UCCE Forest Research and Outreach

09/03/2026

For this next Forest Stewardship workshop, we’re so glad to be collaborating with partners like the Shasta Valley RCD, pictured here at our California Tree School event earlier this year.

As we plan each workshop cohort, our team tailors the curriculum for a certain region. This often means bringing in expertise from local Resource Conservation Districts, CAL FIRE foresters, and Fire Safe Councils. For our upcoming Shasta Forest Stewardship workshop, we are delighted to be working with the organizations listed below so we can bring this resource to the communities of Shasta, Trinity, and Tehama counties.

Thank you to: Western Shasta Resource Conservation District Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District Resource Conservation District of Tehama County Trinity County Fire Safe Council Shasta County Fire Safe Council, UCCE Shasta, and CAL FIRE for making this workshop possible!


Register for the Shasta Forest Stewardship workshop, which will meet online and in person starting September 16, 2026. Join for $75 on link.ucanr.edu/fse-shasta, or inquire about a need-based scholarship by emailing [email protected].

09/03/2026

Don’t just see the forest for the trees: join the next Forest Stewardship Workshop!

During your time as a workshop participant, you won’t just be learning about your forest, you will be laying the groundwork for your forest’s future. By introducing you to cost-share opportunities, local resource groups, and UC ANR academics, we can help you discover what management projects are feasible for your individual parcel. Additionally, as a participant, you will get help with drafting sections of your forest management plan which will outline your goals and objectives for your forestland.

On our Forest Research and Outreach blog, UC ANR Forest Advisor Susie Kocher shared why private landowners should have a plan, saying:

“Owning forestland comes with both benefits and responsibilities. Though landowners may enjoy their land immensely right now, they also need to protect the health of their forest for the future, including the water that runs through it, and the animal and plant habitats that are there. Landowners who live on the land must also consider protecting their families and homes from wildfire, and other natural disturbances. It is much harder to accomplish all of this without knowing what is on the landscape, what has been done to manage it before, and what still needs to be done to achieve these goals. A management plan gathers all of this information in one place and helps to chart next steps.” Read the full interview with Susie here: https://ucanr.edu/blog/forest-research-and-outreach/article/why-now-good-time-think-about-having-plan-manage-your

Register for the Shasta Forest Stewardship workshop, which will meet online and in person starting September 16, 2026. Join for $75 on link.ucanr.edu/fse-shasta, or inquire about a need-based scholarship by emailing [email protected].

08/31/2026

In just two weeks, the Shasta Forest Stewardship workshop cohort will begin. This cohort is our 36th to date!

Throughout this week, we’ll be sharing some important things you should know about our Forest Stewardship workshop series. First up is addressing a common question: Do I need to know anything about forestry to participate in this workshop?

Answer: absolutely not! Over 35 cohorts, we have helped participants understand the basic principles of forest stewardship. The course was created as a resource for the landowner who is starting from scratch but is curious about their forest and how they can keep it healthy. What we hope you bring to the workshop are the observations you have made on your property, what you have discussed with neighbors and family, or maybe some advice you received from a professional in the past.

Are you ready to start learning about your forest? Make sure to register for the Shasta Forest Stewardship workshop, which will meet online and in person starting September 16, 2026. Register for $75 at link.ucanr.edu/fse-shasta, or inquire about a need-based scholarship by emailing [email protected].

08/31/2026

After a wildfire, how can you tell if an area needs to be replanted?

Assess your site and see if there are any living trees. Natural regeneration can only occur when there are living trees nearby to drop seeds. In this picture, high severity fire has killed all nearby seed trees. This means that seedling planting is needed to ensure that the forest will grow back.

Planting can also be necessary when you wish to adjust species composition to increase diversity, or competing vegetation could limit natural regeneration.

This information was taken directly from our Post-Fire Forest Resilience Online Course, which you can access for free. Visit the ‘Reforestation’ section for guidance on species selection, planting, and post-planting activities. Access the course here: https://ucanr.edu/site/forestry-research-and-outreach/pfonlinecourse

08/25/2026

In this heatwave, sometimes it’s better to stay inside…and work on estate planning!

We know, we know- this is probably the least exciting part of being a forest landowner. But August is ‘Make a Will Month’, so we’re bringing back our Forest Legacy program and Estate Planning resources to the forefront of your mind. Find our newsletters and webinar listed below!

Forest Legacy Newsletter: https://ucanr.edu/site/forest-research-and-outreach/document/fsenews0423
Estate Planning Newsletter:https://ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2025-05/Forest%20Stewardship%20Education%20January%202022%20Newsletter%20Estate%20Planning.pdf
Forest Legacy Webinar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJuULpLMLP0
Forest Stewardship Series 22: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/0xg6n8km =231

08/24/2026

UCCE Forest Advisor Yana Valachovic was quoted in coverage of new home hardening regulations outlining some of the negative consequences of wildfire on homeowners and home ownership. The new regulations will require homeowners to reduce the number of shrubs and other vegetation in the area closest to structures (zone zero). Multiple research studies have shown that reducing vegetation in Zone Zero can help protect structures and provide improved access for firefighters who are defending homes.

Read the full article here:

California has adopted the toughest new rules in the country that require homeowners to manage the plants around their houses. Fire experts say it helps protect houses from burning, but public pushback has been strong.

08/21/2026

Join the next Forest Stewardship cohort! Registration is open for the Forest Stewardship Workshop Series, meeting online and in Shasta County starting September 16. Learning materials for this cohort will feature the forest ecology and landowner resources in Shasta and surrounding counties.

Thank you to Western Shasta Resource Conservation District, CAL FIRE, Shasta Valley Resource Conservation District, Resource Conservation District of Tehama County, Trinity County Fire Safe Council, Shasta County Fire Safe Council for collaborating with us to host this community resource!

Register here: https://surveys.ucanr.edu/survey.cfm?surveynumber=28675

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Our Forest Stewardship workshop is for landowners and practitioners curious about managing forests for present and future needs. Learn about forest ecology, fire ecology, and forest management- then apply those skills by drafting a personal Forest Management Plan with expert assistance from our team. All participants who complete the workshop also receive a free site visit with a California Registered Professional Forester, CA Certified Burn Boss, or CA Range Manager!

Workshop Details
When: September 16-November 18, 2026. Weekly Zoom meetings 9/16-11/18 (Wednesdays); one optional in-person field day on Sunday, 10/4.
Where: Online and in-person.
Cost: $75, scholarships available by request.

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08/17/2026

We love spotlighting this awesome program!

08/15/2026

If you’re joining our seedling thinning field day in Plumas, make sure to peruse our most recent newsletter, as it contains important background information on conifer thinning. Want to learn how UC Berkeley developed their conifer thinning protocol? Interested in reforestation resources for your region? What makes early thinning different from pre-commercial thinning?

Get answers to all of these questions and more with our July newsletter, now online! Newsletter link: https://ucanr.edu/site/forest-research-and-outreach/document/fsenews0726

08/14/2026

In a new hydrology paper, University of California researchers found that between 1985-2023, wildfire’s effect on runoff from main California watersheds has increased. By subtracting forest water use from annual precipitation, the authors estimate that by 2023, cumulative burned area resulted in a runoff increase of “5.4 percent of the combined average full-natural flow”.

This study illustrates that support for fuel reduction activities is not just a matter of reducing wildfire risk,- it’s also instrumental for water security. “Linking benefits of fuels treatments to beneficiaries and reducing uncertainty in projected benefits, are central to financing the multi-billion dollar per year need for forest restoration,” noted study co-author and UC Merced Professor Emeritus Roger Bales.

Read UC Merced’s coverage of the study here:

University CommunicationsAugust 4, 2026Wildfires such as the 2021 Dixie Fire have major impacts on the state's water supply. Wildfire is reshaping the forests of California's Sierra Nevada and affecting the water those forests supply to downstream users. A paper published in Hydrology and Earth Syst...