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Introducing our new YGPBC Coordinator; Laura Wisdom!
We are excited to introduce Laura Wisdom, our new Coordinator for the Yosemite Gateway Prescribed Burn Cooperative serving Mariposa and Madera counties.
She brings a background in wildland firefighting, fire ecology, prescribed fire, hydrology and outdoor recreation to the position after having worked for the Forest Service and National Parks Service in Yosemite and Northern California forests.
Laura is passionate about bringing community members together to find practical solutions for mitigating wildfire risk, helping each other practice safe and effective prescribed fire, and having fun while doing it.
In her free time, Laura can be found out in the mountains, running, paddling and hiking with her dogs.
To contact Laura and learn more about the Yosemite Gateway Prescribed Burn Cooperative, please email her at lwisdom@ucanr.edu
Introducing our new Regenerative Agriculture Farm Advisor; Sara Rosenberg!
![SaraR SaraR](http://ucanr.edu/sites/Mariposa/files/397454display.png)
We are very excited to introduce the Regenerative Agriculture Farm Advisor, Sara Rosenberg, who will be based in Mariposa and covering Merced and Stanislaus counties. Sara graduated from the University of California Davis with a master’s in International Agriculture Development and a PhD in Horticulture and Agronomy. Her disciplinary focuses are agroecology, sustainable nutrient management, and extension research and methodology. Her past research centers on understanding the implications of diversification (with a focus on crop rotations and cover crops), for California rice systems. Her master’s program thesis implemented a county wide assessment to learn from rice growers about their experiences with crop rotations and understand barriers to adoption, opportunities, and required resources for successful implementation. Furthermore, this two-year study engaged grower communities to help develop future research goals she undertook in her PhD. Her doctorates research explored how different summer crop rotations affect multiple sustainability factors including soil health, crop yields, weeds, input use, and economics. She also assessed different cover crop species performance in rice environments and their carbon and nitrogen contributions.
Prior to her PhD, she worked for more than three years in the Peace Corps as an Agriculture Advisor. She worked closely with small holder farmers in West Africa implementing conservation agriculture programs and increasing agriculture resilience in both annual crops and tree crops, mainly in the cashew forestry sector. Beyond this, she has more than eight years of experience working on farms throughout California and ran her own small, diversified farm for the last two years in Woodland.
She is passionate about community lead development and using participatory research as a powerful tool for developing sustainable solutions. Her aim is to develop programming that will support a wide range of farm types, including commercial and small-scale, organic and conventional, annual crops, tree and vine crops, and livestock production systems. Programmatic goals include developing a robust research program aimed at assessing farm sustainability impact across agronomic, ecological, social, and economic factors; developing collaborative projects to support farmers in overcoming barriers to adoption of regenerative practices and builds upon their capacity to further sustainability goals, and develop and promote tested integrative management practices that increase climate resilience and ecosystem sustainability across diverse farming environments.
UCCE Mariposa County
Across California, the University of California’s 64 Cooperative Extension offices are local problem-solving centers. We are the bridge between local issues and the power of UC research. Our county-based staff is part of the community – we live and work in the areas we serve.
More than 300 campus-based specialists and county-based farm, home and youth advisors work as teams to bring practical, unbiased, science-based answers to solve problems across California.
As part of the agricultural community, we help farmers develop more-efficient growing methods, solve pest management problems and develop crops and irrigation methods that use less water.
As stewards of the land, we help develop smart water-use strategies, develop wildfire education and help preserve natural areas and farmland.
As advocates for healthy communities, we promote healthy diets and exercise for better health, and help shape the citizens of tomorrow through the 4-H Youth Development Program.
And thousands of volunteers extend the reach of our work through the Master Gardener Program and the California 4-H Youth Development Program.
We work in full partnership with federal, state, county and private resources.
We are stewards, problem-solvers, catalysts, collaborators and educators.
We are UC Cooperative Extension.
Survey Invitation- The Role of Woody Biomass in Agriculture, Ranching, and Gardening
Woody biomass refers to non-merchantable components from trees and plants. Some examples of woody biomass include post-harvesting residuals like branches and bark, small-diameter trees, shrubs, saw dust from lumber manufacturing, and woody chips from thinning practices. Features such as water-holding capacity and carbon sequestration makes wood a natural soil amendment in agriculture, ranching, and gardening. Common uses of woody biomass include mulching, livestock bedding, landscaping, and biochar production. Studies have shown that using woody biomass helps improve soil nutrient, conserve water, and prevent soil and wind erosion. An abundance of woody biomass and wood wastes is available in the Central Sierra region. Exploring the value of these resources will encourage hazardous fuel reduction and benefit communities by optimizing the use of local resources.
If you are a rancher, forest landowner, farmer, grower, or someone interested in knowing more about woody biomass applications, please take this opportunity to fill out this survey on the role of woody biomass in improving the agriculture and livestock systems. Your responses will help UCCE provide the most relevant resources and materials that are suitable for your community. For questions, please contact cxnchen@ucanr.edu.
Thank you for your time!
Best,
Cindy Chen
Calendar of Events
Event Name | Date |
---|---|
Council Budget and Calendar Meeting | 8/5/2024 |
Barn Clean Up & Ice Cream Social | 8/24/2024 |
Mariposa County Fair | 8/30/2024 |
Jr. Livestock Auction | 9/1/2024 |
Bake Cookies for Ironstone | 9/21/2024 |
Ironstone Concours d'Elegance | 9/28/2024 |
ICES Children's Fair | 9/29/2024 |
2024-2025 4-H Program Year Begins | 10/1/2024 |
Contact Information
UCCE Mariposa County
5009 Fairgrounds Road
Mariposa, CA 95338-9435
(209) 966-2417 Phone
Director:
Fadzayi Mashiri, PhD.
https://www.facebook.com/UCCE-Mariposa-108564404110359/
https://twitter.com/UCCEMariposa
Partners: