Global consensus among conservation and climate change scientists believes 30% of earth must be set aside for conservation efforts by 2030 to avoid the worst impacts of biodiversity loss due to climate change and human development. Many governments have begun to issue 30x30 goals in their local jurisdictions. Executive Order N-82-20 mandated that California join this global effort.
My practicum is with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), the federal agency tasked with the administration of the Endangered Species Act. I am working out of the Ecological Services office in the Sacramento regional office. My project is to create a program that partners the USFWS with academic institutions to meet the research needs of federally listed species outlined in their Recovery Plans and/or Five Year Reviews. The program will include projects for federally listed species as well as at-risk species.
I have had the pleasure of working with the City of Chula Vista’s Office of Sustainability for my practicum project. For my project, I have identified a list of Tier 1 and Tier 2 food generators for edible food recovery in preparation for Senate Bill 1383. Currently, I am in the process of creating and providing educational packets for these food generators.
I’ve had the pleasure of working at the California Department of Conservation within the Division of Land Resource Protection for my practicum this summer. My primary focus is updating grant guidelines for the Working Lands and Riparian Restoration program. This grant program focuses on the protection and restoration of riparian areas on private agricultural land. This grant cycle will see the introduction of a new planning grant component, in addition to funding for the implementation of restoration projects.
In the summer of 2020, Katt began her practicum under funding from the Climate Adaptation Science Center. Katt researched Indigenous traditional burning and carbon offset programs in the U.S. and abroad.
As a planning intern I’ve had opportunities to work on several community outreach projects and host stakeholder interviews. I’ve also been working on...
I worked as an intern with the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Office of Pesticide Consultation and Analysis (OPCA). Fellow EPM student Jake Whealen and I jointly completed an economic and policy analysis on the subject of installing vegetative buffers along agricultural fields to mitigate pesticide drift near sensitive populations.
My practicum is with the US Naval Base Ventura County environmental department. I work in the compliance branch, assisting with inspections and with the tank/spill team. I am becoming familiar with Federal, State, County, and DoD regulations and the reality of enforcement that compliments what I'm learning about in policy creation and development in EPM courses. The position is a one-year appointment through the federal PATHWAYS program.
The use of California native plants when landscaping can be extremely beneficial to native wildlife and water conservation. Important pollinators such as bees and butterflies rely on the resources that these native plants provide. In addition, because they are acclimated to the local climate, native plants often require less water. Many gardeners would like to use native plants in their gardens for these benefits but struggle to find these plants for purchase. There is also confusion on which plants are considered California natives and carry these environmental benefits.
The Delta Protection Commission is a California state agency that represents the Delta community and advocates for the protection and enhancement of agriculture, recreation, cultural heritage and natural resources in the region. The Commission is concerned about the financial burden of flood insurance premiums on businesses operating in flood-prone areas of the Delta, particularly those engaged in agritourism development.
