Posts Tagged: Earth Day
UC Climate Steward: ‘It’s the most fulfilling work’
Climate Stewards course instructor inspires change in Butte County
Growing up in Butte County, Rose Brazil-Few has watched climate change devastate communities and ecosystems in the form of severe drought and deadly wildfire, including the 2018 Camp Fire that swept through Paradise. Through the University of California Climate Stewards program, Brazil-Few is taking action in her home county – and inspiring others to help.
“Seeing the environmental situation firsthand in California, every day I find a reason to work on climate action projects,” she explained. “It's the most fulfilling work that I could possibly be doing right now.”
As a California Climate Action Corps Fellow (a workforce development program affiliated with California Volunteers), Brazil-Few is working at the Butte Environmental Council as community sustainability coordinator. She said the UC Climate Stewards course she completed last fall – administered by the UC California Naturalist program – taught her crucial lessons she applies every day, especially on framing and conveying the climate crisis.
“One of the biggest takeaways is how to communicate about climate change while we're doing climate action work,” she said. “Sometimes you encounter community members who don't necessarily like the term ‘climate change,' but they still believe in cleaning up parks and planting trees for shade – so focusing on positive action will still accomplish your bigger goals.”
Brazil-Few will further amplify those locally rooted solutions and climate stewardship opportunities when she starts teaching her own UC Climate Stewards course this summer, through Butte Environmental Council.
“Rose is the first CCAC fellow to become a certified Climate Stewards course instructor as part of the Pathway to Leadership we co-developed with CCAC,” said Sarah-Mae Nelson, UC Climate Stewards academic coordinator. “This pathway is an opportunity for fellows to continue fostering community and ecosystem resilience in their communities as active Climate Stewards, once their official fellowship has ended.”
Since launching in fall 2020, nearly 500 people have completed the UC Climate Stewards course, which is delivered by 17 partner organizations throughout the state. Nelson noted that, in addition to the CCAC collaboration, UC Climate Stewards is also working with Sustainability Service Corps and SEI (Strategic Energy Innovations) Climate Corps – and looking into bringing the course to other states.
A 2021 graduate of Humboldt State University with a bachelor's degree in environmental studies, Brazil-Few said she appreciates that the UC Climate Stewards course instills a sense of hope and empowerment and possibility.
“I know some people who feel hopeless because there's such a focus on the doom of climate change – when in reality you can find so many programs and people in your local community making positive change,” she said.
In her community, Brazil-Few highlights the partnership efforts between the Butte County Local Food Network and area growers, the Traditional Ecological Knowledge sharing at Verbena Fields in Chico, and the continued growth of the community composting program – among many other projects.
They all illustrate a key point that Brazil-Few will emphasize as she designs her UC Climate Stewards course: a meaningful climate project need not take place at a large scale – action can happen, literally, in one's own backyard.
“It can be easily attainable and accessible,” she said. “And just talking about it with people and getting your community excited is the very first step in creating a series of events that eventually leads to a bigger impact on climate change and positive environmentalism.”
/h3>Earth Day and IPM
What do Earth Day and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) have in common? They both seek to protect...
A Touch of Red on Earth Day
It's Earth Day, an event we celebrate every April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental...
A honey bee touches down on a rock purslane, Calandrinia grandiflora. This plant yield red pollen. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee rolling around in rock purslane on Earth Day. (Photo by Kathy Keatley)
A honey bee packing red pollen from the rock purslane. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
A honey bee leaving a rock purslane and heading off to another one. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)
Tree lovers invited to free webinars to learn proper tree-care
While spring may not be the best time to plant shade trees, many people are inspired to plant trees as part of Earth Day and Arbor Day celebrations. Millions of trees are planted every year in America and many of them perish after planting, according to James Downer, University of California Cooperative Extension horticulture and plant pathology advisor.
“Tree planting campaigns, while well intentioned, may not consider all the realities of bringing young trees into landscapes and caring for them over decades,” Downer said. “Increasingly, city budgets for tree care are being cut back and planting budgets are non-existent in many cities. Tree planting is left to volunteer groups, homeowners, schools and other organizations that may want trees in their communities.”
Planting is just the first step in trees' lives and can also be the reason for their demise if they are not planted correctly. Trees that survive initially may perish later in their young lives due to poor maintenance or exotic pests or from drought.
To teach members of the public how to select and care for trees, Downer will host a series of free webinars. The five one-hour sessions will cover tree selection, where and how to plant a tree, how to prune trees, how to feed and water them, and pest management. Downer, who is based in Ventura County, welcomes all tree enthusiasts.
When: Thursdays beginning April 22, 2021
Time: 12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
Registration and details at https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=33331.
Schedule:
April 22: Selection of Trees (benefits of trees)
April 29: Planting Trees
May 6: Pruning Trees
May 13: Caring for Trees (mulch, water, fertilizer)
May 20: Managing tree pests and diseases
“Establishing trees starts with tree selection—planting the right tree in the right place,” Downer said. “As trees grow and begin to fill their space in gardens, landscapes, parks or city streets they begin to require other kinds of care.”
Downer, who holds a Ph.D. in plant pathology from UC Riverside, has 35 years of experience in horticulture and plant pathology. His research focuses on diseases of shade trees and other landscape plants and cultural practices to maintain landscape plants, especially trees. He also studies the use of mulch, soil microbiology and disease suppression in mulched soils.
Make Every Day Earth Day - Use IPM!
[From the UC IPM Pests in the Landscape Blog] Every April, we celebrate Earth Day and think about...