Last week, Erin Marnocha, our new Vice Provost for Research and Program Integration, Daniel Obrist, Vice Provost for Academic Personnel and Development, and I visited our UC Cooperative Extension colleagues in Placer, Nevada, Plumas and Sierra counties. Thanks to Michele Fisch, UCCE area director, who organized our visit.
We had a great trip. Everyone we spoke with along the way had positive things to say about UC Cooperative Extension.
We started in Plumas County, meeting with community partners Resource Conservation District and the U.S. Forest Service at UC Berkeley's Forestry Camp. Then we ate lunch with UCCE advisors and staff and Plumas County Planning Director Tracey Ferguson.
In the afternoon, we met with Plumas and Sierra county supervisors and community partners at the Sierraville School.
In Placer County, we met with the ag commissioner, county supervisors and other county leaders, then visited the UC Master Gardener demonstration garden in Loomis. Since its March 2024 ribbon cutting, the demonstration garden at Loomis Library and Learning Center has reduced water use by 24%, reported Placer County Water Agency staff. They expect the water savings to increase as plants get established. To help share the garden as a community resource, Placer County Water Agency has produced a video featuring the UC Master Gardeners’ efforts: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YTKpJK2XeI.
In Nevada County, we met with county leadership and discussed economic and community development. We only had time for a quick tour of the UC Master Gardener Demo Garden and UCCE office in Grass Valley before heading to Kramer Ranch to see a prescribed burn project. It's a partnership between UC ANR, the local conservation district, CALFIRE and the ranch owners. We discussed the role of fire to address noxious weeds such as goat weed – an untreated portion of the ground has plenty of it.
Below are photos from our visit in Nevada County learning about UC ANR’s work on prescribed burning at the Kramer Ranch.
We are extremely grateful for the time and effort that everyone put into our visits and it was great getting feedback on our people and programs. We look forward to more visits in the new year.