Posts Tagged: Publications
Bountiful opportunities within ANR
Last week sped by in the blink of an eye. Monday Greg Ira and I attended the 7th Annual...
Free wildfire publication simplifies understanding fuel-reduction permits on private land
UCCE forest advisor helps landowners, community groups determine best project options
As Californians prepare for another year of drought and an anticipated intense fire season, landowners and organizations across California have been working to reduce forest fuels – flammable woody material – that can endanger their properties and communities.
For many of them, however, their urgent efforts hit a sizable speed bump: a massive rulebook that describes, amid a thicket of other information, the permits required before people can treat or remove fuels – as well as a litany of attached requirements, restrictions and stipulations.
“The California Forest Practice Rules are 410 pages, in font size 6,” said Yana Valachovic, UC Cooperative Extension forest advisor for Humboldt and Del Norte counties and registered professional forester. “Trying to figure out what permit vehicles make sense in the rulebook is not easy even for the experienced professional forester.”
To assist private landowners and community groups in deciphering the rules and determining their most cost-effective options, Valachovic took the lead in writing a new guide, “Planning and Permitting Forest Fuel-Reduction Projects on Private Lands in California,” available as a free resource in the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources catalog.
“We tried to create a system where all the permits are laid out side-by-side, and put in a decision tree framework to help make it easier,” said Valachovic, highlighting the publication's tables that break down the project goals and parameters a permit applicant should think about when weighing their choices.
Considerations include whether the project is pre- or post-wildfire, the location and dimensions of trees targeted for removal, the conditions of the site before and after the project, potential time limits, commercial options, and, crucially, budget constraints – given that the permitting process could comprise up to one-third of total project costs.
A primer for planning and preparation
Chris Curtis, the unit forester for CAL FIRE's Humboldt-Del Norte Unit, said that he and his colleagues are grateful for this new tool and plan to use it as an “over the counter” handout for community members. He added that the charts summarizing timber-harvesting regulations and possible funding sources are especially helpful.
The publication helps prepare the landowner or community entity (such as Resource Conservation Districts, Fire Safe Councils or other concerned groups) for the types of questions that might come up in preliminary planning conversations with a registered professional forester or RPF.
Just as a homeowner would talk with a contractor before tackling a construction project, landowners and community groups must consult with an RPF, Valachovic said. RPFs have the specialized knowledge of forest practice rules and regulations related to water, air quality and endangered species protections, and the license to file the permitting documents.
“That's what I do in my job: Landowners come to me and we start talking about goals and objectives,” she said. “We start thinking about potential timelines – which goals are short-term, which are long-term – and how we can put an operational plan together to help those landowners achieve their goals.”
Long-term projects, short-term actions
Among the many practical tips outlined in this guide, Valachovic emphasized one in particular: for landowners dipping their toes into fuel reduction for the first time, keep the project “simple and realistic.”
In the short-term, however, Valachovic stressed that the extremely dry conditions across the state make it imperative for Californians to harden their homes, manage the fuels (i.e., landscape plants, stored wood, tall grass, etc.) immediately adjacent to their homes, and devise and review family emergency plans; see UC ANR's Wildfire Preparation page for detailed information and resources.
“There are a lot of immediate actions that people can be doing this year to help mitigate their wildfire risks and prepare for the unexpected,” she said.
In addition to Valachovic, co-authors of “Planning and Permitting Forest Fuel-Reduction Projects on Private Lands in California” are Jared Gerstein of BBW Associates and Brita Goldstein, UCCE staff research associate in Humboldt and Del Norte counties; both are registered professional foresters.
/h3>/h3>/h3>More detail, key updates in new edition of pesticide safety manual
Publication in English, Spanish prepares private applicators for state exam
Expanded from four chapters in the previous edition to 12, the third edition of Pesticide Safety: A Study Manual for Private Applicators aims to be more than just a study guide.
The manual, available for purchase in English and Spanish, provides much more detail on essential processes and procedures that will help keep applicators safe while using pesticides – as well as reduce environmental impacts from misapplication.
Published by University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources in collaboration with the state's Department of Pesticide Regulation, the manual – intended for members of the agricultural community who own, manage or work on farms that use restricted-use pesticides – also includes substantial updates.
“The information in the book they were using was way out of date,” said writer/editor Shannah Whithaus, senior editor for pesticide safety education with UC ANR's Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program. “Also, the book was much, much shorter than it needed to be, because it wasn't providing enough information for people to safely apply pesticides, given the complexity of the regulatory environment we're in now.”
The new manual reflects important changes to federal and state regulations since the publication of the previous edition in 2006.
“There are significant regulatory updates which help you stay up-to-date with safety rules and standards – and protect your workers from overexposure to pesticides,” said Lisa Blecker, technical editor of the publication, and currently a pesticide safety educator at Colorado State University.
In addition to emphasizing the broader ecological ramifications of improper pesticide use, the manual includes information on subjects that might get short shrift in other manuals, such as the correct calibration of equipment to ensure accuracy of application.
“All of that is now in the book and fully fleshed out,” Whithaus said. “[Applicators] are going to be able to do that much more effectively using the new book, compared to the old one – it was really hard to be thorough in 80-some pages.”
The new edition – totaling more than 200 substantive pages – also features a more streamlined and user-friendly layout modeled after a sister publication, The Safe and Effective Use of Pesticides, written for commercial applicators.
“A significant update is a layout that is not only beautiful, but helps you identify key information you need to know in order to make safe and effective pesticide applications,” Blecker explained.
She highlighted the “knowledge expectations” listed at the beginning of each chapter and in the margins of the book, next to the relevant passages. The statements serve as “visual cues” to help readers learn and retain the material they need to pass California DPR's certification exam for private applicators.
And while the manual functions as an improved study aid for owners, managers and workers who apply pesticides, it doubles as a reference that they can turn to for years to come.
“It's going to be able to serve as a reference manual, as opposed to just a study guide,” Whithaus said. “You really will be able to use this book as a tool to help you do better in managing your land.”
The manual, listed at $29, is available for purchase in English at https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/Details.aspx?itemNo=3383 and in Spanish at https://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/Details.aspx?itemNo=3394.
/h4>Forbes appointed interim director of Publishing, other Publications contacts
Linda Forbes has been appointed interim director of Publishing, assuming many of the responsibilities held by Jim Downing, who is leaving UC ANR for a new job in Oakland. His last day is March 4. These duties are in addition to Linda's role as Strategic Communications director.
Until we hire a new director of Publishing, below are people who may be contacted for publishing needs:
- California Agriculture journal: Debbie Thompson dthompson@ucanr.edu
- UC ANR Publications submissions and peer-review process: Debbie Thompson and Masie Comtois mvcomtois@ucanr.edu
- UC ANR Publications production status: Debbie Thompson
- Graphic design requests: Sandi Osterman sjosterman@ucanr.edu
- Photography requests and image libraries: Evett Kilmartin emkilmartin@ucanr.edu
- Communication Advisory Board: Linda Forbes lforbes@ucanr.edu, Dustin Blakey dwblakey@ucanr.edu
- California Agricultural Resources Archive: Linda Forbes
- Video editing support: Linda Forbes and student video editor Ashley Cooper ashcooper@ucanr.edu
Please note that some processes may be delayed during this transition.
We thank Jim for his many contributions during the seven years he has served UC ANR and wish him well in the next phase of his career.
Wendy Powers
Associate Vice President
All UC ANR authors eligible for systemwide funds to cover open-access publishing fees
In the past year, UC has announced several agreements with major publishers of scholarly journals, including Elsevier and Springer Nature. These agreements include provisions for funding to cover the article processing charges (APCs) for open-access publication of articles in those publishers' journals. APCs would otherwise be borne by authors.
Under the agreements, UC campus libraries all contribute to a systemwide fund to cover the APCs.
This message is to clarify that all UC ANR personnel – advisors, specialists, academic coordinators and all staff – are eligible for funding for open-access article processing charges under these agreements.
Here's how the process works: After acceptance of an article in one of the journals covered by the agreements, the corresponding author will see the default open-access option in the publishing workflow. If the author chooses open access, the systemwide fund will automatically cover the first $1,000 of the APC to the publisher. APCs are typically greater than $1,000. If the author has research funding to cover the remaining APC, those research funds will be used to cover the balance. If the author does not have research funding to cover the remaining open access fee, the systemwide fund will cover the balance.
Here's a link to a comprehensive FAQ about the Elsevier agreement, which takes effect April 1. The agreement also restores and expands online access for UC personnel to Elsevier's paywalled journal content.
The Springer Nature agreement went into effect in January -- here's information on that agreement.
And here's a page with information on all the other similar agreements with journal publishers.
The UC Davis Open Access Publishing site is a good resource for general questions about open access publishing.
I can also help answer your questions. You can reach me at jdowning@ucanr.edu.
Jim Downing
Director of Publishing