College of Natural Resources, UC Berkeley

Sally Jewell, President and CEO of REI, delivers the Fall 2009 Horace M. Albright Lecture in Conservation.

Given October 1, 2009, at the University of California, Berkeley.

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 9:40 PM | Permalink

Come back to Cal on October 2-4! You can register online and then check out who's coming.

Be sure to check out these fascinating lectures by CNR professors:

Friday, October 2

John Taylor, Professor of Plant and Microbial Biology 9:30-10:30 am Banatao Auditorium, Sutardja Dai Hall

Some fungi specialize as parasites of animals, including humans. Two such species, Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii, cause valley fever, a potentially fatal flu-like illness that mostly affects rural residents in the Southwest. This seminar will focus on how we have found genes that show evidence of natural selection and might be important to preventing or treating the disease.

"The Buzz on Bees: Why We Need Them for Our Health"

Claire Kremen, Associate Professor, Environmental Science, Policy, and Management
Bechtel Engineering Center Sibley Auditorium
2:00 - 3:00 pm

We rely on animal pollinators for 30 percent of our food supply, but what is happening to the bees? One of 20,000 bee species worldwide, honey bees are facing such problems as Colony Collapse Disorder, making them disappear from where we need them most. While many other species can contribute to crop pollination and thus human food security and well-being, we must adopt sustainable farming practices that provide good habitats and ensure that bee communities will thrive.

Saturday, October 3

Maximilian Auffhammer, Associate Professor, Agriculture & Resource Economics/International & Area Studies Banatao Auditorium, Sutardja Dai Hall 11:30 - 12:30 pm

Environmental economists have attempted to gain a better understanding of past, current, and future greenhouse gas emissions by studying emissions from developing versus developed countries. Professor Auffhammer will discuss how they can predict and comprehend the impacts of climate change and how these effects will influence current and future environmental policy.

"Aging: Genetic Regulation and Dietary Intervention"

Danica Chen, Assistant Professor, Department of Nutritional Science and Toxicology
Barrows Hall Lipman Room
1:00 - 2:00 pm

Can we slow aging and prevent age-related diseases? This seminar will explore the latest development on how genetic factors and diet regulate the aging process, and how small molecules are designed to prevent age-related diseases. Taking a pill a day to slow aging may not be a fairy tale after all.

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 9:58 PM | Permalink

The 2009 Horace Albright Lecture in Conservation

Greg Moore, Executive Director of the Golden Gate National Parks Conservancy, discusses a pioneering model of community engagement and volunteerism in the stewardship of our Bay Area national parks and its implications for global conservation.

Posted by Cyril at 3:50 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

David Roland-Holst, professor of Agricultural and Resource Economics at UC Berkeley's College of Natural Resources, will speak on Climate Action, Adaptation, & Job Creation in America: Lessons from California at a special event for Washington, D.C.-area alumni and friends of the College of Natural Resources.

As the U.S. economy sinks deeper into crisis and the outlook for a warming planet looks ever bleaker, many pundits and politicians have pinned their hopes on a new, “green” vision of economic recovery. Are these hopes realistic or just rhetoric?

California's experience suggests that there need not be a tradeoff between economic growth and environmental progress, and the state offers lessons for a new generation of national policy.

David Roland-Holst, a leading scholar of California policy, will present his analysis of links between energy efficiency and job creation, as well as a broad assessment of the climate risk and adaptive responses that offer employment‐intensive investment opportunities.

Roland-Holst is one of the world’s leading authorities on economic, energy, and climate policy modeling. He has extensive research experience in economics related to environment, development, agriculture, and international trade, authoring three books and over 100 articles and chapters in professional journals and books. Professor Roland-Holst has served in several academic posts in the United States, Europe, and Asia and has conducted research in over 40 countries, working with many public institutions including a variety of federal and state agencies. Most recently, his research has been central to the passage, design and implementation of California’s groundbreaking Global Warming Solutions Act.

RSVP by February 20, 2009 by calling (510) 643-1051 or emailing brittsan@nature.berkeley.edu

Continue reading "Climate Action, Adaptation, & Job Creation in America:
Lessons from California" »

Posted by Cyril at 1:39 PM | Permalink

Attention CNR Academics & Staff:

Registration is now open for the ANR Statewide Conference, “Defining Our Future: Putting Science to Work in an Interconnected World,” at the Sacramento Doubletree on April 27-30, 2009.

UC President Mark Yudof, Regent Fred Ruiz and VP Dooley will open the conference.

Conference topics include the ANR strategic plan and the road map for ANR to achieve its vision for 2025.

There will also be advocacy training sessions and breakout sessions on ANR programs. A reception for state legislators, legislative staff and other decision makers will showcase ANR programs and California agricultural products.

Posted by Cyril at 5:35 PM | Permalink

On Dec. 11, CNR hosted "Creating Fine Wines on a Warming Planet," a panel discussion on the future of the wine industry in the face of global warming. The panel featured College faculty Miguel Altieri, professor of agroecology, and Kent Daane, CE specialist in insect biology, as well as industry experts David Graves, co-founder of Saintsbury Vineyard, and Caleb Mosley, viticulturist at Ridge Vineyards. The panel discussion was followed by a special wine-tasting event.

Panelists discussed current practices in and research on traditional, organic and biodynamic agriculture. They also assessed vineyard responses to scarce water, fluctuating fuel costs, pests and changing weather patterns, all of which will have enormous impacts on California's wine industry as the climate warms.

Continue reading "Sustaining the Harvest: Creating Fine Wines on a Warming Planet" »

Posted by Cyril at 11:05 AM | Permalink

Professor Garrison Sposito (ESPM-Ecosystem Sciences) was one of 15 scientists and engineers honored in a special symposium of the American Chemical Society, entitled “Legends of Environmental Chemistry,” at its fall, 2008 annual meeting in Philadelphia.

Sposito is internationally recognized for his research on environmental aqueous geochemistry applied to terrestrial ecosystems, soils, and aquifers. His hundreds of publications and books in this area mark him as the world's foremost authority on surface coordination chemistry and transport in porous media. He is a Foreign Member of the French Academy of Agriculture, Horton Medal winner from the American Geophysical Union, and a Highly-Cited Researcher in the area of Ecology and the Environment by the Institute for Scientific Information.

Each “legend” presented a 50-minute talk on his or her professional accomplishments that was videotaped for archiving by the Chemical Heritage Foundation. The talks are available to teachers and others interested in the history of environmental chemistry.

Other symposium speakers included Nobel Chemistry Laureate Sherwood Rowland, atmospheric scientist John Seinfeld, and water chemists Charles O’Melia and René Schwarzenbach.

The American Chemical Society is the world’s largest scientific organization.

Posted by Cyril at 4:17 PM | Permalink

This summer, 40 environmental professionals from around the world once again converged in Berkeley to attend the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program (ELP). This certificate program in sustainable environmental management links participants to state-of-the-art environmental and natural resource science and policy training.

Participant Liliya Smialkova, of Belarus and Italy, sums up the ELP this way: "They say that in order to make a change, one doesn't need to change the circumstances but to change his or her point of view. I feel that I have new eyes now."

Continue reading "Beahrs ELP 2008" »

Posted by Cyril at 3:00 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

Dr. Rajiv Shah, director of Agricultural Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, delivers an overview of the Foundation’s programs that addressing global poverty and hunger, and a panel of experts from the College of Natural Resources responds by discussing the challenges and opportunities to improving the lives of smallholder farmers and their families through philanthropy, technology, and policy. With questions from the audience.

Posted by Cyril at 3:59 PM | Permalink| Comments (0)

Congratulations to the 2008 Recipients of the CNR Awards.

l-r: Louise Ozawa, Professor Carolyn Merchant, Professor Barbara Allen-Diaz (representing Mr. Russell Rustici, who was unable to attend), and Professor Sofia Villas-Boas

Russell Rustici, Civil Engineering '48, was honored with the CNR Citation. This is the College's highest award, honoring individuals, couples, groups or organizations such as donors, volunteers, alumni, advisory board members, or friends of the College who have made extraordinary contributions to the CNR community. Recipients are honored for their extraordinary commitment of time, sharing their expertise, advocacy and outreach, and/or private support to the College, its students, and its programs. The Citation recognizes those who have made a significant impact and have demonstrated an exceptional commitment the mission of the College.

The other 2008 CNR Award winners are:

Professor Carolyn Merchant
Career Achievement Award

Professor Sofia Villas-Boas
Young Faculty/CE Specialist Award

Louise Meyer Ozawa
Staff Recognition Award

Posted by Cyril at 10:20 AM | Permalink

Graduation day is a significant and memorable event in one's life time. It marks a transition from one phase of life to another. It is, therefore, an immense privilege for me to be here today, to celebrate with you this significant day for the graduands, faculty, administration and parents.

Congratulations to all of you!

Continue reading "Commencement address by Dr. Florence Wambugu, CEO, Africa Harvest" »

Posted by Cyril at 12:00 PM | Permalink

Public curiosity about bees kept UC Berkeley graduate student Alex Harmon-Threatt on her toes at an annual wildflower festival at the Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness, south of Livermore, on April 7. Kids and adults alike peered through her magnifying glass at a collection of native wild bee species on display: bumblebees, mining bees, sunflower bees, leaf-cutter bees, yellow-faced bees — even bees that "land on you lightly and drink your sweat," she told incredulous young visitors.

Continue reading "Bees keep her busy as a, well, a bee" »

Posted by Cyril at 2:45 PM | Permalink

October 25, 2006
4:00-5:30pm
Andersen Auditorium at Haas Business School

Biomimicry is a design discipline that seeks sustainable solutions by emulating nature's time-tested patterns and strategies, e.g., a solar cell inspired by a leaf. The goal is to create products, processes, and policies---new ways of living---that are well-adapted to life on earth over the long haul.

Janine Benyus, the author of Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature, will describe what's new in the field, describe deep patterns of biological design, and engage us in a discussion of what's possible when we invite nature to the design table.

Continue reading "The Whale and the Wind Turbine: Biomimicry in Design" »

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 8:52 AM | Permalink

This year's Homecoming Celebration, October 6-8, will feature faculty and alumni lectures on "new dimensions in human health," "the foodie landscape in the Bay Area," "40 years of change in forest ownership," and "California's water future."

Continue reading "Homecoming is Oct. 6-8 ...check out these CNR events" »

Posted by Cyril at 4:43 PM | Permalink

On July 15, the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program wrapped up its sixth annual summer course.

The course is an intensive, hands-on summer training program at UC Berkeley that brings 40 mid-career environmental leaders from developed and developing nations together for workshops on topics including environmental management and policy; clean energy options; leadership for sustainable development; population, poverty and the environment; and conflict management.

Continue reading "Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program wraps up 6th annual summer course" »

Posted by Cyril at 1:09 PM | Permalink

The College of Natural Resources was delighted to organize a recent volunteer effort with Habitat for Humanity East Bay on April 29. The building site was located in Livermore, with an area of about twelve homes, several of which were already completed and inhabited by families.

Continue reading "College volunteers pitch in for Habitat for Humanity" »

Posted by Cyril at 11:06 AM | Permalink

Eleven eminent scientists will speak on Friday, April 28 on topical energy issues at this day-long symposium honoring their colleague, California Energy Commissioner, UC Berkeley Professor Emeritus, and energy efficiency pioneer Arthur H. Rosenfeld, on the occasion of his 80th birthday. Rosenfeld has also just received the prestigious Enrico Fermi Award (press release here).

Sessions of The "Rosenfeld Effect" Energy Symposium will discuss the role of increased energy efficiency in California, in China, and on a global scale; the intersection of energy and safe drinking water in the developing world; the twin challenges of mitigating climate change and sustaining orderly markets in fluid fuels; how to turn good science into good politics; and defining, predicting, and coping with global warming.

View the full program.

8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Friday, April 28
Sibley Auditorium, UC Berkeley

This event has reached full capacity. However, it will be webcast live at http://webcast.berkeley.edu/events/details.php?webcastid=15730

Contact Adrienne Hink with questions.

Posted by Cyril at 4:29 PM | Permalink

Dean Paul Ludden and the College of Natural Resources are very happy to announce the awardees for this year's CNR Citation, Young Faculty/CE Specialist, and Staff Recognition Awards.

Congratulations to:

• Bob Heald, winner of the 2006 CNR Citation
• Max Moritz, winner of the 2006 Young Faculty/CE Specialist Award
• Nancy Schimmelman and Brian McClendon, winners of the 2006 CNR Staff Recognition Award!

Please join us at the annual CNR Awards Ceremony which will be held on Thursday, May 11, from 3-5pm at the Alumni House. If you will attend, please RSVP to geralyn@nature.berkeley.edu.

The selection committees would like to thank you for all of the nominations received. With so many great nominations, the selection process was difficult!

A special thanks to committee chairs: Barbara Allen-Diaz, Peter Quail, and Gail Vawter; and committee members: Kathryn Baldwin, Len Bjeldanes, Inez Fung, Cici Hyde, Maggi Kelly, Monica Lin, Sandy Purcell, Steve Ruzin, Robin Scott, Dave Sunding, Chris Vulpe, Steve Welter, and Alix Zwane.

Posted by Cyril at 4:19 PM | Permalink

Politics, Fires, Carbon and Conversions

Everyone loves forests, but have we loved them too much? Public misconceptions threaten forest health and ownership, while climate change is the gorilla in the corner. Can political stalemates be unlocked? Are policy changes possible?

A seminar by Andrea Tuttle, visiting CNR faculty member and former director of California's Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection

Posted by Cyril at 10:49 AM | Permalink

Cal Day 2006 is Saturday, April 22, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
For more information on Cal Day, visit www.berkeley.edu/calday

Join the College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley's annual open house. Our undergraduate advisors and many current students will be on hand to answer all your questions, and we'll also be hosting many special events, such as information sessions on "Life as a CNR Student," a fun lecture on "Science in the Movies," workshops on choosing a biology or social science major, an exposition of CNR student groups, an undergraduate research poster display, and lots more.

Check out the full schedule of CNR Cal Day events...

Continue reading "CNR's Exciting Lineup of Cal Day Events" »

Posted by Cyril at 1:23 PM | Permalink

March 15, 3 p.m.
277 Cory Hall
Presented by the College of Natural Resources and the LBNL Helios Project

Even if all consumers and retailers insisted on buying and selling only non-toxic materials, today's manufacturers would only be able to produce a fraction of current goods using non-hazardous materials. The limiting factor is current knowledge of materials science and chemistry.

"Green Chemistry" seeks to reduce or eliminate our reliance on hazardous materials. In this lecture, University of Massachusetts Professor John Warner, the founding theorist and practitioner of the field, will discuss opportunities for a new generation of materials designers to create a safer future.

For more information contact Dana Smirin, smirin@nature.berkeley.edu .

Posted by Cyril at 9:58 AM | Permalink

The College of Natural Resources at UC Berkeley presents a free lecture and reception with CNR alumna Terri Thomas, Director of Cultural and Natural Resources at the Presidio Trust

Weds, March 22
6 to 8 p.m.

The Ventana Room
Golden Gate Club
The Presidio
San Francisco

Seating is limited. Please RSVP by March 21 to geralyn@nature.berkeley.edu
(510) 642-6707

Read more about Terri Thomas in the Fall 2005 issue of Breakthroughs magazine.

Posted by Cyril at 11:48 AM | Permalink

The first joint undergraduate poster session with CNR and the College of Engineering was a hit with students, faculty, and staff.

Taking on the theme of Natural Bridges: Different Perspectives, Common Goals, the forum gave students in a variety of disciplines to showcase their work, which ranged from projects in progress, to completed honors projects.

See photos and read more about the projects

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 9:26 AM | Permalink

by National Science Foundation

Rosemary Gillespie, professor of Insect Biology in ESPM, is one of 10 individuals who were awarded the 2005 Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) on Nov. 16. The award includes a $10,000 grant for continued mentoring work.

Gillespie, who is also director of Berkeley's Exploring California Biodiversity outreach program, was recognized primarily for her work on ways in which Native Pacific Island students can be encouraged to participate in the stewardship of island biology. She continues to build linkages between cutting-edge biology research and the local environment of Pacific-Islander students, presenting her students with opportunities to investigate careers in environmental science and conservation biology.

For Gillespie, mentoring can be a critical intervention. She has involved her students in hands-on and insightful activities through which they learn about their ecological communities. Because comparatively few projects address the Native Pacific Island population, her efforts focus on tracking students and documenting retention of students.

PAESMEM honors individuals and institutions that have enhanced the participation of underrepresented groups--such as women, minorities and people with disabilities--in science, mathematics and engineering education at all levels. Since its inception in 1996, the PAESMEM program has recognized 97 individuals and 68 institutions. Each year's awardees add to the recognition of a widening network of outstanding mentors in the United States, assuring that tomorrow's scientists and engineers will better represent the nation's diverse population.

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 9:33 AM | Permalink

Networking events can really help students with their career choices, and those who attended the Environmental Alumni & Students Mixer on Sept. 30 certainly got their share of information and resources.

Over 50 students were introduced to environmental professionals who are making a difference and who were willing to answer career questions and provide support and encouragement.

Sponsored jointly by the Career Center, College of Natural Resources Student Affairs, and the Berkeley Environmental Alumni Network (BEAN), this event could inspire a new Homecoming tradition in CNR!

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 10:29 AM | Permalink

Friday, Sept. 30, 2005
5:00-7:00 PM
114 Morgan Hall (Lounge & Patio)

All students and alumni invited for some fun and information!

Come chat with Berkeley alumni who are working in the multi-faceted environmental field. Find out what alums are doing and what advice they have for students who want to work in the environmental field. Light refreshments will be served.

Co-sponsors: Career Center, BEAN (Berkeley Environmental Alumni Network) & College of Natural Resources
LIST OF ALUMNI ATTENDING:

Emily Sadigh
(Formerly Harvard Green Campus Initiative)
Institutional greening

Emily Lee
Program Associate
Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security
BA Environmental Sciences

William Hull
Program Officer
Consultative Group on Biological Diversity
BS Bioresource Sciences
MA Public Private Management Yale
Environmental Philanthropy, Association Management

Heidi Melander
Senior Associate
Brown, Vence & Associates
BS Conservation Resource Studies
Waste Management/Recycling/Zero Waste

David Jaber
Natural Logic
MS Environmental Engineering
Sustainability, strategy, waste prevention,
energy-efficiency, and performance metrics

Ian Hart
Communications Director
Pacific Institute
MA Public Policy
Environmental Policy & Communications

Garth Schultz
Recycling Coordinator-Fremont/ Allied Waste Services
BS Environmental Sciences, Minor Public Policy
Recycling, Waste Management, Fundraising, Political Organizing, Activism

Alexis Petru
Waste Prevention Specialist
City of El Cerrito
BA Anthropology 2003
Nonprofit and public sector, solid waste and recycling

Robin Lee
Water Resource Engineer
Brown and Caldwell
MS Environmental Engineering
Water Resources

Howard Chong
Grad Student, Agriculture & Resource Economics
UCB
BS, EECS/MSE
PhD student Agriculture & Resource Economics
Water, economics, public policy

David Behnken
Staff Engineer
Geomatrix Consultants
BS Environmental Engineering & Science (2003)
Environmental Systems Engineer

Bryan Turner
Project Geologist
Geomatrix Consultants
MS Environmental Engineering. BA Geology
Environmental Consulting

Tegan Churcher Hoffmann
Principal
T.C. Hoffmann & Associates
BS CRS, MA/PhD Geography
Protected Area management, monitoring and evaluation, sustainable tourism, coastal issues, International

Jeff Tudd
Hydraulic Engineer
WRECO
BA Environmental Sciences
Water Resources, Hydrology, Wetland Restoration/Creation, Fish Passage, Bridge Design Hydraulics, Flood Control, Drainage Design, Stormwater Quality, Erosion Control, and Design of Storm Drain, Sewer, and Water Systems.

Robin Bedell-Waite
Green Business Program Coordinator
Contra Costa County Hazardous Materials
MA City & Regional Planning, MA Public Health
Pollution Prevention & Program Development, Green Business

Michael Baefsky
Environmental Consultant
Baefsky & Associates
BS Pest Management
Integrated Pest Management, Arborculture, Eco-soils management

Margaret Chang
Permit Manager
US Army Corps of Engineers (not the military)
BS Molecular Environmental Biology
Regulatory, Policy, Federal government

Rafael Friedmann
Sr. Policy Analyst
PG&E
Strategic Research & Evaluation, Customer Energy Efficiency Dept.
PhD Energy & Resources Group
BA Energy Engineering, solar energy U. Autonoma Metropolitana: MSc Mech Engineering, Israel Institute of Technology
Energy efficiency, renewables, public governance

Bill Monsen
Principal
MRW & Associates
BS Engineering Physics UCB, MS Mechanical Eng U Wisconsin-Madison
Electric utilities, development of electric generating facilities, utility rates, utility regulatory policy

Tami Cosio
Environmental Scientist
Stillwater Sciences
BS Env Sciences 2001
Channel surveying, avian surveys, invertebrate sampling and floodplain restoration projects

Ryan Peek
Fisheries & Wildlife Biologist
Stillwater Sciences
BS Wildlife, Fisheries & Conservation Bio, UC Davis 2002
Herpetology, Ichthyology, Stream Ecology)

Wiley Osborn
Freelance GIS Programmer
Former Employer: Contra Costa Community Development Dept
BA Geography

Rachel Balsley
Program Manager
StopWaste.Org (Alameda County Recyling Board)
BS BioResource Science
Waste prevention, recycling, solid waste management and environmentally preferable purchasing

Han-Bin Liang
President
WRECO
PhD Civil Engineering
Area of Expertise: Water Resources, Hydrology, Wetland Restoration/Creation, Fish Passage, Bridge Design Hydraulics, Flood Control, Drainage Design, Stormwater Quality, Erosion Control, and Design of Storm Drain, Sewer, and Water Systems.

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 9:40 AM | Permalink

On September 16, 2005, the College of Natural Resources celebrated Amadeo Peter Giannini's foresight and his generosity to the University of California and to agriculture in California and throughout the world.

The Giannini Foundation of Agricultural Economics was established in 1928 through the gift of $1.5 million dollars from Amadeo Peter Giannini, founder of the Bank of America. One third of the gift was designated to construct Giannini Hall and the remaining two thirds was used to establish the Giannini Foundation, which supports the Giannini Libraries and research on agricultural economics at the University of California.

Continue reading "CNR Celebrates 75th Anniversary of the Construction of Giannini Hall" »

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 10:34 AM | Permalink

by UC Division of Agriculture & Natural Resources

A largely unmanaged forest in Mexico holds lessons for improving the health of California wildlands, according to UC Berkeley fire science professor Scott Stephens.

His twice yearly research expeditions to the unspoiled Sierra de San Pedro Martir have convinced him that the forest management plans in California should be revised to improve the ecosystem’s resilience to insects, diseases, drought and catastrophic fires.

For seven years, Stephens has studied the Jeffrey Pine-mixed conifer forests in the mountainous national park of Baja California, named after the Christian martyr St. Peter. The mountain range is connected to the Laguna and San Jacinto Mountains of southwest California. The flora and fauna are similar to Southern California and eastern Sierra Nevada forests. The greatest difference is the time of the forests’ fire seasons. The majority of fires occur in summer in the Mexican forests, but fires are more common in California forests in the late summer and fall.

“When you are over there, with all the familiar shrubs and soils and trees, sometimes you have to remind yourself you’re in Mexico,” Stephens said.

A large portion of the 100,000-acre Mexican forest has never been harvested and has survived through centuries of natural fire cycles, making it a living example of what many California forests would be without the exploitive logging practices of earlier generations, fragmentation by development and disruption of natural fire cycles.

Fires burned naturally in Sierra San Pedro Martir

Until 1970, there was no fire suppression at all in the Sierra de San Pedro Martir. Today, only eight people are assigned to put out blazes by going in when smoke is spotted and cutting a line around the fire. In contrast, most California forest fires are managed aggressively with armies of firefighters, sophisticated equipment, helicopters and air tankers.

Vacation homes, developed camp grounds, lavish lodges, museums and shopping centers are not to be found in Mexico’s Martir. In California, many mountain areas have become populous tourist destinations. Twelve thousand people live in the vicinity of Big Bear Lake, where a local Web site, http://bigbear.us, claims there are more Mexican restaurants per capita than in the average Baja peninsula city. The population at Mammoth Lakes, on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range, is nearly 8,000 year round. The average cabin in Lake Arrowhead, known locally as the Alps of Southern California, costs more than $200,000.

Another influence on current California forest ecosystem is historical timber harvesting practices. Some 125 years ago, California and Nevada pioneers began logging the eastern Sierra Nevada and the San Jacinto, San Bernardino and Laguna mountains for mining and development.

“In the late 19th century, most of the trees in the eastern Sierra Nevada were used to support silver mining,” Stephens said. “The logging that took place before early Californians understood sustainable timber harvest practices created huge disturbances in the forest ecosystems that still affect those forests today.”

Differences are profound

The differences Stephens and his staff have seen in the never-touched and frequently burned Mexican forests compared to California’s fire-suppressed and highly developed forests, Stephens said, are striking.

For example, in the early 2000s, following a few years of drought, the Southern California mountain landscape was dominated by dead trees, which had succumbed to native bark beetle attacks. The Mexican mountains experienced the same drought, but many more trees were able to survive the bark beetle onslaught. Further, in 2003, a 10,000-acre wildfire took place in the Mexican range.

“We’ve been working in that wildfire area,” Stephens said. “Even though the trees were incredibly stressed by drought, less than 4 percent of the over story trees are dying. At the end of the drought in California, even without the fire, many more trees were dead. Martir has resiliency that we don’t see anywhere in California.”

Stephens attributes the resiliency to the Mexican forest’s diversity. When Stephens and his staff surveyed the forest, they were able to calculate average numbers of dead snags, old-growth trees, saplings and downed wood on the forest floor over large areas, but individual plots reflect this average only 10 percent to 15 percent of the time.

“That means in 85 percent of the area, there is tremendous variation in the forest makeup,” Stephens said. “But what we’re doing in the United States is actively managing forests for average conditions and what we’re getting is a giant carpet of trees. When all the forest areas are the same, fires, disease and insects can more easily move through entire stands.”

Diversity breeds resilience

The effects of relatively frequent, lower intensity fire found in the Martir are variable and patchy forests. When later threats encounter patches and spaces, the forests have a greater ability to survive.

Based on his research in Mexico, Stephens said he believes the approach taken in the United States in forest management must be changed. He suggests greater forest diversity can be achieved by giving greater latitude to “on the ground” forest managers, allowing them to be creative rather than strictly adhering to per-acre management plans.

“They can go in and try some things to break up the homogeneity,” Stephens said.

Stephens’ forest studies are funded in large part by the UC Agricultural Experiment Station, an organization of researchers on the Riverside, Davis and Berkeley campuses affiliated with the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Stephens’ next trip to the forests of Sierra de San Pedro Martir is scheduled for October.

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 10:34 AM | Permalink

by Michelle Maitre

Magazine ranks Berkeley top public university, 20th among all colleges in country

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY has again ranked as the nation's best public university in U.S. News and World Report's annual list of top colleges.

The magazine's "America's Best Colleges" rankings, released today, are based on a formula that includes graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, peer review and other factors. UC Berkeley has held the top public spot for several years, occasionally tying with the University of Virginia.

While UC Berkeley is the top-rated public university, the campus ties with Emory University in Georgia for 20th overall on a list that compares both private and public universities....

The rankings will be published in Monday's edition of the magazine. The list will be available online today at U.S.News....

Full Story at Inside Bay Area.

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 10:37 AM | Permalink

A recent celebration announced the partnership between the School of Public Health and the College of Natural Resources as co-directors over the Center for Weight and Health.

On Thursday, June 2, CNR Dean Paul Ludden and Stephen Shortell, dean of the School of Public Health, announced a new partnership between the schools to jointly administer UC Berkeley's Center for Weight and Health.

The Center for Weight and Health co-sponsors the largest nationwide conference on childhood obesity, the California Childhood Obesity Conference, and provides the most comprehensive resource on the subject though its extensive research.

"It makes perfect sense to bring our two organizations closer together through the Center for Weight and Health, since we are both striving to address a crucial public health issue at a time when rising obesity rates have reached a crisis level," said Shortell.

"The formalization this partnership will provide additional opportunities for collaborative research, fundraising, and outreach to address the state's epidemic of obesity," said Ludden.

The deans jointly announced the center's new co-directors, Dr. Pat Crawford, CNR, and Dr. May-Choo W. Wang, SPH.

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 11:01 AM | Permalink

On May 22, Chief Oren Lyons delivered the following commencement address to CNR's class of 2005.

Introduction by Executive Associate Dean Barbara Allen-Diaz

Commencement address by Chief Oren Lyons

INTRODUCTION by Executive Associate Dean Barbara Allen-Diaz

It is a great pleasure for me to introduce Oren Lyons, our Commencement Speaker today. Oren Lyons is Faithkeeper and Chief of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. Chief Lyons is Professor of American Studies at State University of New York at Buffalo.

We are honored today to have the opportunity to hear Chief Lyons speak. He was raised in the traditional lifeways of the Iroquois on the Seneca and Onondaga reservations in northern New York State. He served in the U.S. Army. He graduated from Syracuse University of Fine Arts where he immediately began a long career in commercial art and became a well known American Indian artist.

Since returning to the Onondaga in 1970, Professor Lyons has been a leading advocate for American Indian causes, both nationally and internationally. He has participated in meetings of indigenous peoples held in Geneva under the auspices of the Human Rights Commission of the United Nations; he serves on the Executive Committee of the Global Forums of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders on Human Survival; and he is a principal leader in the traditional Circle of Indian Elders which is a council of grassroots leadership of major Indian Nations of North America.

Chief Lyons has spoken widely about spirituality, environment, natural laws, human rights and the ethics of authority. He has received numerous honors and awards, including an honorary doctor of law from Syracuse University.

In addition, Chief Lyons has been a lifelong Lacrosse player, a game that was invented by the Iroquois people. He was All-American in Lacrosse and inducted into the Lacrosse National Hall of Fame in 1993.

Oren Lyons perhaps has set the stage best of all for all of you graduating here today when he said, "When we walk upon Mother Earth, we always plant our feet carefully because we know the faces of our future generations are looking up at us from beneath the ground. We never forget them."

Please join me in welcoming Oren Lyons, professor and Chief of the Turtle Clan of the Onondaga Nation.

ADDRESS by Chief Oren Lyons

(Chief Lyons greeted the audience in his native language.)

I said thank you for being well. That’s our greeting. I am Onondaga, I am from the Haudenosaunee, called the Iroquois and I am also of the Family of the Wolf. And so I greet you. In my initial greetings, it is our protocol to extend our first greetings and respect to the original peoples of this land here: Pomos, Yuroks, and Chumash and others. They are the original landholders of where we stand and it is our protocol first to greet them and to honor them.

And my second greeting is to the Graduation Class of 2005, at this great university in the College of Natural Resources. My greetings to you and what you represent. You are like my grandchildren. (When you get to be my age, everybody is your grandchild.) So I greet you.

Then my next greetings are to the Chancellor of this University and to the Dean who has done so well, and to the faculty and staff and all of the visiting colleagues, and to these professors that work so hard for this particular day. This is our day as well as yours. It’s an accomplishment. You are like our children. We want to see you off. To all of my colleagues who are here, I extend my greetings to all of you and to your work. What is our work? Our work is instruction, our work is education, inclusively, large, inspired. And our work is to keep education a passion, as was mentioned by one of the student speakers. Passion, of course, is important and we don’t want to stifle that.

When the Haudesonauee meet, whether it is a large gathering or a small gathering, we have several greetings. I think it is apropos that I tell you what these greetings are. It begins with the people. When we meet, and these are called The Words Before All Words, we give these greetings. We say to all the people gathered, “We are grateful and happy to see you healthy and gathered here.” We also think about all of the people who are not here, who cannot be here for whatever reason, and then we think about the peoples of the world as they go about their business. And we think how wonderful this is. So we put our minds together as one, and we give a big thanksgiving for all the peoples of the world.

Then we look at Mother Earth and we say this is our mother and we give a big thanksgiving for our mother, with all our love, because that is what mothers gather: great love. And we look at Mother Earth and we think of how she supports us, helps us survive and keeps all life going. How wonderful, powerful, all enduring is our Mother the Earth and we give a thanksgiving for the earth itself.

And then we move to everything that grows on the earth, from the grasses to the medicines to the bushes. We think of all of this and what they do for the earth and how they support us. And we put our mind around the world and we try to see all of these places and we give a thanksgiving for all of the growing things of the earth.

Then we move to the trees, our grandfathers. I was so pleased that we came under the shade and shelter of these powerful elders that surround us here. These are our relations. Look how you gather in their shade, how you keep cool. Look how clean the air is and look about. These trees are listening. They hear what we have to say when we have a thanksgiving. They are listening. So we give a big thanksgiving for all of the trees of the world. We acknowledge their work and we acknowledge their leader which is the maple, the great chief of the trees.

Then we move on to everything that moves about and runs about in the forest with four legs. And we think about them and how they sustain us and how they are related to us and how we depend upon them, and how they have supported our life for so long and provided our identities. (I am a wolf.) We give thanksgiving for all of these 4-footed creatures for they sustain us and we are dependent.

And then we move to what lives in the trees and flies above—all of the birds. How powerful they are! How the song of a wren can lift our hearts when we’re down. They wake us in the morning, they plant seeds, they sing to us, they move about. They are messengers. And the leader, the great eagle, flies closest to the Creator and carries our word. We revere his feathers, we revere the hawks, we revere the hummingbird. These are our relatives and we give a big thanksgiving for them.

And then we move on to the waters of the earth, from the very beautiful springs to the seas. Anybody that has seen a spring and looked at that crystal-clear water and can see everything on the bottom knows it’s beautiful and pure. And that’s the way we want your minds to be, as pure as those crystal springs. Do not pollute your minds! Do not throw dirt into that spring. That’s your mind. Keep it clean. Keep it pure so that you can see. From those springs, we go on to thank the streams, the rivers, the lakes and the mighty oceans themselves, these great waters. The first law of life is water. We are water. We are born in water, we are water. Without it, there is no life. So we give a big thanksgiving as we put our minds together for all of the waters of the earth.

And then we move on to the thundering voices that bring the rain and water the earth and water the people and water the plants and keep us alive--great powers and great authority and great strength. They speak. And in the springtime when we hear the first thundering voice, our people immediately move out and we give a prayer to the grandfathers who are returning and promising again to water us for another year, these seasons, the thundering voices that water the earth and replenish the springs. We give a big thanksgiving.

And then we talk about the winds—the four winds. There is a breeze here, it is very slight but it’s the wind and you can feel it. These winds are very powerful. We have been warned that at times, they are so powerful that they will blow the very dirt off the face of the earth and we do not want to see that. But we have been warned that they have this power. If they choose to come down, that’s what will happen. And so we thank the winds for planting all the seeds, carrying the seeds about, giving us the seasons. We put our minds together as one and give a big thanksgiving to our grandfathers.

And we thank the crops that feed us--what we live on. We call the corns, the beans and the squash the 3 Sisters that Mother Earth has given to us and without which we will not survive. Just think of all of the foods of this earth that you survive on and protect and keep pure. You are going to face some very ethical questions about that purity and it is best that you have a good foundation of where you stand. Remember the spring, remember the purity. So to all of the foods of the earth we give thanksgiving for they sustain us.

And then we move on to our elder brother, the Sun, who is here right now, who brings the warmth to the earth, who works with Mother Earth for life, brings us the light that we may see and is ever, ever dutiful and ever here. No matter what, no smaller how small we as are as human beings, we can depend on the sun to rise in the east in the morning. With a great love and respect, we give a great thanksgiving to our eldest brother the Sun.

Then we move to our grandmother, the Moon, who works with the female, who sets the standards for seasons, who raises the levels of the oceans. She has great power and the cycles of life that she produces, together with all of the females of the earth, are a very powerful force. She is a great wonderful grandmother. And so we give a big thanksgiving to our grandmother, the Moon.

And then we move to the stars. These are great well-springs of knowledge that some of our people know and that most of us have forgotten. We know they are brilliant and we still follow them through the night. They still will lead us and they have great knowledge. There are nations on this earth that know much about these stars, yet, in our nation, we have forgotten much more than we know now. Still, the stars are brilliant and they bring the dew in the morning, they water the earth. For the brilliance of the night sky and the stars, we give a big thanksgiving.

Then we move on to the spiritual beings who look after us. There are four of them and it is their duty to watch over all life here. They are having a hard time, working very hard at this point because there is so much life now, especially human beings. But there they are and they are consistent and they are constant, and so we give a big thanksgiving to these spiritual beings that look after us.

And then, to our messenger who came to us 200 years ago with a message of survival for the Haudenosaunee that has helped us to remain and be who we are today. He told us many things told to him by these spiritual beings who took him on this journey. This messenger, who was a Seneca chief, brought these prophesies for our survival and they are coming one by one. Some have happened and some are about to. So we give a big thanksgiving to our messenger.

And finally, to the giver of life, the holder of the heavens, all life, we give our last and most grateful and largest thanksgiving. This is who we depend upon, and who we work with and work for. It’s the nature of the chiefs of the Confederacy to work with these elements for the betterment of the future as we were told, the seventh generation, and so we give thanks to the giver of all life.

And now we have completed our initial mission. As you can see, it took time. However, is that not what we are about today? Is that not what we are talking about? What kind of message is important? We are instructed that every time we hear this opening message, it places us in proper perspective in making decisions of the day. We are not superior, we have great responsibility because of our intellect but we have responsibility as human beings. And here we are, so saying that, I have completed my duties to my people and to the natural world and to our grandfathers here and we can go on.

Now then, what are the issues? It’s interesting to me, that on my flight here the other day, I was carrying the New York Times to see what’s going on in the world. I found what I thought would interest you because it’s apropos, I think. It’s a full-page ad about a car, and it says: “More Horses, Bigger Engine, Increased Envy.” Do you know what it costs to buy a full-page ad in the New York Times? Who are they talking to? They are talking to you, they are talking to us. They are selling envy. Now I don’t think we can even talk about ethics in that direction, can we? However, that is the primary focus of today’s life in America, especially in America.

Juxtaposed on the other side of the page was a little article. It says, “Warming is blamed for Antarctica’s weight gain.” Now, that caught my attention because I watch the environment and any change like this, which is systemic and huge, (you want to talk big, that’s big!), bigger than the engine, bigger than the horses. The article said that they are gaining weight down there in Antarctica as opposed to all of the melting that’s going on. It corresponds to a gain of 45 billion tons of water a year—that’s the kind of weight change that’s going on in the Antarctica. If I were you, I’d pay attention to that because that’s the natural world talking now, that’s the natural law.

You know, early on, in this country, Jefferson and Madison and Washington and all of those founding fathers, talked about natural law all the time. If you go back and read their statements, you will find that they are always talking about natural law which you never hear about today from the current administration or past administrations. We’ve long moved away from that discussion, but the law prevails and that’s my message. The law prevails and we are bound by flesh, bone and blood to that law. We are not superior to it. We are subservient to it and we are beholden to it. So it is best we learn that natural law if we want to survive because therein lies the ultimate authority. There is no tribunal in this world that can issue to any of us an edict that would allow us not to drink water and survive—none. We need water for life. That’s another law, that’s a superior law and best you learn it. What are we doing to water today?

A good friend, Lester Brown, made an observation. I’m sure you know a lot about him since you are working in this area. I use his productions all the time because he’s so good at it and he has such a great amount of staff to keep up. Every year he updates his positions and tells me what’s going on. He said that in 1950, 55 years ago, there were 2.5 billion people in the world and it took 4 million years for that 2.5 billion people to grow to that extent. In 2000, there were over 6 billion people in the world—in 55 years, we almost tripled the number of human beings on this planet. That is not sustainable. That is not going to fly, not with Mother Earth, not with natural law. You want to remember that we are bound to natural law.

Let’s talk about production. He made this observation. He said that in the year 2000, production in that one year equaled the total production of 100 years previous. That’s not sustainable.

You want to talk about sustainability? Let’s talk about common sense then. That’s the struggle that my colleagues have. How do we illustrate that to you? How do we keep that integrity? It’s hard for us. It’s hard for universities and education not to become just big business. All of your parents out there have worked so hard and had the faith and support and love on you, spent all of their money (and it’s very expensive) to educate you.

We have to think now about what are we going to do. We have got to bring some common sense to the economic situation of this earth or we are not going to survive. We are just going to push the carrying capacity of this earth beyond what it holds and we are already beyond that now. So how do we come to the common sense part of it and how do we get back to the relationships that I talked about?

Now that we know about DNA, you understand that we are only just a few genes apart from the flower. You know that. The DNA of grass and the trees are almost the same as humans. Well we knew that! We knew that long ago. That’s why we said they are our relations, all our relations. What you call resources, we call our relatives. If you can think in terms of relationships, your relatives, you are going to treat them better, aren’t you? So you have got to get back to the relationship because that is your foundation for survival. It’s not going to be human intellect, let me tell you. That’s not big enough, not fast enough, not quick enough.

You are going to have to have some spiritual guidance here, some real grounding and get back to the Elders’ wisdom, so long ago and everywhere. It’s still there, the trees are here. The fight is on. I’m with you. I’m with you all the way. It’s going to take your energy, your intellect, your passion, your compassion. Probably the most important feeling that a human being can have is compassion and love for the future and the people who are not here yet.

As we said, looking up from the faces of this earth, layer upon layer, generations upon generations, looking up. Each generation is coming and each is going to have their time, hopefully, but that is our determination and that’s your responsibility. We’re still here, we are going to help you, we are going to guide you. Here are your leaders, people who have worked hard for you, and you, the people, have the biggest responsibility.

When we raise chiefs in our Confederation, we are instructed on the duties of the chiefs, the clan mothers, and the faithkeepers, and the longest instruction is to the people themselves because you have the most responsibility. It’s not up to the leaders to make your life, it’s up to you, the people—the mothers and the fathers and the grandfathers. If you are interested in these people’s welfare, then you are going to have to speak up and speak up soon. Don’t be afraid because it’s your future, their future you are looking out for. Don’t look to your chiefs to be leading, they will guide you but you have got to do the work. You have to do the heavy lifting. You, the men without titles, you, the women without titles, are the backbone of the nation. That’s your work. The grandfathers and the grandmothers look after the future generations. That’s our instruction and I pass that on to you because I think it is practical and it is quite necessary at this time that we challenge the direction of the leadership of this world now for the salvation of the future.

Go back to the wisdom of the Elders. Listen to the earth. Listen to the trees, they cry, they speak. But the ultimate natural law has no mercy. You will just deal with it as it will deal with you. So the best thing to do is stay on the good side, learn, stay with it. Be brave, be courageous. Be who you are. Be your own leader. You don’t need somebody telling you what to do. You think for yourself. Otherwise how are we going to gain if we don’t have this great wealth of intelligence? Challenge them every time. Every generation has its heroes, every generation has its leaders, and every generation has its responsibility and this is a big one now!

I am carrying on here because I am concerned about you. You are like my children, my grandchildren. I want you to be strong. I want you to be happy. I want you to have good children. I want you to be dedicated. It’s not naïve to have principles. It’s not naïve to be idealistic, not at all. It takes courage, so stay with it. You go forward today and do good for the world and do good for the people.

Thank you.

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 11:19 AM | Permalink

May 5th, 3:00-5:00
Alumni House (Bechtel and Toll rooms)

Come honor and celebrate the recipients of this year's CNR Citation, CNR Young Faculty & CE Specialist Award, and the CNR Staff Recognition Award. Nominations are in, and winners will be announced soon!

Please RSVP by April 29th to Matt Fratus or (510) 643-1041.

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 11:41 AM | Permalink

This month, the college honored two individuals for their extraordinary commitment and accomplishments in 2005. The CNR Citation, the highest honor of the college, was awarded for the first time to two deserving recipients, Iona "Rocky" Main and Helen Ullrich.

Rocky Main and her family were instrumental in creating and endowing the William Main Distinguished Visitor Program, an academic program that has made, and continues to make, significant contributions to the study of forest and natural resources management. Main has made her impact elsewhere on campus, as well. She has served as a trustee of the University Library, a leader of her alumni class, and a benefactor of the popular "Lunch Poems" series.

Many of her nominators stressed Main's personal supportiveness of faculty and recognized that, as one supporter put it, she "has sustained a grace and civility that helps us to appreciate the very best in our institution."

Helen Ullrich, a pioneer in expanding dietetics beyond medical nutrition therapy to include health promotion and disease prevention, co-founded and served as executive director of the Society for Nutrition Education from 1967 to 1983, and was instrumental in the establishment of the California Nutrition Council. (The council presented her with its Lifetime Achievement Award at its 2005 Childhood Obesity Conference.)

After her many years as a Cooperative Extension nutrition specialist, Helen remains deeply involved at CNR, where she has served on the Center for Weight and Health advisory board for five years.

"We know that we are better people because of Helen Denning Ullrich," wrote her nominators, "and that the world is a better place because of her."

Posted by Eva St. Clair at 11:37 AM | Permalink