Rangelands

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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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Water
Water Resilience, Climate Change, and Water Systems in California: Article

Celebrating Water Awareness Month: Why May Matters in California

May 8, 2025
By Esther N Lofton
  Every drop counts, especially in California. That’s why May is officially recognized as Water Awareness Month, a time to reflect on the value of water in our lives, our landscapes, and our future.Why Water Awareness Month?Initiated in the early 1980s by the California Department of Water…
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Tree-of-heaven growing over a sidewealk in a neighborhood.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

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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water well
Water Resilience, Climate Change, and Water Systems in California: Article

Strengthening Drought Preparedness for Domestic Well Owners and Small Water Suppliers

April 22, 2025
By Laura E Garza Diaz, Laljeet S Sangha, Esther N Lofton
 Droughts in California: A Frequent ChallengeSubject to severe short and long-term drought conditions, California has experienced two consecutive multiyear droughts in the past decade (Figure 1). The drought of 2012–2016, was considered one of the most severe on record, with…
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Gray wolf from the Lassen pack among a herd of cattle in July of 2022
Food Blog: Article

Study calculates cost to ranchers of an expanding wolf population

April 21, 2025
By Emily C. Dooley
Tina Saitone, a University of California, Davis, professor and Cooperative Extension specialist in livestock and rangeland economics, sought to quantify the direct and indirect costs after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife launched a pilot program to compensate ranchers for wolf-related losses.
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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.
Pests in the Urban Landscape: Article

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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The buds shown on the walnut branches are male flowers called catkins
Food Blog: Article

UC scientists ask walnut trees: When do you need to be irrigated?

April 16, 2025
By Trina Kleist
UC scientists are working with growers in Tehama, Butte, Lake, Amador, Contra Costa, Stanislaus and Yolo counties to test a new way of measuring the irrigation needs of walnut trees. Shackel and team think this new method will allow growers to use less water by not irrigating early in the season, and trees…
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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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