2020 Climate Action and Agriculture:
Information and Registration

• Announcement
• Program Schedule, Recorded Video Links and Q & A
• Speaker Biographies
• Webinar Resources

Information and documents related to the 2020 Climate Action and Agriculture Symposium Webinar featuring information on current climate trends and agricultural impacts, soil health and updates about related projects in San Diego and neighboring counties.

Featured Organizations and Programs:

• San Diego County Farm Bureau
• Spadra Farm, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
• CDFA-Healthy Soils Program
• Composting Resources, County of San Diego
• Resilient Roots: Climate Smart Agriculture & Food Systems,
  Climate Science Alliance
• Carbon Farming, Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County
• Solidarity Farm
• San Diego County Food Vision 2030, San Diego Food Systems Alliance

Technical Reports and Resources:

2020 Report: Climate Change Impacts for Specialty Crops (PDF Download, 70.7 MB)
by the Climate Science Alliance

Compost and Mulch Market Study, County of San Diego (PDF Download, 2.1 MB)
by the County of San Diego and Hidden Resources

Mulch Resources from Ben Faber, Ph.D., UCCE Farm Advisor (PDF Download, 994 KB)

Questions and comments always come up about the use of mulch in orchards. Mulch has its benefits and drawbacks and they need to recognized in order to manage it. It serves to combat erosion and root rot, but it can also burn. Mulch and wood piled up against tree trunks and near trunks can cause damage to those trunks. A Fillmore grower actually goes through the orchard with a blower to move mulch away from trunks when alerted to fire. On the other hand, irrigated orchards have been shown to be effective at suppressing fire encroaching on homes. And mulches can suppress weeds and reduce water use, but it’s possible that importing material for mulch can introduce weeds.

So where to read more about fire? Check out some of the blogs from the past.

Mulch and green waste applied to orchards

• Green Waste, Yard Waste, Whatever You Call It- It has Simple Rules for Use
• A Safer Source of Inexpensive Orchard Mulch
• Avocado planting holes
• Cellulase Production by Various Sources of Mulch
• A Caution on Free "Compost/Mulch"
• A Safer Source of Inexpensive Orchard Mulch
• Mulch, Avocados and the Home Garden
• Mature Compost Does NOT Kill Phytophthora
• Use of Mulch in Organic Orchards Called into Question

Mulch and Landscapes

• Mulches for Landscapes
• Combustibility of Landscape Mulches

Jan Gonzales
jggonzales@ucanr.edu
(858) 822-7718