UCCE Client Stories - Environment
Conservancy staff find support in UCCE California Naturalist volunteersThe Tejon Ranch Conservancy oversees almost a quarter-million acres. But with a paid staff of only six and a new, ambitious management plan, the Conservancy was struggling to achieve all of its conservation goals. It was clear that the staff needed volunteer help, but they weren’t sure how to find volunteers with the technical know-how and expertise needed to help in their conservation work. UCCE helped connect the Conservancy to graduates of its California Naturalist training curriculum. Anyone who completes the training is certified as a California Naturalist, with the educational background necessary to provide valuable citizen science work for the Conservancy. Since the Tejon Ranch Conservancy adopted the curriculum in the fall of 2013, new volunteers have been monitoring acorn crops, designing and constructing interpretive kiosks, assisting with wildlife monitoring, and working weather stations. Thanks to the California Naturalist curriculum, the Conservancy has been able to expand its capacity and achieve its management goals for protection and conservation of a vital part of California’s natural environment.
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Critical tribal oak woodlands saved from sudden oak death![]()
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Public has easy access to local soils data, thanks to UCCE specialist's SoilWeb appsIn the 1990s, the National Cooperative Soil Survey stopped printing hard copies of its soil survey reports. The Survey did continue to publish soil surveys in digital formats, but these were not widely embraced by growers, who found themselves struggling to find critical information that had formerly been more easily available. Recognizing the growers’ need for access, UCCE specialist Toby O’Geen initiated a collaboration between the California Soil Resources Laboratory and USDA–NRCS to develop SoilWeb, a series of user-friendly apps designed to help the general public explore soil survey data. The apps, which work in Google Maps and Google Earth, allow users to access soil data based on GPS coordinates using a smart phone or tablet. Anyone can access these apps and within seconds get detailed information about the properties, taxonomy, land use, and suitability ratings of the soil upon which they are standing.
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Smutgrass problem smothered thanks to UCCE specialist solution![]() |
UCCE advisors help Land Trust develop effective restoration planThe Sonoma Land Trust was working on a project to protect a 2.5-mile length of stream on a cattle ranching property by protecting habitats and decreasing erosion. But the Trust was struggling with limited available labor time and monetary resources. Trust representatives came to UCCE seeking advice on how to create the most efficient restoration project possible while using the least amount of resources. Our UCCE advisors pulled ideas from other UCCE stream restoration research projects and worked with the Sonoma Land Trust to develop a long-term monitoring program that lets the Trust use its resources in the most efficient and effective ways.
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UCCE in interagency plan to help locals restore salmon habitat![]()
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