Vegetation Management

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Urban Trees and Their Role/Benefits in Stormwater Management
Water Supply Security (WSS): Article

Urban Trees and Their Role in Stormwater Management

May 28, 2025
By Esther N Lofton, Erik C Porse
Urban tree canopies (UTCs), i.e, the layers of leaves, branches, and stems that cover the ground in cities, are essential tools in managing stormwater, particularly in dense urban areas like those across Southern California. In landscapes dominated by impermeable surfaces such as pavements and rooftops,…
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An adult emerald ash borer beetle on a leaf damaged by its feeding.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week 2025

May 15, 2025
By Lindsey Hack
Tiny but destructive, the emerald ash borer (EAB) is an invasive beetle that has killed millions of ash trees across North America. In some cases, infested regions have lost nearly 100% of their ash trees to this pest. Though EAB has not yet been found in California, it was detected on the West Coast for the…
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Tree-of-heaven growing over a sidewealk in a neighborhood.

Invasive Pest Spotlight: Tree-of-Heaven

May 7, 2025
By Cherie Shook
Tree-of-heaven, Ailanthus altissima, was originally from China and became a popular landscape shade tree in the 1800’s. However, its rapid growth, aggressive spread, and native habitat disruption have made it a global problem. Reproducing rapidly through dense root suckers and wind dispersal of its “winged”…
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Los beneficios de los lardines de lluvia
Water Supply Security (WSS): Article

Jardines de Lluvia: Una Solución Sostenible para la Gestión de Aguas Pluviales

April 18, 2025
By Esther N Lofton, Erik C Porse
Los jardines de lluvia son depresiones del terreno transformadas, diseñadas para almacenar e infiltrar el escurrimiento pluvial proveniente de superficies impermeables cercanas dentro de entornos urbanos. Disponibles en una variedad de formas y tamaños, los jardines de lluvia representan una solución…
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Bermuda buttercup infesting a bed of landscaped plants.

Spring is in the Air, and Oxalis is Everywhere

April 17, 2025
By Lindsey Hack
Bermuda buttercup (Oxalis pes-caprae), also called buttercup oxalis or sourgrass, might be a familiar sight in winter and spring, particularly to those who live in coastal regions or the Sacramento Valley. Some people enjoy seeing this plant’s cheerful yellow flowers pop up in their spring gardens, but for…
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Four men in weedy area. One is holding a measuring container while another sprays liquid into it from a wand attached to a backpack sprayer. A third person holds a clipboard and the furth holds a stopwatch.
UC Weed Science (weed control, management, ecology, and minutia): Article

New Online Course: Calibrating Herbicide Applications for Non-Agricultural Areas

April 14, 2025
By Cheryl A Reynolds
Calibration might sound intimidating, but it’s critical for safe and effective herbicide application. Proper calibration ensures that the correct amount of pesticide is applied to an area while achieving the desired level of pest control. To support land managers and pesticide applicators, the UC Statewide…
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The green benefits of rain gardens
Water Supply Security (WSS): Article

Rain Gardens: A Sustainable Solution for Stormwater Management

April 10, 2025
By Esther N Lofton, Erik C Porse
Rain gardens are transformed land depressions designed for storing and infiltrating stormwater runoff flowing from nearby impervious surfaces throughout urban environments. Coming in a variety of shapes and sizes, rain gardens offer a community friendly approach to generating several environmental benefits,…
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Valley oak tree atop a hill of brown grass.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

Webinar: Mediterranean Oak Borer and Other Oak Pests

March 26, 2025
By Lauren Fordyce
Join UC IPM for a free webinar on the invasive Mediterranean Oak Borer (MOB) and other important oak tree pests on April 10, 2025 from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. The Mediterranean Oak Borer (MOB) is an invasive ambrosia beetle that infests several species of white oaks in California: valley oak, blue oak,…
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Central Sierra Livestock & Natural Resources: Page

Targeted Grazing

Targeted grazing is the controlled implementation of the timing, frequency and intensity of grazing to achieve specific goals. Targeted grazing applies these principles to specific vegetation or landscape goals (like control of invasive weeds, fuel load reduction, or ecological restoration).
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Gifford Fire
UCCE in the County of San Luis Obispo: Page

Fire Information

San Luis Obispo County Links San Luis Obispo County Fire Department- Fire Prevention Education, Wildland Hazard and Building Codes, Fire Safety Council, and more local, state, county, and federal informational links https://www.fire.ca.gov/
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