2019-2020 Funded Projects (Ongoing)

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the 2019-2020 RREA projects scheduled to end on August 31, 2020 have been extended an additional year.

Range and Natural Resources Education

Project Leader: Theresa Becchetti,  UC Cooperative Extension, Stanislaus County

With more people removed from production agriculture there is a widening gap in the knowledge of what actually happens on rangelands and forests, and what is perceived to be happening. ANR is taking the lead on the 35-year old California Pacific Society for Range Management (Cal-Pac), Range and Natural Resources Summer Camp for high-school aged students. RREA funds will be used for the development of new curriculum and updating of existing curriculum for the one-week 2020 summer camp.

 

Technical and Technological Updates for the UC Ranch Water Quality Plan Program

Project Leader: Morgan Doran,  UC Cooperative Extension, Woodland Office

The Ranch Water Quality Plan (RWQP) has been, and continues to be, a critical educational element requested by California's rangeland managers. This project will continue and complete a technical and technological update of the Ranch Water Quality Plan Program, a successful UCCE program for over 3 decades. RREA funding will support the project’s completion with development of electronic outreach materials that will be available as an online guide and an interactive PDF document.

 

Populating the CalInvasives Content Management System (Student Intern Project)

Project Leader: Matteo Garbelotto,  UC Berkeley, Environmental Science, Policy and Management

CalInvasives is a novel online-based content management system resource for tracking, monitoring and studying invasive pathogens and pests in California. It was developed in a collaboration between UC and CalFlora. This RREA funding will provide funds for a student intern to work on populating the database to bring it to an operational state where it can be made available to researchers, other stakeholders, and the public.

 

Cannabis in Your County

Project Leader: Ted Grantham, UC Berkeley, Environmental Science, Policy and Management

At this time of rapid transformation, and with limited experience and science to guide them, resource managers and UCCE Advisors are challenged to understand and address social, regulatory, and environmental dimensions of cannabis. RREA funds will support a workshop for UC ANR academics and staff, natural resource managers from state and federal agencies, County planners, and non-governmental organizations to examine the state-of-knowledge around cannabis production practices in California and the environmental impacts of cannabis production.

 

Building Capacity and Expanding the Reach of UC ANR Through Collaboration with the California Conservation Corps

Project Leader: Gregory Ira,  UC ANR, California Naturalist Statewide Program

This project will establish a formal relationship between the UC California Naturalist statewide program and the California Conservation Corps, the country's oldest and largest conservation-oriented young-adult workforce development program. This RREA project main activities will revolve around the development, testing, refinement, and expansion of a pilot California Naturalist immersive course tailored to the needs and logistical constraints of the corpmembers in residential California Conservation Corps camps.

 

Preparing Ranchers for the Next Drought: Lessons from California's 1,000-year Drought (Student Intern Project)

Project Leader: Dan Macon, UC Cooperative Extension, Placer-Nevada Counties

Rangelands represent the largest land use type in California. This project plans to use the experience of ranchers during California's historic drought (2012 to 2015) as the foundation for preparing ranchers for future droughts. RREA is providing partial support for a student intern that will translate the 2016 rancher survey data for extension applications; assist the team with the development of fact sheets and online drought planning guides. The student will also assist with the preparation of presentations on drought impacts, drought preparation strategies, and the mitigation measures.

 

Building Capacity for Prescribed Fire on Private Lands

Project Leader: Lenya Quinn-Davidson, UC Cooperative Extension, Humboldt County

This RREA project will continue to build capacity for prescribed fire on private lands in California. The work that RREA has supported has changed the conversation about prescribed fire in California; it is now seen as a realistic tool to achieve a positive pathway toward more resilient, productive landscapes. With this funding the Humboldt team will present workshops in 3 counties that have shown strong interest in implementing a PBA; the project will also be supporting the 2nd UC ANR Fire Retreat.

 

Hazardous Fuel Reduction: Outreach and Education

Project Leader: Tracy Schohr, UC Cooperative Extension, Plumas-Sierra Counties

This RREA project overall goal is hazardous fuels reduction on oak woodlands and grasslands in collaboration with Cal-Fire, Fire Safe Council, RCD, and local livestock grazing enterprises. They will develop a technical guide on hazardous fuel reduction and also develop and deliver landowner educational training to ranchers, UCCE staff, college students, land managers, and natural resource conservation staff.

 

Environmental Benefits of Livestock Grazing (Student Intern Project)

Project Leader: Laura Snell,  UC Cooperative Extension, Modoc County

The overall goal of this project is to support a student intern to coalesce and synthesis research on the environmental benefits of livestock grazing. RREA funds will help to support the student's work on developing a web-based informational hub on the carbon footprint and ecological impact of livestock grazing.

 

Firewise Home Ignition Zone Assessment Workshop

Project Leader: Ryan Tompkins,  UC Cooperative Extension, Plumas-Sierra Counties

It has become widely recognized that rural communities, forests and grazeland in the Sierra Nevada are at great risk from wildfire. RREA is providing partial funding for the outreach and delivery of a comprehensive workshop and field-based assessment to educate local stakeholders on how to assess home ignition zones and how to make improvements to vegetation management to increase fire resistance.

 

Baker Forest Management Interpretive Trail

Project Leader: Rob York,  UC Blodgett Research Forest

This RREA project plans to construct an interpretive trail that will take advantage of a unique UC-owned resource; Baker Forest in Plumas County. The trail will focus on providing important foundational content that illustrates forest ecology concepts and showcasing the forest management techniques demonstrated on the Baker Forest.