From the UC Blogosphere...

UC scientist weighs in on climate change on VOA Russia

Common ground in the climate change debate can be found in agreement over the need to adapt to warmer temperatures, said Mark Lubell, a professor in the UC Davis Department of Environmental Science and Policy, during an interview with Rob Sachs of Voice of America Russia edition.

Lubell said there is a wide consensus among scientists that longterm climate models show a warming trend. There is less agreement about the cause of the warming temperatures, but most everyone would support the effort to make communities more resilient to the probable affects of a warmer planet.

Lubell said people need to be ready to adapt to more heat waves, a rising sea level and more fires in arid areas. He also discussed the potential repercussions of climate change on California agriculture.

"Climate change is likely to have a pretty big impact on water availability and the productivity of different types of crops," Lubell said "A farmer who says I'm just going to do what I've always done, 10 years from now might find himself with a much less profitable agricultural enterprise. If they try to change crops and the ways they manage their crop to be more in sync with climate change, they may be able to maintain their enterprise and profitability at the levels that they want."

Adapting to climate change is critical whether one believes it's human caused or not.

Are Bees Finding the 'Zen' in Zinnias?

Eye-catching zinnias grace the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, the half-acre bee friendly garden planted in the fall...

Honey bee nectaring on a zinnia in the Haagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee nectaring on a zinnia in the Haagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee foraging on a zinnia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Honey bee foraging on a zinnia. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Circling a zinnia blossom, a honey bee seeks food for her colony. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Circling a zinnia blossom, a honey bee seeks food for her colony. (Photo by Kathy Keatley Garvey)

Dahlias are Knocking our Socks Off!

If you have visited any of the local garden centers during the past month, you may have noticed the most amazing variety of...

Dying Redwoods?

It's always in the summertime that we get inundated in calls at the Helpline about dying redwoods.  I was just going...

Regional Trainings: Another benefit from the Statewide Master Gardener Program (Part IV)

To provide continuing education for Master Gardeners, the Statewide Master Gardener Program provides regional trainings.  An example is the Advanced IPM Training being offered next week in Davis, CA.  Trainings like these are always popular and serve as a place for Master Gardeners to learn new things, refine their skills, interact with University of California scientists, and meet other gardeners.  By promoting activities where Master Gardeners learn together, the Statewide Master Gardener Program ensures that Master Gardeners are up-to-date with the most recent research recommendations from the University of California.

The next set of regional training sessions will be the Edible Landscaping series.  In this training, Master Gardeners will learn the ins and outs of incorporating edibles into their landscapes.  The training includes planning and design, policies, maintenance, harvest and storage, and food safety.  Attendees will then be certified to teach others in Edible Landscaping practices - a skill that is in high demand.

Master Gardeners might recall attending the Sustainable Landscape Train the Trainer series two years ago.  The Statewide Master Gardener program surveyed the people who were subsequently trained by Master Gardeners and we found some wonderful things!  For example, 77% of the people who did not compost at the time of training indicated that they had started composting after three months!  That is a significant change in their behavior that definitely leads to a more sustainable California.  In addition to composting, over 40% more people began leaving portions of their gardens undisturbed for wildlife, 20% of those surveyed began using better irrigation techniques, and just over 10% planted drought tolerant plants.  These examples are just a handful of the practices that were influenced by the Sustainable Landscape classes.  

Together, through these classes, the Master Gardeners and the Statewide Master Gardener Program are making a difference!  See you soon at one of the Edible Landscape Training sessions!

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