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Posts Tagged: Fire
Fresno 4-H Ambassadors help community recover from Creek Fire
Hundreds of wildfires burned in California in 2020. The biggest single wildfire, according to Cal Fire, was the Creek Fire, which started on Sept. 4 near Shaver Lake in Fresno County. It destroyed 856 structures and burned 379,895 acres mostly in the Sierra National Forest until it was declared contained on Dec. 24.
“Fresno County 4-H had several families that lost homes in the Creek Fire, especially from our Ridge Top 4-H Club,” said 4-H program representative Tracy Newton.
To help their fellow 4-H members and community recover from the Creek Fire, 4-H Ambassadors in Fresno County assembled baskets containing handmade dough ornaments and a seedling to give to fire survivors. They also partnered with Intermountain Nursery and Sierra Resiliency Fund to begin protecting the scorched land from erosion.
In a video about their efforts, 4-H Ambassadors Caydin Simonian, Ciara Zito, Nicole Ward and Clayton Pennebaker and local partners describe their roles.
“Without volunteers, we can't get very much done. It's nice to have a core group of individuals that are excited and motivated to do work,” Allyson Brooks, Sierra Resiliency Fund volunteer coordinator, said in the video.
Zito added, “I know together we can make a difference.”
Newton is proud of the Ambassador team's efforts supporting the Creek Fire recovery. "They've worked so hard, I'd like to see our community aware of their great efforts as well as our UC ANR community," she said. “I think they've done an amazing job! “
“Through sales of 4-H logo items and donations received, the team was able to purchase 750 seedlings which will be planted locally,” Newton said. “They are working towards participating in multiple workdays for tree plantings. In addition, there were workdays at the nursery transferring seedlings to larger containers and watering. They also supported in creating a community display that will be placed in the Creek Fire exhibit at the Sierra Historical Society.”
See the video at https://youtu.be/fCvHuFu8e1k.
ANR Learning & Development: Climate communication, people management & webinars
Check out the continuing learning opportunities through ANR Learning & Development. ANR Webinars are recorded and archived here.
Equitable Futures ToolKit Webinar
September 11, 2019
11am-noon PST
Register here
Brought to us by eXtension.org and Institute for the Future.
As wealth and economic inequality reach staggering heights, we face an urgent future. Inequality at current extremes around the world, including the United States, has historically sparked civil unrest. Now is the time to join together and move us toward a more equitable future.
Who should participate:
A group of people who have a well-defined mission and are actively working together to build a more equitable world.
A group of diverse stakeholders who want to have a shared conversation about equity.
This webinar will allow for participants to enable their audio and video in Zoom to engage and converse with the facilitators.Register here
Social Café Drop-in Session
September 12, 2019 (and October 10, November 14, and December 12)
11:30am-12:30pm
Join Rose Hayden-Smith for the ANR Social Café webinar, a monthly opportunity for drop-in conversations and questions about the effective use of social media and communications in Extension work. Each Social Café opens with a 5-10 minute “tutorial” of a new tool or feature on commonly used social platforms, or a brief showcase of an ANR employee who is using digital communications in innovative and effective ways. The remainder of the time is devoted to sharing best practices, discussion and Q&A.
Zoom access:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428
1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 751 701 428
Spotlight Webinar: Prescribed Fires in California
September 17, 2019
11:30am - noon
Join Lenya Quinn-Davidson and Jef Stackhouse to learn about how they are educating Californians on the use of prescribed fire as a preventative tool.
Zoom access:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428
1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 751 701 428
Communicating Your Story: Twitter Basics
Sept. 18, 2019
11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Join Rose Hayden-Smith for this fast-paced webinar. We'll cover the basics of sharing your story, building an online community and engaging using Twitter. Topics will include:
- What is Twitter and why should you use it?
- Techniques and best practices to use the platform most effectively.
- Finding your online community.
- Tips to manage your Twitter account efficiently.
Participants will also be provided access to a range of resources and tools to support their Twitter efforts, including samples, tip and FAQ sheets, guidelines and more.
Zoom access:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428
1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 751 701 428
WebANR: UC Davis Climate Communication Strategy: Impact Through Intersections.
September 19, 2019
Noon-12:30pm
Katherine Kerlin will show how UC Davis Strategic Communications used a cross-team strategy to highlight visual, focused storytelling and leverage climate expertise at the university. She'll talk about benefits and challenges of thematic approaches to digital storytelling and promotion.
Zoom access:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/751701428
1 669 900 6833 or +1 646 558 8656
Webinar ID: 751 701 428
New Course! Building Volunteer Engagement Login instructions PDF, Video (1:32)
This new course will help equip UC ANR staff and academics to develop and manage systems in which volunteers are supported to lead projects, resulting in greater program efficiency and efficacy.
Upon completion of this course, learners should be able to:
- Describe the benefits volunteers provide to programs and organizations
- Identify the roles and responsibilities of those involved in working with volunteers
- Identify the characteristics of an effective volunteer program
- Use the 7-step ISOTURE model to build volunteer engagement
Along the way, learners will assess their own program, using self-guided activities and resources. As a result, course participants will develop a volunteer engagement action plan to enhance volunteer-related assets and address volunteer-related challenges. Login instructions PDF, Video (1:32)
Disability management for supervisors
UC Davis will offer disability management training on Oct. 7, 2019 and April 16, 2020.
This three-hour, in-person course addresses what supervisors need to know regarding the requirements to accommodate employees with disabilities under federal and state law as well as university policy. Registration is required. If classes are filled, sign up for the wait-list. Register here.
MSAP assessors make a difference
Laurent, who served in April 2019, said, "I enjoyed meeting the amazing and high-potential managers from all corners of the UC system. During the one-week off-site assessment sessions, I was both a teacher and a student, observing, listening and coaching assessees while itemizing my own skill deficits and grow competencies as a manager. MSAP is an effective long-term tool to boost organizational performance of the UC system. Whether you are an assessee or assessor, MSAP provides a safe space for discovery and self-discovery."
ANR needs more experienced people managers like Laurent to serve as assessors in 2020 and beyond. Please let ANR Learning & Development know of your interest in serving as an assessor by contacting Jodi Azulai at jlazulai@ucanr.edu.
A successful UC People Management Conference
Marisa Neelon and Jim Downing were ANR's attendees at the third annual UC People Management Conference at UCLA's Luskin Center Aug. 6-8, 2019.
Both agreed that THE major take-home message was that we manage things, not people. People do not respond well to being "managed." Instead we manage ourselves and set an example that then influences others.
Marisa reflected, "I am thankful for the opportunity to attend the conference, tour the UCLA campus, meet other professionals from across the UC system, hear from dynamic keynote speakers and attend interactive workshops. Highlights included practice using a design thinking process to solve a problem in a collaborative manner, drafting a professional narrative to illustrate the impact of my work, and learning about supportive strategies to be an effective leader (managing self, influencing others and humility). Overall, the conference was upbeat and inspiring and provided me with resources to grow my skills as a leader in my current position."
Jim shared, "I can honestly say that this was the best management conference or training I've ever attended. Highlights included President Napolitano's session, super-inspiring as always; the closing keynote by UC Merced's Jonathan Grady; a very well-designed workshop on strategic planning; Courtney Young-Law's workshop on Creating Your Professional Narrative; and a short, delightful leadership seminar led by Paul Butler of New Leaf Consulting. Also, the conference hotel is right in the center of the UCLA campus, a lovely place to be for two days."
If you are interested in attending the UC People Management Conference, eligibility is based on completing one of the following programs in order to attend:
- UC People Management Series and Certificate
- Management Development Program
- UC-Coro Systemwide Leadership Collaborative
Join the 2019-20 UC People Management Series Certificate networking cohort. Participate in great discussions, share successes and ask your peers for people management advice. Fill out this interest survey if you'd like to participate and you will be contacted in the beginning of December.
UC Management Development Program calls for applications (Web page)
We invite managers who manage other supervisors and/or manage complex programs or projects to apply for the upcoming program. Thirty participants from across UC Davis Campus and UC Davis Health and UC ANR will be selected from those who apply. Please ensure you can attend all modules listed below prior to your submission. The program is free to ANR managers, but you will need to provide travel funds. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m., Sept. 6, 2019.
Module 1: People Management – Oct. 8
Module 2: Exercising Influence – Oct. 15
Module 3: Leading Change and Managing Transition – Oct. 22
Module 4: Employee Engagement – Nov. 5
Registration for the October 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit is open
Deadline to register: Sept. 20, 2019 Register here.
Oct. 15-17, 2019, Atlanta, GA
The Impact Collaborative Summit brings unique opportunities to create impactful results at the local level by increasing Cooperative Extension's organizational readiness and capacity for innovation and change, by connecting them with skills, tools, resources and partners that can expand and deepen their impact.
We invite organizations to take advantage of their membership benefit by sending project and program teams to the Impact Collaborative Summit. Each member will receive 5 free registrations for a team to attend. Additional teams and team members are welcome to join. Community partners are welcome to participate on teams. We highly recommend sending teams that include three to five individuals focused on a project or program that is aligned with state/institutional strategic priorities.
SAVE THE DATE: Nov. 13 New Employee Orientation
Who should attend: All UC ANR employees (academics, staff and affiliated staff on campuses, counties and RECs) who have not participated in an administrative orientation in the past. Priority will be given to those hired by ANR within the past year. The orientation will be at the UC ANR building in Davis.
SAVE THE DATE: Dec. 3-5, 2019 NAEPSDP National Conference National Association of Extension Programs and Staff Development Professionals Annual Conference, Savannah, Ga.) Agents of Change, Creating Extension Connections.
Personal accountability. What is it and do I have it? (article from Think, Plan, Launch)
Personal accountability can be defined as taking ownership of one's thoughts, behaviors, actions, and performance.
Someone who has developed a high level of personal accountability is resilient, resourceful, and honest. Importantly, you can count on them to follow through on the things they say they will do. They also tend to keep and maintain a positive attitude over time. Read more. Also, check out the LinkedIn Learning video Holding Yourself Accountable.
5 things NOT to say at work (adapted from Linkedin Learning Blog)
The world of work is about relationships. In most organizations, saying the right thing goes a long way in helping you gain support for a project, collaboration and new opportunities. On the flip side, saying the wrong thing, or what might cause harm to a relationship, can limit your career growth and hinder the team's ability to work together and reach optimal outcomes. Read more.
Everyone can learn something new.
ANR Learning & Development
We are UC ANR
Program Team meetings, fire summit and programmatic orientation dates set
Save the dates for Program Team meetings, a fire summit and UCANR's programmatic orientation.
Vision 20/20: A fire-resilient California: April 16-17, ANR-only follow-up meeting, April 18, Redding CA
The fire summit will bring together community leaders, policymakers, and movers and shakers—people like you!—from a wide range of disciplines on April 16-17. Vision 20/20: A Fire-resilient California will expand our understanding of California's fire problem and provide an opportunity to build connectivity, interaction and integration across disciplines and better understand the complexity of and find solutions to California's wildfire challenge.
On April 18, we'll have an internal ANR meeting where we can share our own work in fire and strategize how together we can better respond to California's fire challenges at local and regional levels. We hope ANR academics and staff from a wide range of disciplines will attend. Travel funds will be available for ANR-affiliated academics and programmatic staff.
Open to ANR academics and programmatic staff – registration now open.
UC ANR Programmatic Orientation: April 23-25, Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center, Parlier, CA
Plan to join ANR leadership for the Programmatic Orientation to discuss the mission of UC ANR and our varied roles in California and the University, as well as see examples of successful research and outreach programs. Take this opportunity to engage in discussions with colleagues about the resources and opportunities available through ANR as a UC division.
All early career UC Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists, academic coordinators and administrators are invited to attend – registration now open.
Upcoming Program Team meetings
Water Resources PT – March 5-7 – Registration
Positive Youth Development Meeting – March 18-20 – Registration
Pomology (PECC) PT – March 27-28 – Registration opening soon
Dairy Production and Food Safety PT – April 9-10 – Registration opening soon
Research to Policy PT – April 10-11 – Registration opening soon
Delivering hope in the midst of loss
Between the Camp Fire in Butte County and the Woolsey Fire in Southern California in November, most ANR members have been affected in some way by the devastating wildfires. Several have experienced major personal losses that they are still dealing with.
While the Camp Fire was still raging on Nov. 14, Emily Symmes, director of UCCE in Butte County, wrote:
“As you can imagine, due to the destruction of nearly the entire town of Paradise and other ridge communities, all of our employees have numerous friends, family, and loved ones who have lost their homes and all of their belongings, as evacuations were so sudden and urgent that most left with only what they could grab in minutes. As such, all have been affected to varying degrees. We have two direct staff members, Alexandra Falk (nutrition education specialist) and John Klepps (Honey Bee Tech Transfer Team) who lived in Paradise. Both have received confirmation that their homes were among those destroyed. They and their families and pets are now safe and have found temporary housing. Many in our extended network of 4-H and Master Gardener program participants and volunteers resided in Paradise have also been heavily impacted, losing everything.”
Among the Master Gardener volunteers in Paradise who lost their houses is Bob DiPietro and his wife, parents of Damon DiPetro of ANR's IT team. Damon's sister and her family also lost their house.
Colleagues have asked how to help.
Emergency resources for UC employees
In response to queries, the Staff Assembly has posted information on their website about the impact of the Camp Fire on our ANR employees and their families at http://staffassembly.ucanr.edu/Resources_/Emergency_Resources_/. Earlier in the year, they posted similar information for those impacted by the Mendocino fires and have committed to maintain Emergency Services information on their website whenever any UC ANR employees are impacted.
Emergency support is also available to UC employees from the university's benefit plans https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2018/11/emergency-support-from-ucs-benefit-plans.html.
UC ANR assists Camp Fire survivors
In the midst of their own losses, UCCE staff in Butte County and neighboring counties have been reaching out to assist community members. For example, Ryan Cleland, 4-H representative, has been working with the 4-H community since Nov. 8, the day the Camp Fire erupted, to coordinate assistance and volunteerism. He is providing vetted and frequently updated information on where evacuated and displaced people can find help and how other community members can volunteer, donate and contribute.
The UCCE nutrition education team has been assisting with meal preparation at shelters, and also with volunteering at indoor youth activities available through the shelters and the local area recreation district.
Other UCCE staff and advisors have been volunteering where needed – helping gather and deliver supplies, volunteering at human shelters and animal shelters, helping out at the numerous meal centers that have popped up.
UC Master Gardener volunteers have been reaching out to fellow Master Gardeners who have lost their homes or remain evacuated to offer housing and other support.
Tracy Schohr, UCCE livestock and natural resource advisor in Plumas and Sierra counties, has been helping care for large animals in the evacuation zone.
The forestry, fire and natural resource advisors have ongoing fire safety research and education programs, coordinating with fire safe councils, and working with other agencies to assist in recovery and become better prepared for natural disasters.
Berkeley Forests combines forest and fire research
As we all know, forests and fire are inextricably linked in California. Historically, both centers have carried out research, outreach, and education on human interactions with California ecosystems. Combining the centers under one roof will facilitate the work of our co-directors -- UC Berkeley professor Scott Stephens, and UC Cooperative Extension specialist William Stewart, both in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management -- our Berkeley Forests staff, and management of our new research forest, Grouse Ridge.
To this end, we are proud to release our new website at https://forests.berkeley.edu. The new website features easy-to-access information about our forests, fire resources, information on current research, our long-term datasets for our forests and more.
With these changes, we will also be hiring a new policy analyst (located at the Berkeley campus). We seek someone with experience in and knowledge of forests, fire, grant writing, social media, website work, and GIS/data analysis. An official position will be released shortly on the Berkeley jobs website, but please make sure to follow us on social media or email one of our co-directors so you don't miss it!
We're also merging all our social media pages! The Center for Forestry and Center for Fire Research and Outreach Facebook pages will be closed and transition to the Blodgett Forest Research Station page to become Blodgett Research Station at Berkeley Forests. Please like us at our new home if you have not done so already!
On Twitter, the @ucforestcenter page will be closed, and the @ucfirecenter page will become @berkeleyforests. If you are only following @ucforestcenter, please make sure to change your follow to @berkeleyforests!
If you have questions or concerns, please contact Berkeley Forests' co-directors at billstewart@berkeley.edu or sstephens@berkeley.edu
