The Vantage Point

Glenda Humiston 
Vice President
UC Agriculture and Natural Resources 

Despite widespread rain a couple of weeks ago, vegetation can dry quickly during the fall months and the threat of devastating wildfire remains. As always, UC ANR experts recommend taking steps to reduce risks to your home and property; even smaller tasks you can tackle in a weekend are well worth your time.

To further advance and share science-based best practices on wildfire mitigation, we have onboarded a new cohort of exceptional fire advisors. Since May, we have welcomed Luca Carmignani, Barb Satink Wolfson, Tori Norville, Alison Deak and Katie Low to our team – each bringing unique skills and experiences to the counties they serve. I’m excited to see how they will expand our understanding of wildfire in this era of climate change, and help diverse communities become more adaptable and resilient. Thank you again to Gov. Newsom and the state Legislature for making fire science and preparedness a top priority for California.

Another priority is generating sustainable economic vitality in every corner of the state. Earlier this month, I was inspired by the innovative programs highlighted during the annual meeting of the Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC). It was wonderful to reconnect with our many partners at the county level.

I especially enjoyed the talk by Greg Williams, executive director of Sierra Buttes Trail Stewardship, a nonprofit building a robust trail system in the Sierra Buttes, Tahoe, Plumas and Lassen National Forests. The work of its staff, volunteers and partners across the “Lost Sierra” creates recreational opportunities for a variety of users, myriad environmental benefits and more jobs and greater prosperity in the region. I’m intrigued by potential partnerships with our 4-H or California Naturalist programs to support trail-based efforts in revitalizing those rural communities.

Partnerships that spur economic development in the Central Valley recently got a big boost. This month, we announced that $16 million will go toward a UC ANR-led initiative in the San Joaquin Valley, part of a $65.1 million grant for the Fresno-Merced Future of Food Innovation Coalition, or F3, from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s $1 billion Build Back Better Regional Challenge.

The Local Farm and Food Innovation initiative promises to be transformative for small-scale farmers, food business owners and communities across the region. As a key component of the broader F3 effort, the project will provide training, expertise and resources to help farms, food producers and vendors of all sizes grow their businesses – while driving progress toward local food systems that are more profitable, equitable and sustainable. I look forward to seeing the impactful tools, technologies and outreach programs that our advisors, specialists and staff develop and share with their communities.

Finally, to better support UC ANR academics in their essential work, I am pleased to announce that Daniel Obrist recently began as our new vice provost for academic personnel and development, holding a 50% appointment until going full time on Jan. 1.

Currently the chairperson of the Department of Environmental, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, Daniel brings to UC ANR a wealth of knowledge in ecology and ecosystem science, hydrogeology, atmospheric and environmental sciences, and soil science. His great passion for sustainability, the protection of natural resources and our mission to connect UC with the people of California will make him a tremendous addition to our organization. Please join me in welcoming Daniel to UC ANR!