Since 1995, Breakthroughs magazine has been an important medium for showcasing Rausser College of Natural Resources' research, teaching, and impact.
Our latest issue: Inside California
The Fall 2025 Breakthroughs looks looks inland to California’s rural and agricultural areas and their people, ecosystems, and biodiversity. We spotlight faculty members assessing and improving the health and wellbeing of residents in agricultural areas like the Central Valley, where nearly a quarter of the food consumed in the US is grown, and also feature various projects aimed at increasing understanding of and access to California’s pre cious water resources.
One story highlights Berkeley faculty restoring beneficial fire to the state’s forestlands. Recognizing that fire is inevitable in many of California’s land scapes, they are prioritizing areas and forest management techniques that will have the most impact for preventing devastating wildfires.
We also turn attention to California’s iconic rangelands, which occupy a vast amount of the state’s land area. These working landscapes are essential for California’s cattle and sheep production, and livestock grazing there not only reduces wildfire fuels but also ensures these vital open spaces continue to provide habitat for wildlife, store carbon, and supply clean water.
Through in-depth interviews, longstanding working relationships, and codesigned research programs, our researchers are coordinating closely with residents of the areas they study. In addition to bringing results and recommendations back to those communities, they are also communicating findings to policymakers.