UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

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The University of California's main role in the IHRMP is to coordinate an educational program directed at a variety of clients and to conduct research on issues related to the ecology and management of hardwood rangelands. A summary of UC's recent educational activities and current IHRMP research activities are shown below.

IHRMP Educational Activities

Introduction
Many oak woodland owners, especially landowners, object to the use of regulations to solve the problems of hardwoods. Landowners feel over-regulated already and regulations have proven expensive to enforce and difficult to administer equitably. This points up the importance of education as a workable alternative. The IHRMP is committed to education programs with non-traditional clientele. Audiences served in the IHRMP educational program include absentee landowners, woodcutters, real estate developers, ranchers, homeowners, local planners, and environmentalists.

lHRMP educational activities are carried out by the University of California, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, and the California Department of Fish and Game (Table 1).

Table 1. Key personnel in UC, CDF and CDF&G involved in the IHRMP

NAME AFFILIATION ASSIGNMENT REGION REPONSIBILITY James Bartolome UCB Statewide UC Research Coord., range ecology Cathy Bider CDF Statewide CDF Hardwood Coord., short-term monitoring Robert Ewing CDF-FRRAP Statewide FRAAP Head Barry Garrison DFG Statewide DFG Hardwood Coordinator Gregory Quad UCCE-Mendocino North Coast Wildlands Ecology Gregory Greenwood CDF-FRAAP Statewide CDF Research Coords., long-term monitoring Douglas McCreary UCB-CE North Sierra Oak regeneration, Silviculture Neil McDougald UCCE-Madera South Sierra Range management Thomas Scott UCB-CE Southern California Conservation biology, wildlife ecology, land use Richard Standiford UCB-CE Statewide/Central California UC IHRMP manager, resource economics William Tietje UCCE-CE Central California Wildlife management, land use

Educational programs are delivered by IHRMP through newsletters, leaflets and other publications, special programs with clientele, video tapes, and workshops. Examples of these educational activities the past 18 months are given in the following pages.

Types of Educational Activities

Newsletters
Oaks 'n Folks, the newsletter of the IHRMP, is devoted to oak rangeland management, policy issues, and items of interest. Articles are contributed by university, agency, and special interest groups and individuals who work on oak research and educational activities. The quarterly newsletter is mailed to about 2,000 landowners, land managers, land-use planners, and agency personnel.

The Auk. A quarterly newsletter, The Auk, is produced by the North Coast IHRMP Natural Resource Specialist. The Auk focuses on oak and other natural resource management and policy issues on the North Coast. The newsletter is mailed to over 500 government and landowner clientele.

Publications
Wildlife Among the Oaks. California's oak woodland habitats provide a home for a great diversity and abundance of wildlife. The past year, the IHRMP published Wildlife Among the Oaks, a 16-page leaflet which shows the variety and value of California's oak woodland wildlife and how to sustain the wildlife resource. Up-to-date information is provided to show how the home, ranchette, and ranch owner can attract and maintain oak woodland wildlife. Tips on managing special oak habitat resources for wildlife, the interdependence of oaks and wildlife, and sharing the owner's land with wildlife are covered. Several "Prescription Cards" highlight interesting and useful facts on individual oak woodland wildlife species and describe their habitat requirements. Wildlife Among the Oaks is a companion for the well received Living Among the Oaks leaflet published by IHRMP several years ago.

A Planner's Guide for Oak Woodlands. Several years ago, the CDF and the UC IHRMP undertook development of a manual of information and guidelines for use by local land-use planners. It is designed to encourage and assist land use planners in conservation of oak woodland resources. Published this spring, the guide includes chapters on oak values, oak identification and biology, care of oaks, wildlife habitat, status of oaks, and a case study. Throughout A Planner's Guide for Oak Woodlands, the goal is to encourage conservation of oak woodland rather than single-tree protection. To this end, the guide emphasizes regional (county or city-wide) planning and planning tools which maintain habitat.

California Agriculture. California Agriculture is published bimonthly by the UC Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources (DANR). Articles report Division research and education programs. Several articles by IHRMP were published recently. Despite landowner favor, oak groves likely to diminish in size and number, reported that a survey of landowners in rural areas of Yolo County indicated that they perceive many advantages and few drawbacks to owning oaks. Without new strategies to protect and replace them, however, existing groves will most likely decrease in size and distribution as properties turn over and new owners and management concerns take over. In Saving native oaks calls for planning, survey results indicated that regulations, incentives, and educational programs are the most effective combination of strategies needed to maintain California's native oaks in municipalities. According to Gophers love oak—to death, high populations of pocket gophers can destroy 90% of newly-planted oak seedlings in the first year. Without effective control of pocket gophers, all other control measures for animals and weed competition may be of little value. Finally, a survey, Elevation, on- or of-tree collection influence the viability of blue oak acorns, conducted from low to high elevation oak woodland in Kern County, indicated that environmental factors influence blue and valley oak acorn quality. A higher proportion of high quality acorns were found at elevations of 2,000 to 3,000 feet.

Projects
Master Oak Programs. In 1991, the IHRMP/Central Coast launched a Master Oak Tree Program. This is the first of Cooperative Extension's Master programs to deal with oak trees. Six workshops were held to provide in-depth training and hands-on experience in a variety of topics on the biology, planting, and care of native oaks. About 50 homeowners, land-use planners, ranchers, environmentalists, and agency personnel participated. Most participants became Master Oak Growers by completing an examination on materials presented in the workshops and designing and carrying out an oak project.

4-H Oak Woodland Wildlife Curriculum. The final working copies of the six curriculum modules on Oak Woodland Wildlife were completed in early 1993 and pilot testing of the curriculum will begin by spring of the year. Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties will begin the pilot testing and additional counties will be added. To date, the following counties have expressed interest in piloting the curriculum: Glenn, Mendocino, Merced, San Mateo/San Francisco and Sonoma. Also, through the Rock Eagle 4-H Center, the State of Georgia has expressed a desire to be involved in the pilot testing.

The 4-H Oak Woodland Wildlife Curriculum Project has been structured around a design team concept, with William D. Tietje, Area Natural Resource Specialist, as the principal investigator. Dr. Richard Ponzio, 4-H Science and Technology Specialist, Richard P. Enfield, County Director and 4-H YD Advisor San Luis Obispo County, and A. Michael Marzolla, 4-H YD Advisor Santa Barbara County, are project collaborators. Valerie Pankow, 4-H SERIES Coordinator, has been the lead person on the curriculum design team. The project and curriculum design was modeled after the 4-H SERIES (Science Experiences and Resources For Informal Education Setting) utilizing "hands-on sciencing" which involves incorporation of the seven scientific thinking processes adapted from the 1991 California State Science Framework. Cross-age teaching, the learning cycle and community involvement are other important components of the Oak Woodland Wildlife Project curriculum.

The six sessions in the curriculum packet are The Oak Woodlands, Getting to Know The Oak Woodland Habitat, Understanding Niches, Woodpeckers and the Oaks, Understanding Woodland Animal Coloration, and Oak Issues and Community Service. An introductory video on oak woodlands and wildlife will also be available to use with the printed materials. The purpose of the 4-H Oak Woodland Wildlife curriculum is to supplement formal or school-based education with hands-on applied learning. The curriculum is designed for use in rural, urban, or suburban settings.

Computer-Based Programs
Oak Woodland Wildlife Expert System. Residential and commercial development are currently the leading causes of loss of California oak woodland habitats. In 1985, development had occurred on about 100,000 acres of oak woodland and was in progress on an additional quarter million acres. Many people are concerned about development in oak woodland and its possible effects on wildlife. The IHRMP/Central Coast, together with two professors at Cal Poly State University, recently received a grant from the CDF to develop an Expert System on relationships between housing development, the oak environment, and wildlife. Oak woodland in Calaveras and Amador Counties was selected for the prototype Expert System. This area was selected because it is of workable size, CDF has a GIS database for this area (e.g., 20-year buildout, oak distribution and canopy density, water areas, and roads), and there is concern about development in oak woodland in this area and its possible impacts on oaks and wildlife.

The approach to the Expert System is three-tiered. First, development location and density is defined. The Expert System then uses that information to predict how it will affect the environment: roads, runoff, vegetation composition and structure, and the intrusion of exotic plants and animals. Finally, the Expert System predicts how changes in the environment affect wildlife. The Expert System will be used to explore different scenarios of development or do "what if" questions and, in that way, help discover wildlife sensitivities.

California Oak Disease and Arthropod Database. A new tool is now available to help land managers, researchers, arborists, and other persons identify those pesky little critters that may devour the leaves of oak trees-And learn how to get rid of them. The California Oak Disease and Arthropod (CODA) database is a comprehensive compilation of the many insects, mites, microorganisms, and abiotic agents that affect oaks in California. CODA includes records on over 1,100 agents associated with both native and introduced oaks. Database records describe the details of each interaction, including the known distribution of the agent and the types of damage caused. Bibliographic citations attached to each record point the user to references with more information.

CODA was developed by Phytosphere Research, Vacaville, Calif., under a contract with the CDF. Phytosphere Research distributes CODA free of charge to interested parties and provides free user support.

Video Tapes
Living Among the Oaks. One of the most successful publications by the IHRMP has been the brochure Living Among the Oaks produced in 1987. This brochure informs homeowners how to coexist with the oak trees on their property. To date over 30,000 copies have been distributed. This past year, Tuolumne County Cooperative Extension developed and produced a "Living Among the Oaks" video based on the information in the brochure. This 20-minute video discusses why native oak trees are so important in California and outlines management strategies to ensure their conservation. It also includes interviews with various oak experts and woodland managers. Produced with funds from the Renewable Resources Extension Act, this video is currently available in County Cooperative Extension offices. The IHRMP hopes to distribute it even more widely by placing copies in schools, libraries and, hopefully, in the educational sections of a large chain video store.

In-School Oak Tree Project Video. Three years ago the Calaveras County 4-H Advisor produced a video tape and companion booklet that explained how to start an in-school oak tree project. Since then, the In School Oak Tree Project has generated wide attention and has reached several hundred children. For example, last year, a 4-H club used the project to provide seedlings for victims of the Old Gulch Fire, a large wildfire in the area.

Over the past three years, more than 200 copies of the video have been sold to county programs throughout the United States. On a regular basis, Calaveras County 4-H hears about successful programs based upon the In School Oak Tree Project video and booklet.

Oak Insect Pests. "Oak Insect Pests" provides an overview of identification, damage characteristics, and life cycle of the major insect pests of oak trees. It includes examples of defoliators, sucking pests, and borers. The slide set gives management guidelines for each insect example. At the present time "Oak Insect Pests" is appropriate for Master Oak Programs and for information and programs presented by Farm Advisors. The present program is about 17 minutes, but a more extensive program is planned for both slide and video tape format.

Workshops/Demonstrations
Living Among the Oaks. During the past 18 months, numerous workshops were held in the IHRMP Regions to inform ranchers, small woodland owners, consultants, environmentalists, policy makers, and the general public about current recommendations for managing oaks and oak woodlands. Workshops were organized by the IHRMP together with Farm Advisors, local government, the Central Coast Resource Conservation and Development Council, California Oak Foundation, and local tree associations. Techniques for planting and maintaining oaks, oak wildlife relationships, care of oaks in the landscape, and oak pests and diseases were among the topics presented at these workshops in Butte, Shasta, Alameda, Monterey, and San Luis Obispo Counties. Interest in these subjects is extremely high and the workshops were attended by well over 1,000 people.

California Oak Symposia. In fall 1992, the California Oak Foundation and the IHRMP cooperated on two regional Symposia, one in southern and the other in northern California. Organized in response to the increasing toll urbanization is taking on oak woodland, the Symposia were designed to educate policy makers, planners, and developers about the value of oaks, how to care for them, how to encourage their propagation and survival, and regional alternatives for addressing urbanization and development in oak woodlands. Over 300 people attended the Symposia.

Ranch Demonstrations. New educational activities in the South Central IHRMP Region include ranch demonstrations in Fresno, Kern, Madera, and Tulare Counties. The demonstrations focused on techniques to improve blue oak regeneration. Previous work has shown that failure of saplings to develop from seedling blue oaks limits regeneration in low elevation sites. The demonstrations show ways to protect seedlings from grazing by constructing exclosures in appropriate sites and teach them techniques to monitor regeneration over time.

Future Plans and Directions

Workshops on Firewood Cutting in the North Sierra
The occurrence of firewood cutting has decreased in most areas of the state the past several years. Last year, however, several large cuts of blue oak occurred in Shasta and Tehama Counties, perhaps fueled by the depressed economy in that area. CDF has monitored the cutting. The Sierra Club has voiced concern about the number and size of the cuts and asked the State Board of Forestry to address their concerns. In response to this, the IHRMP in the Central Sierra Region has planned several informational meetings this year with landowners, especially those involved in the cutting. Coupled with the meetings, the IHRMP will undergo more intense monitoring of the rate of cutting and possible degradation of wildlife habitat. The CDF has also given a grant to UC IHRMP to survey the status of oak regeneration in the cut areas.

Biodiversity
As we move into the 21st century, the preservation of biological diversity in species populations, communities, and landscapes is one of the major challenges to land and resource managers. The challenge has many aspects: maintenance of genetic diversity in threatened and endangered populations, managed landscapes, and restoration of natural ecological processes in damaged settings. Already, the problems are being recognized by the public and the politicians. Almost everybody in California will be touched in some manner by the resulting changes.

Biodiversity Workgroup. The Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, including the IHRMP, wants to ensure that information on biodiversity is available to assist people in making wise and equitable decisions. To that end, a Biodiversity Workgroup is being developed to recommend procedures. A preliminary meeting has been held to determine the scope of activities and to identify people interested in participating. Workgroup members will review recommendations made by past committees and current changes in organization and administration. Following this, new recommendations will be made.

Biodiversity Educational Activities. Workshops and other educational activities and materials will be sponsored by IHRMP during the next year. Biodiversity activities will focus on introduction to the concepts of biodiversity and on how to best approach this complex issue. Special emphasis will be given to maintenance of biotic diversity on oak rangelands managed primarily for livestock production.

Wild Pig Symposium
Interest in wild pig populations on oak woodland habitat in California comes from two fronts. Ecologists and environmentalists are concerned that the pigs are negatively impacting certain species of native plants and animals. On the other hand, ranchers may welcome the presence of pigs for the income they represent from hunting fees. The Wild Pig in California Oak Woodland: Ecology and Economics will be held in 1993 on California's central coast to address these two often opposing interests and concerns. The Symposium is intended for environmentalists, ranchers, hunters, agency personnel, and researchers.

Hardwood Rangeland Research

To date, UC has funded over 30 research projects, with an emphasis on regeneration, wildlife habitat, and alternative management strategies. In 1992-93 the program funds 12 continuing research projects: four in regeneration, three in wildlife, one in nutrient cycling, one in water quality, and three in genetics. Budget cutbacks are beginning to have a significant impact on the competitive grants program, with available funds for research now only about two-thirds the amount available at the start of the program. Of course, some problems have been solved since 1986 and much significant oak research has been done with other than IHRMP funds.

This year a bibliography of research papers was compiled using IHRMP funding. When the IHRMP began, research was badly needed in many areas, with particularly pressing needs in regeneration, wildlife, and alternative management strategies. UC projects were initially funded in these three areas. After six years, the program has contributed wholly or in part to a literature base of 41 papers in regeneration, 12 papers in wildlife, and 38 papers in alternative management strategies. In terms of dollar return, an investment of $1,110,000 between 1986 and 1990 had produced 91 papers by the end of 1992. Apparently it costs about $12,000 in research grant funds to produce the average publication.

Future research output will emphasize several critical areas of emerging research under the revised IHRMP goals. Funding of new projects in 1991 already reflected some of those changes. Restoration of sustainable oak ecosystems and landscapes requires information about regeneration techniques. Artificial regeneration is now practical and plant materials are available commercially. Many of the methods used were developed from IHRMP research projects. Natural regeneration is still a very important problem, with considerable progress gained towards understanding processes of regeneration. However, practical methods for ensuring natural regeneration have proved elusive. A major factor appears to be related to the genetic architecture of oak species. The IHRMP has funded research to clarify the role of genetic variability in local adaptation of oak species. In addition to possibly providing the key to understanding natural regeneration genetic considerations are very important in selection of materials for artificial regeneration or for enhancing natural regeneration.

Very little is known about the processes of nutrient cycling and water quality impacts on oak-dominated rangelands. Two major projects funded are investigating nutrient cycling and water relations on watersheds. These projects will be important in understanding sustainable management practices and may play a crucial role in helping landowners cope with increasingly tough water-quality standards.

Finally, work continues on the understanding of wildlife habitat relationships on oak rangelands, with three projects funded. The projects in oak genetics and wildlife habitats span the range of critical biodiversity issues on hardwood rangelands. While researchers are investigating the genetics within key oak species, they are also investigating the factors which create habitat and wildlife species diversity in natural landscapes. One wildlife research project is examining ways to improve our techniques for efficiently measuring habitat diversity at the urban-wildland interface, the point at which theoretical issues in biodiversity and conservation are presently undergoing a severe test. Results from that study should help design more efficient ways to tie planning and biology together and develop management prescriptions to preserve biological diversity.

During the first six years of the IHRMP two major research symposia and several minor workshops have summarized research progress. Another major research symposium is planned for late 1993, which will provide a forum both for summarizing progress to date and future research needs in preparation for another round of competitive research awards. This symposium will draw together research in several areas in commissioned research reviews. Areas under consideration for reviews are artificial regeneration, natural regeneration, wildlife habitat relationships, genetic architecture in oaks, alternative management strategies.

Table 2. On-going UC-Funded IHRMP research

Project Title Princ. Investigator Location Years OAK GENETICS Genetic architecture and ecotypic variation in oaks L.A.Riggs GENREC 1989 -1994 Ecotypic variation in blue oak JR McBride, A. Mossadegh UCB 1989-1992 Ecological genetics of oak response to drought and herbivory K.J. Rice UCD 1990-1995 NUTRIENT CYCLING/RIPARIAN Nutrient cycling in managed oak woodland-grass ecosystems R.A. Dahlgren, M. Firestone, M.J. Singer UCB & UCD 1989-1994 Mgmt. of riparian uplands on hardwood range to protect and enhance water quality B. Allen-Diaz, M. Power UCB 1991-1996 WILDLIFE Responses Of wildlife to stand management (1) M. Morrison T. Scott, B. Block UCB 1991-1996 Responses of wildlife to standmanagement (2) W. Tietje UCB 1992-1996 Develop methodologies to evaluate the impacts of subdivisions on wildlife D. Sanders Baersky & Assoc. 1991 REGENERATION The effect of fire on seedlings and saplings of So. Calif. oaks E. Lathrop Loma Linda 1986-1992 Planting blue and valley oak acorns and nursery stock T. Adams UCD 1992-1996 Individual and site factors critical to reproductive strategies of oaks in Central CA W. Koenig, J. Griffin UCB 1991-1996 The effect of two livestock grazing strategies on survival and growth of blue oak saplings H. Jansen CSU-Chico 1991-1995 Evaluation of site and mgmt. factors important for nat. reg. R. Phillips UCCE 1991