- Author: Maureen Clark
Now is the time I dig out the Purple Goat's Beard. The ground is still wet, and the leaves are not too large yet. The Salsify plant somehow made it into my front yard garden. I originally thought it was lovely because I knew this plant was edible. After it bloomed, I knew that it was a terrific reseeding plant and not my garden. It initially came in on the wind from the puffball seed heads, which can travel hundreds of feet.
Most people consider this edible, biennial plant a broadleaf weed. But some foragers harvest wild plants. They eat them raw or make dishes using the roots or leaves. Other people grow large areas of these plants and cultivate them. NOTE: Please do not eat anything you haven't been identified by an expert.
This plant is part of the Asteraceae family and contains three Tragopogon species.
T. dubius, T. porrifolius and T. pratensis. ‘Tragos' means goat in Greek and ‘pogon' means beard. This plant originates from Eurasia and Northern Africa.
It has several common names: Purple Goat's Beard, because of the longer bracts that stick out along the flower petals and look like a goat's beard with purple petals; Oyster plant, because its roots are supposed to taste like oysters; Noon flower, because the blossoms open early at dawn and close at noon; Western Salsify, which has pale yellow flowers; and Meadow Salsify, which has bright yellow flowers.
Salsify starts with a basal rosette of gray-green, grass-like foliage. It has hollow, milky stems and a deep, 1 to 3-foot tap root. It will develop 5 to 6 flowers per plant and grow 2 to 4 feet tall.
The flower arrangement is solitary with an upright habit. The 3 to 4-inch, daisy-like flowers emerge from large, long, narrow pointed buds. Interestingly, these Asteraceae flowers do not have a center disk and only have ray florets. The Florets sit on top of a series of pointed bracts, which encase the flower and from the seed head when closed. So next time you find the Tragopogon plant in bloom, look closely at how the bracts emerge. Do they extend past the petals? Then it is the T. dubius species. If the bracts are equal to the petals in length, then it is the. pratensis. If the plant has a purple flower it is Tragopogon porrifolius.
- Author: Grace Nguyen-Sovan Dean
La recién establecida Escuela de Arboricultura de California pretende preparar a los propietarios de bosques para que sepan cómo enfrentarse a los cambios que inevitablemente están experimentando sus áreas forestales ante el cambio climático.
La inspiración para la escuela de California se produjo cuando Kim Ingram, coordinadora de la Academia de Gestión Forestal, Katie Reidy, coordinadora académica de post incendios y Kocher asistieron al evento de la Escuela de Arboricultura de Extensión de la Universidad del Estados de Oregón en el condado de Clackamas, en Oregón.
Desde el 2020, el programa de Educación para Administradores de Bosques de UC ANR (FSE, por sus siglas en inglés) ha ayudado a los propietarios de bosques de California a ser proactivos ante dichos cambios. Los programas de talleres Forest Stewardship (Administración Forestal) y Post-Fire Forest Resilience (Resiliencia Forestal Tras los Incendios) usan un formato educativo en línea que guía a los propietarios de bosques sobre los pasos básicos para crear planes de gestión forestal y de paisajes después de los incendios, respectivamente. Actualmente, el equipo de FSE lleva a cabo el piloto de un nuevo programa para involucrar a una mayor audiencia de propietarios de bosques y miembros de la comunidad apasionados por los árboles.
Durante esta primavera, los equipos de Forest Stewardship y UC ANR Fire Network están llevando a cabo la primera Escuela de Arboricultura de California en la que las personas asisten a múltiples clases presenciales sobre los temas de silvicultura que más les interesan. “Los programas en línea están muy enfocados en los planes para la gestión forestal y actividad después de incendios y [la Escuela de Arboricultura] nos permite abordar otros temas”, manifestó Susie Kocher, asesora en bosques y recursos naturales de UC ANR
Un solo paso para continuar con la formación forestal
La Escuela de Arboricultura de OSU consiste en una experiencia de todo un día compuesta de clases que abarcan las diferentes dimensiones de silvicultura: la construcción de una casa con su propia madera, comercio de emisión de carbono y la compra de aserraderos portátiles son tan solo una pequeña muestra de las opciones que tienen los asistentes. Los estudiantes de la Escuela de Arboricultura de OSU van desde propietarios de bosques a estudiantes de colegios comunitarios, contribuyendo a un espacio que facilita las conexiones comunitarias y el aprendizaje.
Kocher describió la experiencia como “un día estupendo, una ventanilla única para estar al día de lo que nosotros [propietarios y profesionales forestales] debemos saber”. Emocionadas por la amplitud de oportunidades que ofrece la Escuela de Arboricultura de OSU, Ingram, Kocher y Reidy se sintieron inspiradas para traer el formato a California.
“Es nuestro momento para hablar sobre el ecosistema completo”, señaló Reidy. “La Escuela de Arboricultura aporta la confianza, un grupo confiable de expertos quienes pueden proporcionar más información sobre las preguntas relacionadas con las metas específicas de los propietarios”.
La primera Escuela de Arboricultura de California se llevó a cabo en Hopland el pasado 4 de mayo y la segunda será en El Dorado el 1 de junio. Similar a la Escuela de Arboricultura de OSU, se anticipaba una asistencia compuesta por propietarios de bosques, profesionales de recursos naturales y miembros de la comunidad interesados en el tema.
Conectando a los profesionales a nivel estatal y personalizando la educación forestal
La Escuela de Arboricultura ofrece a los asistentes la oportunidad de centrarse en temas que pertenecen a sus necesidades específicas de aprendizaje. Este enfoque personalizado es una nueva incursión para el equipo de administración de bosques, pero es algo que Ingram dice que los participantes del taller han estado deseando desde hace algún tiempo.
“Nuestros participantes nunca piensan que aprenden suficiente. Siempre están pidiendo más información y esta Escuela de Arboricultura nos da la oportunidad de ampliar sobre cosas que no hemos tenido la oportunidad de repasar durante la serie de talleres”, remarcó Ingram. Además, los instructores de la Escuela de Arboricultura cuentan con la libertad creativa a la hora de desarrollar sus clases, desde el tema hasta el formato de la clase. Eso se hace evidente al consultar el catálogo de las clases de cada sesión. Los asistentes de la Escuela de Arboricultura de California eligen asistir a cuatro clases, lo cual significa que pueden construir su primera pila de quema, entender los entresijos de la fauna silvestre, pintar al aire libre y conocer cómo apoyar los esfuerzos de reforestación a nivel estatal, todo en un uno.
“Siento que la Escuela de Arboricultura creó un sentido de confianza en torno a temas complejos”, indicó Reidy sobre su experiencia del año pasado en Oregón. Para la Escuela de Arboricultura de California, el equipo de administración de bosques intenta hacer lo mismo. Esto significa reclutar a través de la red de UC ANR y otras organizaciones, incluyendo CALFIRE y California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (Asociación de Distritos de Recursos para la Conservación o ARCD, por sus siglas en ingles), para aportar voces de confianza a la comunidad.
“Lo que tiene de emocionante la Escuelas de Arboricultura es que estamos aportando profesionales en recursos naturales de todas partes para atraer a todos a la misma vez y en un solo lugar”, manifestó Ingram.
El equipo esta emocionado de ver todas las conexiones que se harán entre los miembros de la comunidad y profesionales durante este año piloto “y si tiene éxito podemos repetirlo el año próximo”, comentó Kocher, “estamos definitivamente interesados en colaborar con más gente y expandir nuestro alcance”.
Hacer que la Escuela de Arboricultura de California fuera una experiencia en persona fue importante para el equipo ya que mucha de la educación es práctica. Además, Kocher ve un potencial adicional para hacer conexiones personales: “En persona, tienes esta oportunidad para que la gente se identifique como parte de la comunidad”, destacó Kocher, “así que estoy muy emocionado de que las personas pasen el rato entre si”.
“No se puede separar lo emocional de lo físico y hay muchos temas sobre bosques como los incendios forestales y la economía que pueden ser un poco desalentadores”, señaló Ingram. “Estoy emocionada de ayudar a crear un ambiente de aprendizaje positivo en el que las personas se sientan motivadas a buscar en Extensión Cooperativa de UC este tipo de recursos”.
“Nuestro principal objetivo es difundir las ciencias”, coincidió Reidy. “Entre más expuesta este la gente a las ciencias, mayor es la confianza que sienten en sí mismos y en sus deseos y necesidades”.
- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
She buzzed from blossom to blossom at Doran Regional Park while packing a ball of red pollen that seemed to increase in brilliance with every floral visit.
A native bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, on a native plant, Lupinus arboreus.
B. vosnesenskii queens are larger than the workers. Queens measure between between 18 and 21 mm long, while the workers (females) range from 8 and 17 mm. The males? 10 to 15 mm long.
The yellow bush lupine, which can reach a height of seven feet and a width of four feet, seems to be occupying places where the invasive ice plant took hold. Volunteers from the California Native Plant Society are removing the ice plant at Doran Regional Park and Bodega Head. (Bumble bees forage on ice plant blossoms, as well.)
The California Invasive Plant Council describes yellow bush lupine as "native to southern and central California. It was introduced repeatedly to many dune systems as a sand stabilizer during the early to mid-1900s...it "reproduces solely by seed. It is self-compatible and is pollinated by bumble bees."
Globally, there are 250 bumble bee species, all in the genus Bombus. B. vosnesenskii is one of the most common Bombus species on the West Coast. Thankfully, it has not reached endangered status.
For more information on bumble bees, read Bumble Bees of North America: An Identification Guide (Princeton University, 2014), co-authored by Robbin Thorp (1933-2019) distinguished emeritus professor, UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology.
![A queen yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, foraging on yellow bush lupine at Doran Regional Park, Bodega Bay. Note the bright red pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) A queen yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, foraging on yellow bush lupine at Doran Regional Park, Bodega Bay. Note the bright red pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/107539.jpg)
![The queen yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, heads for another yellow bush lupine blossom at Doran Regional Park, Bodega Bay. The queen yellow-faced bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii, heads for another yellow bush lupine blossom at Doran Regional Park, Bodega Bay.](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/107540.jpg)
![Close-up of the head and thorax of a queen bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey) Close-up of the head and thorax of a queen bumble bee, Bombus vosnesenskii. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)](/blogs/blogcore/blogfiles/107542.jpg)
- Author: Grace Nguyen-Sovan Dean
“We have a responsibility now that we own a piece of land,” shared Antonio, a new forest landowner who attended this year's inaugural California Tree School with his partner. “It's important to take care of it.”
A unique ‘one-stop-shop' for forestry education based upon the OSU Extension model, California Tree School was piloted this year in both Mendocino and El Dorado counties. Open tonew and experienced forest landowners, those who work in forestry, and those who simply love being in the forest, this mini-college experience had participants take up to four classes of their choice, taught by local, trusted natural resource professionals. With overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants, it's clear that CA Tree School was not only an event that the community currently needed, but one they would return to next year.
Antonio joined 50 other forest landowners, community members, and professionals to learn the ins and outs of managing oak woodlands at the UC ANR Hopland REC CA Tree School. The second CA Tree School was held at the Folsom Lake College's El Dorado Center campus and offered an adjusted slate of classes to reflect the differing forest type. Combined, the two sessions served nearly 100 community members, and included 32 classes taught by 21 instructors from UC ANR, the U.S. Forest Service, CALFIRE, and the CA RCD.
The information forest landowners seek will often differ based on environmental circumstances and personal goals. CA Tree School allowed landowners like Antonio the opportunity to learn the basics of forest stewardship, while experienced landowners like father-daughter duo Erica and Allen could dive deep into topics like tree diseases and forest taxation. “Tree Damagers of Northwest California was the best class; my father and I thought that instructor Chris Lee (CALFIRE) was extremely knowledgeable,” Erica remarked after the event. “It gave us a lot of food for thought and things to look for on the property.”
“We came away from Tree School with a definite understanding of what stewardship meant. I wanted more time in each session!” added Antonio.
Participating in unique educational opportunities such as CA Tree School is necessary for stewards of forestland and can yield benefits for those working with forest landowners or in natural resource fields seeking professional development. CA Tree School included a mix of both, with 42 landowners and 39 natural resource professionals in attendance overall. Other participants included college and high school students interested in forestry as a career.
With CA Tree School being a space for tree enthusiasts all around, many participants found themselves surrounded by others who could relate to their worries, management goals, and passions. Rebekah attended for professional development, and reflected that where she works, “People think they are the only ones doing this type of work. It was cool to meet other people maximizing the functionality of their ecosystems and putting time into management.”
A diversity of participant backgrounds also led to lively discussions during classes, an observation shared by El Dorado session instructor Martin MacKenzie. MacKenzie is a forest pathologist with the U.S. Forest Service and noticed that students in his Forest Pathology classes had wide-ranging questions and were happy to share their knowledge with others. “Teaching at CA Tree School was excellent,” MacKenzie said. “The audience of students wanted to be there, and they wanted to learn.”
Between discussions on prescribed fire and learning how to map forest features, CA Tree School students connected with representatives from local organizations at the Exhibitor Fair. Exposing landowners to the resources within their community is a crucial aspect of the existing Forest Stewardship Workshop program, and CA Tree School would be no different. Exhibitors included staff from CALFIRE's Jackson Demonstration State Forest, Forest Landowners of California, the American River Conservancy, American Forests, the UC ANR Fire Network, UC Master Food Preservers, and UC ANR Environmental Stewards.
Sierra Riker represented the California Association of Resource Conservation Districts at the El Dorado session and noted: “My position with CARCD generally does not interact with the public very often, so being able to chat with the landowners that RCDs serve really helped to demonstrate on a deeper level what RCDs do.”
“I'm excited to help create a positive learning environment,” stated Forest Stewardship Academic Coordinator Kim Ingram when preparing for the event. Providing new, accessible forms of forest stewardship education is crucial for Californians living in forested areas, and CA Tree School provided a breadth of options for landowners at every stage of their stewardship journey.
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- Author: Denise Godbout-Avant
Every gardener has stories about battling pests in their gardens such as aphids, mites, ants, scales, and whiteflies, along with diseases such as powdery mildew, damping off, and various fungal infections! We cannot experience the joys of gardening without also dealing with the pests and diseases that can harm the plants in our gardens.
How can we manage pest problems in a sustainable way that will not harm people, animals, or the environment? UC Integrated Pest Management (IPM) gives research-based solutions that use a variety of techniques which focus on long-term solutions.
During the month of July, the Stanislaus County UC Master Gardeners will be giving talks at county libraries on Pest Management in the Garden which will discuss what IPM is, and how it can be used to manage pests in our gardens. Learn how to monitor your plants for pests, recognize who the beneficial insects are (we want to protect them!), what environmentally friendly strategies such as biological, cultural, and mechanical controls can be used to manage pests, what to know about pesticides, as well as sources for information and help. Some common garden pests will also be covered.
So come and gain knowledge of how you can manage pests in your vegetable and flowering gardens in ways that focus on long-term prevention, while protecting beneficial insects and helping your garden thrive.
Denise Godbout-Avant has been a UC Master Gardener in Stanislaus County since 2020