The Vantage Point

Glenda Humiston 
Vice President
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources 

Spring is upon us - the season that symbolizes change, new growth, and a hope for something new and fresh. As I look out my kitchen window, the giant Blue Oak tree is just starting to leaf out and I’m enjoying watching small birds preparing nests. It’s very encouraging to see that no matter how difficult this past year has been, nature abides and its beauty is something that never fails to emerge. It goes without saying that most of us are likely looking forward to other changes that will come with this new season.  
 
With the vaccine roll-out progressing, a “new-normal” is on the horizon – bringing hope to many. At the same time, the unconscionable violent actions across our nation against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and the shootings in Boulder and Atlanta remind us that we all have work to do. As we continue our work across the state serving California’s diverse population, I am proud of the commitment UC ANR staff demonstrate every day to our values of diversity, equity, and inclusion. I invite you to read a recent post by Greg Ira, director of our UC California Naturalist Program, on this very topic; I echo his sentiment and couldn’t have said it better. 
 
We’ve had very successful meetings with congressional offices as well as state legislators this past several weeks. Many thanks to our CARET (Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching) delegates and the many other stakeholders who advocate for our programs and ongoing funding to keep them delivering our mission. It is heartening to see growing support for ANR throughout the state.
 
In this month’s newsletter, you’ll find many interesting springtime events and articles – on saving money on irrigation, edible gardening, fire preparedness, building health in urban communities, and more. I invite you to explore and wish you all a happy spring!