The UC Agriculture & Natural Resources RREA Project & Student Intern Grant Program solicits project proposals that develop and/or support new or existing Cooperative Extension projects and/or activities to address the educational and extension needs in the management of California's valuable renewable resources on forest and rangeland. The primary purpose of this program is to promote the proper management of these resources, especially on private lands, and to provide the information/education/training needed by Extension personnel, landowners, land managers, and natural resource professionals. The program also solicits student intern proposals that utilize services and talents of student interns. Internships are open to undergraduate or graduate students from any institution of higher education in California, particularly the University of California and the California State Universities.
Since 2006 the UC ANR RREA Project and Student Intern Grant Program has provided approximately $1.5M in funding for over 150 renewable-resource focused Extension projects. We invite you to explore the program's funded projects.
2025-2026 funded projects:
Expanding Science Communication and Extension Programming for Watershed Management
Project Lead: Erika Cassio Madrazo (California Institute for Water Resources)
This project will support a student intern (November 1, 2025 – August 31, 2026) to expand education, extension, and communications efforts that connect watershed management with the stewardship of upstream forests within the California Water Works initiative. By strengthening science communication and digital outreach, this project will highlight those linkages and engage broader audiences in watershed sustainability.
Fish & Fire Workshop 2026
Project Lead: Lenya Quinn-Davidson (UC ANR Fire Network)
This Fish & Fire Workshop, to be hosted at the 2026 Salmonid Restoration Federation Conference in Redding, will continue the conversation started over the last three years of workshops. It will highlight recent science and management examples and dig further into the ecology of fish and fire, the impacts of fire exclusion and fire suppression on aquatic habitats, and the potential for restoration practitioners to more meaningfully bring fire into the way they envision and implement their work. The workshop will continue to build a network of holistic-thinking restoration and fire practitioners, directly transforming the potential for collaborations and projects on the ground.
From data to decision making
Project Lead: Alison Deak (UCCE Mariposa)
Advancing forest health and wildfire resilience through professional development in modern GIS tools and data. The purpose of this project is to accelerate data-driven planning and implementation of forest restoration and fire prevention projects by delivering GIS professional development workshops across the state. Previous projects in 2018 and 2023 developed a curriculum that was successfully delivered through eight two-day workshops for private landowners, natural resource professionals, forestry companies, and tribal managers. The goals of this project are to build on these earlier successes to (a) implement a needs assessment to prioritize spatial needs of a modern forestry and fire prevention workforce (b) further improve organizational capacity and increase natural resources professionals’ GIS capabilities and (c) update the curriculum based on current needs and previous participants’ feedback.
How do I know if my tree will survive after wildfire?
Project Lead: Kristen Shive (UC Berkeley)
This project focuses on encouraging landowners, Registered Professional Foresters (RPFs) and other resource professionals to identify trees likely to die in the years following wildfire, so they can make well-informed management decisions. To meet this goal, our objective is to generate key outreach materials and events for the target clientele, that provide guidance on evaluating which fire-injured trees are likely to die over time. These resources and materials include: 8000 series publication, a 2-page fact sheet, co-develop content for an asynchronous learning course in conjunction with UCCE Fire Advisors, host a webinar to be made available through the UC ANR Fire Network, and updates to the UC ANR Fire Network website on delayed mortality.
Training New Targeted Grazing Practitioners for Fuel Load Reduction
Project Lead: Dan Macon (Hopland REC)
This project promotes the use of ‘best management practices’ on public and private wildlands through educational programs. Targeted grazing creates healthy wildlands, reduces the severity of wildfire and supports healthy communities across California and can effectively complement other fuel reduction methods. This project will develop a comprehensive webinar series and hands-on field day format focused on providing practitioners with the skills and knowledge necessary to help communities reach their fuel reduction goals while ensuring ecosystem health, animal welfare and business viability. The project team will utilize this initial grant to develop curriculum and informational materials that can be delivered in subsequent years to new cohorts of students. An in-person, hands-on field day will be held at the UC Davis Sheep Unit in June 2026.
Women Pastoralists North American Regional Gathering
Project Lead: Theresa Becchetti (UCCE Stanislaus)
Building Leadership and Sustainable Practices: Women represent a significant yet often underrepresented portion of livestock producers in California and North America. Despite their critical role in pastoral systems—raising cattle, sheep, and goats—women pastoralists face unique challenges including limited access to peer networks, markets, grazing lands, and leadership development opportunities. This project addresses a documented need for targeted programming that empowers women through peer-to-peer learning, skills development, and network building. The proposed Gathering will bring together women pastoralists to share experiences, develop leadership and advocacy skills, and learn sustainable pastoral practices. This gathering directly supports California's renewable resources by strengthening the capacity of women pastoralists to manage rangelands sustainably, adapt to climate change, and ensure the long-term viability of pastoral systems that provide critical ecosystem services including carbon sequestration, biodiversity conservation, water quality protection, and open space preservation.
Rangeland Awareness and Outreach Project
Project Lead: Sheila Barry (UCCE Santa Clara)
This project proposes to advance rangeland awareness and the ecosystem services they provide among the public and decision makers as part of a larger regional campaign to advocate for sustaining agriculture and protecting agricultural lands. We will promote the responsible stewardship practices that rangeland owners implement to produce food and provide ecosystem services including fuel reduction, wildlife habitat, carbon sequestration, and watershed management. The project will establish Urban-Rural Connection Programs through Onsite Ranch Events & Tours, as well as build youth engagement in understanding rangelands utilizing curriculum developed through RREA Range and Natural Resource Education. This project employs a multi-channel approach to extend results to our primary audience of 1.9 million urban residents in Santa Clara County, while also reaching secondary audiences including educators, policymakers, and natural resource professionals.