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 Preserve It!  Properly using canning jars helps ensure a safe outcome  by UCCE Master Food Preserver of El Dorado County Laurie Lewis   We are well into spring, heading toward summer. Seed catalogs were dog-eared months ago, seed packets are in a basket (or perhaps already opened…

This week, we shared information about important invasive species, what to do if you find them, and how you can help prevent their spread. To wrap up California Invasive Species Action Week, we’d like to highlight a few key takeaways: Don’t pack or plant a pest Whether you’re traveling or gardening…

The scary-looking, ominously-named wolf spider is actually a beneficial insect.  Wolf spiders belong to the class Arachnida and are members of the family Lycosidae (derived from the Greek word lycos, meaning wolf). Wolf spiders stalk their prey like wolves do; they do not spin webs or use silk to subdue prey…

The golden flowers of French broom covering hillsides and the tall, striking stalks of pampasgrass stand out on trails and roadsides. These plants may be beautiful, but they are invasive and harm California’s natural landscapes.  Invasive plants outcompete and crowd out native plants, damaging…

Check out what's new at the Amador Compost Learning Center as of May 2025.

While bringing firewood from home for your weekend camping trip may seem harmless, many invasive pests can hide in firewood and cause serious harm to California’s forests and urban landscapes. You can help limit the spread of these unwanted hitchhikers by collecting or buying firewood close to where you plan…

Be on the lookout for invasive species threatening California! While state and federal agencies actively monitor for new invasive pests, the public serves a critical role in early detection and often are the ones who find new invasive species first.  During California Invasive Species Action Week …

Invasive species. What does that mean? Invasive species are non-native pests that harm California’s natural areas, public health, and economy. To raise awareness about these pests, UC IPM joins other state agencies to promote the annual California Invasive Species Action Week (CISAW), which goes from June 7…

 Las copas de los árboles urbanos (UTC), es decir, las capas de hojas, ramas y tallos que cubren el suelo en las ciudades, son herramientas esenciales para gestionar las aguas pluviales, en particular en zonas urbanas densas como las del sur de California. En paisajes dominados por superficies…

A true treasure of the Americas, hummingbirds are a diverse family of more than 340 species, only 17 of which are found north of Mexico. They are also keystone mutualists, nectar feeders that have coevolved with the indigenous plants they pollinate.