UCCE Forest Research and Outreach

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...

08/13/2026

Another fact sheet on Giant Sequoias is now available: this one focuses on post-fire management. This two pager will help you decide next steps immediately after the fire, the first few years post-fire, and long-term.

When a high severity wildfire burns through a grove of Giant sequoia trees, a primary concern is regeneration potential. The good news is that with proactive management, a patch of forestland affected by high-severity fire has the potential to foster a new generation of giant sequoias.

Want to learn more? Visit the “Post-fire Considerations for the Management of Giant Sequoia” fact sheet on our website here: https://ucanr.edu/site/forest-research-and-outreach/document/pfcmgs

08/11/2026

There’s a new addition to our fact sheet family (say that three times fast) and it’s about giant sequoia damage post-fire. This fact sheet describes how managers can:
● Assess the level of damage on a tree
● Monitor potential mortality
● And decide whether or not to remove a giant sequoia

Find the fact sheet on our website here: https://ucanr.edu/site/forest-research-and-outreach/document/post-fire-factsheet-giant-sequoia-damage-and-mortality

08/07/2026

If you have oaks on your property, be sure to tread carefully: summer branch drop season is here.

Summer branch drop is a phenomenon where large tree branches will drop without warning. Drought stress may contribute to limb failure, but branch drop has also been known to occur to both unirrigated and irrigated oaks. However, there are steps you can take to mitigate hazards:
● Shorten and lighten long horizontal branches on mature trees
● Prune damaged or sickly limbs that have decay or cavities
● Avoid parking cars (and yourself!) underneath older, susceptible trees

Learn more about branch drop on the UC ANR website here: https://ucanr.edu/blog/real-dirt/article/summer-branch-drop-oaks

08/07/2026

Did you know that in 2026, the team at CAL FIRE’s Reforestation Center sowed over 280,000 seedlings? This and other news about reforestation are all in the most recent newsletter from the L.A Moran Reforestation Center!

This edition features information about cone season kickoff, how landowners can request seedlings, and upcoming volunteer opportunities. Find the full newsletter here: https://calfire.app.box.com/s/mcf1g4x8aqg5sjrcl4nel5holhyjnl3l/file/2388510736640