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UCCE Humboldt - Del Norte Counties

Forest

Houses burned next to the beach

Article

UC ANR fire expert highlights materials, components and actions that saved homes from LA fires

March 4th, 2025

By Yana S Valachovic

Yana Valachovic, a member of UC ANR's Fire Network with a specialty in community resilience and the built environment, visited the sites of the L.A. fires to look for examples where surviving homes withstood the ferocity of the fire and for signs of defensible space and home hardening in action.

Yellow Star Thistle

Article

Invasive Plants: What They Are and Why They Matter

February 24th, 2025

By Lauren L Snowden

National Invasive Species Week (NISW) happens every year to raise awareness about the growing problem of invasive plants and animals in the United States.

A colorful garden

Article

Edible Landscaping

February 15th, 2025

Landscapes serve many purposes, including wildlife habitat, pollinator support, and aesthetics. Incorporating a variety of edible plants adds even more value.

Light pink roses bush

Article

Confessions of a Timid Pruner

February 13th, 2025

I have a horror of hurting the plants I try to grow, so pruning is one of my bugbears. When this time of year creeps up on the calendar, I start looking for urgent activities that will make it difficult, if not impossible, to get around to pruning.

Adult pointing at laptop screen in front of youth

Article

Beyond Ready for STEM because of 4-H

February 5th, 2025

By Eve S Dowdell

Cody Dowdell, a California 4-H alumni, is in the STEM track at Modesto Junior College. He is expanding his understanding of engineering in particular as an electrical engineering major. Cody credits 4-H as the foundation for where he is today.

Avian team with Dr. Hall

Article

A 4-H Avian Bowl Championship Story

February 5th, 2025

By Samuel Belik

Story by Samuel Belik of the California 4-H Avian Bowl team competing at the 2024 National 4-H Avian Bowl competition in Louisville, KY.

Rob Bennaton grabs a handful of top soil from a mound.

Article

Urban wildfire impacts water, soil and wildlife

January 30th, 2025

By Pamela S Kan-Rice

As residents start to clean up after the Los Angeles County wildfires, the aftermath will continue to impact water and natural resources in and beyond the fire areas, according to water experts at University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Fruit Fly

Article

How Californians Can Unite to Combat the Invasive Fruit Fly Threat

January 29th, 2025

By Cherie Shook

Imagine a California without fresh fruits, juicy oranges, crisp apples, or homegrown avocados; a future no one would want, and one we must work together to avoid. New threats to California's agriculture and backyard gardens have emerged, the Mediterranean fruit fly and the Oriental fruit fly.

Swain office hour

Article

Swain to discuss rain in fire zone 3pm Friday, Jan. 24

January 24th, 2025

By Pamela S Kan-Rice

Light rain is expected to dampen Southern California this weekend, easing fire conditions but also raising landslide risks in burn areas. It won't end local fire risk. The drizzle is enough to tamp down but not end fire season, says Daniel Swain, UC ANR climate scientist.

Boxes of seeds with dividers labeled for each seed typed

Article

Seed Libraries: Building Communities One Seed at a Time

January 22nd, 2025

By Barbra Braaten

Step into a seed library and you'll discover a wealth of seed collections and gardening knowledge. A seed library collects and stores seeds that allows gardeners to borrow donated seeds for free.

Water diverted onto a crop field. Photo by Khaled Bali

Article

UCCE offers water measurement training Jan. 30 in Davis

January 14th, 2025

By Pamela S Kan-Rice

California water-rights holders are required by state law to measure and report the water they divert from surface streams.

Wooden carrot plant sign in garden bed

Article

From Concrete to Green: How Gardening is Changing California's Cities

January 13th, 2025

By Barbra Braaten

Imagine living in a place where parks are scarce and concrete stretches for miles. This is the reality for many Californians - in fact, according to the 2020 U.S. Census, 94.2% live in urban areas, making it America's most urbanized state.

Helen Dahlke studies groundwater recharge in a flooded almond orchard.

Article

Floods, droughts, then fires: Hydroclimate whiplash is speeding up globally

January 9th, 2025

By Pamela S Kan-Rice

Key takeaways Hydroclimate whiplash rapid swings between intensely wet and dangerously dry weather has already increased globally due to climate change, with further large increases expected as warming continues, according to a team of researchers led by UC ANR's Daniel Swain.

A woman in a puffy blue jacket and a bearded man in a green jacket look at slake test results in glass jars.

Article

Preparing soil for winter can protect soil health

December 13th, 2024

Farmers placed clumps of soil into metal mesh baskets, submerged the baskets into jars of water, then watched to see if their soil held together. The slake test, conducted at the Soil Health Field Day in Woodland, measured soil health.

White sheep look at the camera while standing on lush, green grass under a tree and blue sky.

Article

Ask a rancher: Surveys draw on hard-won wisdom for surviving drought

December 11th, 2024

California ranchers benefit when they plan ahead for extreme weather variability, according to rancher surveys and interviews conducted by a team headed by Leslie Roche, a professor of Cooperative Extension in the UC Davis Department of Plant Sciences.

Article

UC Master Gardener of San Diego County’s ‘labor of love’ improves health of older adults

December 11th, 2024

The Belden Village Apartments in Clairemont Mesa East of San Diego is home to a diverse population of older adults.

Article

Spotted Lanternfly: The Need to Remain Vigilant (Part 2)

December 6th, 2024

By Cindy Kron

Read Spotted Lanternfly: The Need to Remain Vigilant (part one) here. The spotted lanternfly (SLF) is an invasive insect pest first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014, with confirmed sightings and/or infestations of SLF now reported in 20 eastern states.

Article

Healthy Soils Week: Common soil problems in the garden, and how to fix them!

December 5th, 2024

By Melissa G Womack

It's Healthy Soils Week! Healthy soil is the secret to a successful garden. Just like you need nutritious food to grow and thrive, your plants need healthy soil to produce beautiful flowers, delicious vegetables, and strong roots.

Beef steers on a ranch

Article

Feeding grazing cattle seaweed cuts methane emissions by almost 40%

December 3rd, 2024

Seaweed is once again showing promise for making cattle farming more sustainable.

Article

December Garden Tips - Wrapping Up the Garden Year

December 2nd, 2024

By Barbra Braaten

As we prepare to close the chapter on another year in our gardens, December offers us time to reflect, protect, and celebrate. This month bridges the gap between this year's achievements and next year's possibilities.

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The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Californians by developing and delivering research-based information in agriculture and natural resources, and by supporting healthy families and communities.

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Humboldt County Office

5630 South Broadway
Eureka, CA 95540
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Del Norte County Office

586 G Street
Crescent City, CA 95531
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Eureka Sea Grant Office

2 Commercial Street, Suite 4
Eureka, CA 95501
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Grace Belt

Cooperative Extension Area Youth, Families, and Communities Advisor

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Jaclyn Bennett

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Natasha Curtice

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Alec D Dompka

Rural Community & Economic Development Advisor

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Deborah Giraud

Emeritus: Farm and Community / Economic Development Advisor

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Henri Holbrook

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Kaylin Nylander

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CMTY EDUC SPEC 2

Lenya N Quinn-Davidson

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Jessica C Rebholtz

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Wallis L Robinson

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Thomas Schrader

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Jeffery W Stackhouse

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Jennifer Steenblock

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Eddie Tanner

Specialty Crops & Horticulture Advisor

ASST COOP EXT ADVISOR

Brendan D Twieg

Staff Research Associate II

SRA 2 NEX

Yana S Valachovic

Forest Advisor and County Director (Humboldt and Del Norte), Fire Network- Community Resiliency and Built Environment

COOP EXT ADVISOR

Jacki Zediker

4-H Regional Program Coordinator (Region 1 & Region 2)

CMTY EDUC SUPV 2

Mission Statement

The University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) is dedicated to improving the quality of life for Californians by developing and delivering research-based information in agriculture and natural resources, and by supporting healthy families and communities.