Bringing research and outreach to forest landowners.
The Central Sierra forestry program seeks to provide the latest research-based information from the University of California to residents, non-profits, and staff of local, state, and federal agencies.
Susie Kocher is the Forestry Advisor for the Central Sierra area. Susie is a Registered Professional Forester with a background in forestry, stream restoration, monitoring and sociology and has worked for Cooperative Extension for 24 years, in South Lake Tahoe since September 2006. On-going projects:
- Conducting forest stewardship workshops throughout California to help landowners develop plans and management their forests
- Increasing the capacity of private landowners to carry out prescribed fire in the Sierra
- Conducting reforestation workshops for landowners affected by wildfire and tree mortality
- Training Master Gardeners to answer questions on tree mortality from the public
- Coordinating input to the tree mortality data collection network
- Collaboration with the California Fire Science Consortium
- Maintenance of the University of California Forest Research and Outreach website
Past projects:
- 2010 - 2013 Collaborating with the University of Nevada Cooperative Extension Living with Fire program to organize the Lake Tahoe Basin Wildfire Awareness Week and wildfire summit
- 2007 - 2015 Monitoring of the recovery of the Angora fire area in collaboration with the California Tahoe Conservancy
- 2008 - 2015 Coordinating public involvement in the Sierra Nevada Adaptive Management Project
- 2009 - Developing Voluntary Revegetation Guidelines for Private Parcels in the Angora burn area with a group of affected homeowners
- 2007 Conducting a Needs Assessment to identify extension and outreach needs
Forestry events/workshops:
- Check this page for a list of past forestry workshops/events.
- Check this page for upcoming events
Forestry publications:
- Check this page for forestry publications.
Ideas for collaboration or educational programming are welcome. Please contact:
Susie Kocher, University of California Cooperative Extension-Central Sierra, 1061 3rd Street, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150, Phone: 530-542-2571, E-mail: sdkocher@ucanr.edu
Forest Research & Outreach Blog
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Researchers honored with U.S. Department of Energy Award
On Wednesday, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) granted a Secretary of Energy Achievement Award to a team including two Rausser College researchers, assistant Cooperative Extention specialist Daniel Sanchez and PhD...
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New videos demonstrate techniques and tools to survey forestland trees
Forestland owners can learn how to survey the trees on their property from four new videos produced by UC Cooperative Extension, setting them on a course for sustainable management of their forestland. The videos are available on the UC ANR...
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Permitting rules and regulations for private forest landowners: What you can and cannot do
Navigating natural resource management rules and regulations in California can be daunting for private forest landowners. California's Forest Practice Rules were created in 1974, and have evolved over the years through a collaborative process between...
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Dead Trees Fuel Wildfire Severity in Sierra Nevada - Study Highlights the Role of Forest Fuels Amid a Warming Climate
Scientists collect data about a year after the 2016 Cedar Fire. (R. Wayman/UC Davis) California's drought of 2012-2016 killed millions of trees in the Sierra Nevada — mostly by way of a bark beetle epidemic...
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UC ANR releases new publication that synthesizes scientific knowledge on annual rangeland
Decades of research-based knowledge about the history, physical characteristics and vegetation in California annual grassland, oak-woodland and chaparral ecosystems has been consolidated in a new nine-part PDF document. The 200-page...
California Family Forest
Sharing the vision and passion of California forest landowners
New UC ANR Publications
Forest Health
In 2015/16, many trees are dying throughout the central Sierra Nevada. This link connects to a webpage with information, publications and resources for dealing with tree mortality in the central Sierra.