as commercial landscapes are becoming more sustainable, drought-tolerant plants are being used more frequently. When toxic plants are used in the wrong...