Fall 2018 - Issue 2
USDA California Climate Hub
News & Notes
The USDA California Climate Hub within the Agricultural Research Service at the UC Davis John Muir Institute works with partners across federal and state agencies, universities, and industry to help enable climate-informed decision making and advance the adaptive capacity for California's working and managed agricultural, range, and forest lands. These monthly newsletters are just one approach toward meeting this objective. We encourage you to get in touch with us if we can be of further service or assistance.
Wildfires and Air Quality: An Opportunity for Citizen Science
As mentioned in our summer newsletter, the Climate Hub is keeping a close track on the wildfires burning throughout the state. Unfortunately, the need to include wildfire resources in our newsletter has arisen once again. We have numerous resources around fire activity, announcements, and orders available on our website through the link below, including information on air quality. For a quick check of your local air quality, visit airnow.gov . Fires can degrade air quality tens and even hundreds of miles away from the fire perimeter, and the impacts to health can be significant. In an effort to better understand the health effects of wildfire smoke and public protective measures, the EPA has initiated a citizen science project called Smoke Sense that tracks citizen-reported health effects and acts as a communication tool, providing users with location-based air quality alerts. As fires and their impacts become an increasingly frequent part of our lives, we at the Hub will continue to comment and provide information around wildfire activity, effects, and impacts. In the meantime, download the Smoke Sense app and help to advance our scientific understanding of wildfire effects on human health.
California's 4th Climate Change Assessment: Sierra Nevada Region
As we head into the winter all eyes turn to the mountains. As our natural reservoirs and our respites from valley heat, the Sierra Nevada region is important to folks statewide. Consequently, climate changes in the region will be important to those living far beyond its bounds. Impacts of climate change to the Sierra were highlighted in the 4th California Climate Change Assessment, along with some of the adaptive measures already underway in the region's communities. Below are highlights from the full Sierra Nevada Regional Report :

  • Warming temperatures may raise the rain-snow transition altitude by as much as 3,000 feet, significantly reducing snow covered area and the "capacity" of our natural reservoirs.
  • Larger wildfire-burned area and drier soils may permanently alter vegetation cover toward shrub dominant species, stress fauna, shift ecosystems, and reduce the region's carbon storing capacity.
  • Lowered snow levels and increasing wildfire frequency and size will negatively impact communities across the region, and may especially impact the Sierra's forest- and tourism-based economies.
  • Current adaptation efforts in the region include:
  • Sierra Nevada Conservancy and USFS efforts to restore watershed health
  • The re-establishment of wildfire to improve forest health
  • Sierra Meadows and Native Youth Conservation Corps efforts to restore alpine meadows
Thank You for a Successful 2018!
As we at the Climate Hub finalize our 2018 annual report, we want to thank all of our scientist and manager partners who worked with us throughout 2018 to enhance climate-informed decision making and advance knowledge and practices that increase the climate resiliency and adaptive capacity of Californians. With your support, the Hub played a major role in raising more than $600,000 to support climate-smart forestry and agricultural research; produced numerous reports and scientific publications, including a contribution to the 4th California Climate Change Assessment and a Rangeland Vulnerability Assessment; led multiple workshops with agency partners; and engaged in numerous communication, outreach, consulting, and advisory roles. Looking forward to 2019, the Hub is excited to support research, outreach, and technology exchange projects, and continue to serve the interests and investments of California and Californians.
Save the Date:
Reforestation and
Natural Regeneration Symposium
Sacramento, CA - November 28th - 29th
The USFS - Region 5 and USDA California Climate Hub will be co-hosting a symposium on reforestation and natural forest regeneration in November at the wildland fire training center in Sacramento. Reforestation is a critically important management practice to protect and sustain forested ecosystems. In light of current trends in tree mortality and large fires it is important that managers have the best science and resources available. We encourage you to attend and to reach out with any questions.
Stay in Touch
Let me know if you have news worthy items, outputs or products, or associated resources that may be of interest to the USDA California Climate Hub community. You can email items to me, Steven Ostoja, USDA California Climate Hub Director by clicking here .