On my tour around UC ANR across California, I had a chance to visit the Hopland REC and the personnel of Mendocino and Lake County. Even with the rain there's no mistaking that it's a beautiful place. I had heard about the sheep flock but learned about some of the work a faculty member has planned and saw, firsthand, the result of Jim Lewer's exceptional animal care. And for the first time I learned about the extent of the forestry work that Kim Rodrigues and a graduate student, Kirsten, are undertaking with blue oaks. As the station of work for Adina Merenlender and Brook Gamble it made perfect sense to talk about the huge success that is the California Naturalist program as well as some of Adina's research. Lawrence Mitchell, a Master Naturalist and volunteer, showed me some of the trees he monitors weekly, demonstrating the importance and interest in citizen science. We also talked Master Gardener with Wendy Roberts and Gabrielle O'Neill, the coordinators for the program in Mendocino and Lake Counties, respectively. Just spending the night in Cloverdale and then driving to Hopland I have an appreciation for the challenges they face in recruiting volunteers and class participants. But poor internet connectivity doesn't stop the ambitious group in this part of California from having a robust web presence, from Gabrielle's Facebook page to the extensive online educational resources that Ryan Keiffer walked us through. If you haven't met Ryan, he's a wealth of information about Hopland and all of the work that is taking place there as well as what work has come before. Not surprising, 4-H clubs are very popular and I stand in awe of how Linda Edington manages to keep track of all that is going on in the 11 clubs across the area.
One thing that became apparent as Shane Feirer talked about the work of IGIS, not just at the Hopland REC but around the state, is that entire team located at Hopland is well connected through UC ANR and UC, in general. And I think that's what it is all about. Each of us, whether we are in a county office, a campus, a REC or one of the UC ANR buildings in Oakland or Davis are essentially a gateway to the entire network of UC ANR. Our external partners and stakeholders benefit not just from those with mailing addresses at any particular location or just from whomever is sitting across the table from them at any particular moment but from the entire UC ANR network through our internal partnerships, networks and resources. The strength and impact of UC ANR doesn't come from the size of the division but from the fact that the outcome of the whole is truly greater than the sum of its parts.
I hope to meet Hannah Bird next time I visit Hopland REC. So far we have exchanged a few emails and I've heard only great things about her.
Heading to the desert later this week. I can't wait to see the Salton Sea after reading so much about it over the years. In the meantime, I need to start thinking about how to finalize one more grants program, yet to be released (matching funds opportunity).
