Rising Temps Stress Sierra Trees

Sequoia National Park - Sequoia Park ecologists Nathan Stephenson and Phillip van Mantgem have been monitoring the effect of rising temperatures in the Sierra and the impact on tree deaths and believe they've found “a pretty tight correlation” says van Mantgem who along with Stephenson works for USGS Western Ecological Research Center at Ash Mountain in Three Rivers.

A dramatic increase in minimum temperatures, likely caused by global warming, can be seen in this NPS chart recorded at Grant Grove showing that since the 1950's the average minimum temperature has risen from about 32° F to 40° F in recent years. This chart goes through 2003.

“We have been tracking some 20,000 trees in 21 plots at different elevations in both Yosemite and Sequoia/Kings Canyon, some since 1981 and all since 1995 and tree death has increased about 3% a year over the past 20 years”, says van Mantgem.

“Massive tree die off has been typically triggered by persistent drought in the West but in the Sierra's case rainfall patterns don't seem to be a factor”, van Mantgem added. In the past decade central California has avoided drought conditions with relatively wet years. The last extended dry period came in 1991/1992. Still, tree deaths are increasing suggests van Mantgem since “the environment is dry and the major factor appears to be higher temperatures.

“What concerns us is that when California experiences the next drought the conditions and stress level of trees could cause a tree die off we have seen in other parts of the West like in Arizona, New Mexico and southern California in recent years,” says Stephenson. “The forest is getting primed for that to happen here,” adds van Mantgem.

Stress on forest trees “pile up” the same as stress levels on humans says van Mantgem. A dry, weakened tree is subjected to pests like bark beetles who are implicated in tree deaths “about 30% to 50% of the time.” Typically it's the smaller trees that succumb to dryness and stress he says rather than “the big monarchs we associate with Sequoia” who are faring well so far.

“Global warming climate models call for the Sierra to see less snow pack,” says van Mantgem. That would ordinarily help young trees survive the long, hot, dry summers here. Snow that melts sooner means moisture for young trees to survive until the next snow pack. Models predict the warmer nighttime temperatures mean the same amount of precipitation will fall as rain rather than snow, something that may be an issue right now as can be seen by the Grant Grove nighttime temperature chart where on an average night it is not getting down to the 32F level on at least an annual basis.

Massive tree die offs are being closely monitored by scientists in the West including the Four Corners area where pinon pine have been particularly hard hit since 2002 with mortality exceeding 90% and elsewhere in the West in Douglas fir, lodgepole pine and ponderosa pine. Scientists have speculated that warmer temperatures caused by climate change could stress plants due to water availability as well as decrease low temperature constraints on insect populations ordinarily knocked down by the chill of cold winters. In Arizona, conifer forests suffered the loss of millions of trees. One theory suggests suppression of fire in the last 100 years also contributes to the high incidence of tree deaths and the recent rash of wildfires on forest land.

The Sierra has seen some of these massive fires in the last few years, particularly in the Tule drainage where rainfall and water runoff has been below normal. The loss of forest cover causes severe erosion problems that could have a big impact on the valley below as well as the area's economy. Visitors and locals typically flock to the Sierra to recreate and visit the two big national parks and national monument.

Stephenson and van Mantgem plan to submit their recent research to a peer reviewed journal in the coming weeks for publication.

The State of California has recently enacted a law to reduce greenhouse emissions implicated in climate change. A state report called Our Changing Climate, offers the following sobering statements:

-“The latest projections, based on state-of-the-art climate models, indicate that if global heat-trapping emissions proceed at a medium to high rate, temperatures in California are expected to rise 4.7 to 10.5 degrees by the end of the century.”

-“If temperatures rise to the medium warming range, there will be 75 to 85 percent more days with weather conducive to ozone formation in Los Angeles and the San Joaquin Valley, relative to today's condition.”

-“By 2100, if temperatures rise to the higher warming range, there could be up to 100 more days per year with temperatures above 90 degrees F in Los Angeles and above 95 degrees F in Sacramento. This is a striking increase over historical patterns.”

-“If global warming emissions continue unabated, Sierra Nevada snowpack could decline 70 to 90 percent, with cascading effects on winter recreation, water supply, and natural ecosystems.”

-“Many fruit and nut trees are particularly sensitive to temperature changes because of heat-accumulation limits and chill-hour requirements. Heat accumulation, which refers to the total hours during which temperatures reach between 45 and 95 degrees F, is critical for fruit development. Rising temperatures could increase fruit development rates and decrease fruit size.”

-“Continued climate change is likely to alter the abundance and types of many pests, lengthen pests' breeding season, and increase pathogen growth rates.”

-“If temperatures rise into the medium warming range, the risk of large wildfires in California could increase by as much as 55 percent, which is almost twice the increase expected if temperatures stay in the lower warming range.”

-“Alpine and subalpine ecosystems are among the most threatened in the state; plants suited to these regions have limited opportunity to migrate “up slope” and are expected to decline by as much as 60 to 80 percent by the end of the century as a result of increasing temperatures.”

-Recent projections suggest that continued global warming could adversely affect the health and productivity of California's forests. If average statewide temperatures rise to the medium warming range, the productivity of mixed conifer forests is expected to diminish by as much as 18 percent by the end of the century. Yield reductions from pine plantations are expected to be even more severe, with up to a 30 percent decrease by the end of the century.”

Visalia - Kaweah Delta's officials were on hand this week toasting the last steel beam to go up on the hospital's North Expansion. The six-story, $93 million building is 105 feet tall, the largest in the city, says chief building official for the City of Visalia Dennis Lehman. “The senior complex on Murray is 88 feet and 8 stories,” says Lehman noting that the hospital building is taller because of the infrastructure space needs of a medical building between stories.

The new Kaweah Delta building is scheduled to be completed in August 2008 and will see its first patients in January 2009. The hospital will use just four of the six floors when it opens with the remaining space left for future needs. The builder is Colorado-based Hensel Phelps Construction. Hospital officials and others signed their names on the last steel beam that is part of the overall frame of the big structure. Across Acequia the new 700 plus car parking garage is going up at the same time.

by Steve Pastis

Tulare County - Ag theft is on the rise. Criminals are increasingly targeting farms and agricultural businesses because they are usually isolated in remote areas. Other factors, such as the dramatic increase in the price of copper to up to $4 a pound, have contributed to this problem.

It is estimated that theft and vandalism currently cost California farmers and agribusinesses $1 billion per year, with more than $10 million in thefts reported in the Central Valley alone. Over the past 18 months, $2 million worth of almonds, 14 truckloads, were stolen locally.

“This is a problem that has always been there, but only recently have we gotten a handle on how big the problem is,” said Bill Yoshimoto, Supervising Attorney and Project Director for the County of Tulare District Attorney. “This kind of crime has increased 10 to 20 percent each year, at least for the last several years we have been tracking reported crime. And of course, not all crime is reported.”

One solution to this problem, however, may soon be soaring through the skies of Tulare County. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), similar to those that have proven effective for the military in Afghanistan and Iraq, and are being used to patrol U.S. borders, are being proposed to fight ag theft in the valley.

The Office of the Tulare District Attorney is submitting an application with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for a Community Facilities Grant for the purchase of Surveillance Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Equipment (SUAVE) to be used in conjunction with the Rural Crime Prevention Program. The application requests $44,250 in federal funds to be matched by $14,750 of Rural Crime Program funds for the first UAV.

The requirements of the USDA grant program are consistent with the plans of the Tulare DA's office. “Part of the stipulation of this particular fund is that we have to use it in a rural area,” Yoshimoto said.

To fight ag theft, the Rural Crime Bill, based upon a proposal written by District Attorney Phil Cline and carried in the legislature by Assemblyman Chuck Poochigian, was passed and signed into law by Governor Pete Wilson. The Rural Crime Bill authorized Tulare County to develop the Rural Crime Prevention Demonstration Project. As a result, the Tulare County District Attorney's Office, the Tulare County Sheriff's Office, and the Tulare County Agricultural Commissioner's Office initiated the Rural Crime Prevention Program. The program is dedicated to the development of new and more effective techniques for addressing agricultural crime.

Tulare County has a special interest in protecting farmers and ranchers and is uniquely suited for this program because of its agriculturally based economy. Nearly 50 percent of the 3,158,400 acres in Tulare County are under cultivation, and of the 311,000 residents, nearly 60 percent rely on agriculture for their livelihood.

“Part of our project is developing technology and techniques that in some sense has never been done before,” Yoshimoto said. “We have to do surveillance of large tracts of land. We have to maneuver to see but not been seen. For example, if we need to try to apprehend an individual who is plaguing wind machines, what we would do is put a plane up and watch a large area.”

He described the type of drone that would meet these needs as a “glorified remote control airplane,” but quickly pointed out that what they are seeking is larger, would fly longer and would need to hold equipment, such as a radio transmitter and surveillance equipment.

Among the UAVs that are available is AeroVironment's Dragon Eye system, which consists of two air vehicles, four cameras, two replacement noses and one ground control station. With a cost in the $60,000-$70,000 range, the system is currently being produced for the United Stated Marine Corps. AeroVironment also produces the Wasp small unmanned aircraft system which wirelessly transmits live video and other information generated by its electro-optical sensor payload, enabling the user to view and capture images on a hand-held ground control unit. The Wasp, which weighs less than a pound but has a wingspan of 1.3 feet, can fly for more than 30 minutes using a rechargeable battery.

No decision has been made about which equipment would be selected, according to Yoshimoto. “There are a number of vendors out there,” he said. “We'll select one appropriate for our needs. We have an idea of what is out there though.”

Tulare County is participating in a regional effort to fight ag theft as one of 13 counties in the Central Valley and along the Central Coast. The drone would be used throughout the region, according to Yoshimoto, initially to test its effectiveness.

“If it works, we will get more,” he said.

Pot Farm Surveillance

Similar surveillance may be a possibility in fighting other kinds of crime in the Central Valley. The recent Washington, D.C. lobbying done by Tulare County Supervisor Allen Ishida and others is expected to bring federal funds and “unspecified defense technology” to fight the thriving illegal methamphetamine and marijuana business based in the local federal parks and forests.

“We are looking at aerial surveillance and other methods,” said Eric Coyne, County Media Officer. He refused, however, to add any specifics that would provide marijuana growers with an opportunity to adjust their multi-million dollar operations to successfully thwart the use of any new technology.

Earlier this year, a House of Representatives panel heard from police agencies that are looking at UAVs as a way to fight domestic terrorism by patrolling borders and ports.

by Steve Pastis

Tulare County - Sunkist's Chairman of the Board Nick Bozick announced in a November 21 letter to the company's growers that a task force has been formed to plan the company's entry into the growing organic citrus market. Former Sunkist grower and now rival Paramount Citrus, which has several hundred acres of organic oranges, including groves in Tulare County, pulled out of Sunkist on October 1, the beginning of the growing season. Now Sunkist appears to be scrambling to ensure that it can compete in this new and growing market.

“The Sunkist Task Force on Organics is working on the development and implementation of a strategic and orderly entrance into the organics business,” wrote Bozick. “Sunkist's objective is to provide consistent year-round supply to our top customers, while working within the stringent requirements for organic certification and changing consumer demands. This is a niche market we don't want to overlook.”

Organic foods are a rapidly growing segment of the food industry. In 2005, organic food sales reached $15 billion, or 3% of the $575 billion dollar global grocery industry. Consumers buy organics for a variety of reasons including concerns about their family's health and for the environment.

According to California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF), “Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Certified organic food in the United States is grown according to standards set by the National Organic Program. According to those standards, organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.”

Before a product can be labeled 'organic,' a USDA accredited certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rules necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to a local supermarket or restaurant must be certified and inspected also.

“The requirements for organic growing and packing are rigorous,” Bozick said. “Quality, food safety and organic certification are givens. We're working with growers and packers. Currently, our grower-members have about 200 acres of orange varieties either already certified or in the process of being certified. One Sunkist packinghouse has been certified to run an organic packing line and another is in certification process.

“We're putting it all together in an Organic Action Plan to ensure the integrity of food safety and quality, working within the requirements of organic certification, and to develop and maintain a consistent, year-round supply that meets the needs of the top organic retailers,” he added. “Sunkist is committed to helping our growers meet the needs of the evolving produce industry. As part of this commitment, Sunkist is organizing a grower workshop in early 2007 to discuss the new citrus varieties that are driving consumer demand.”

Blue Banner, a Sunkist grower with 160 acres throughout Central and Southern California, is among the first Sunkist growers to produce organic oranges. In the growing and packing business since 1951, the company had its first crop of Valencia oranges this year. It is in the process of gaining organic certification for its navel orange and grape business.

“We have two goals,” said Tom Mazzetti, President of Blue Banner Co., “to get the best return for our fruit that we can and to satisfy the needs and demands of our customers.” Even with the increased expenses, he sees the benefit of growing organically.

“It's a supply-and-demand issue,” he explained. “Currently, there is more demand than supply.” According to Mazzetti, Blue Banner may expand their organic efforts to 400 acres in the near future.

Sunkist's entry into the organics market should inspire others to give a more serious look at the opportunities of this growing industry. Some local growers and packers, however, have already made the transition from traditional to organic farming.

Last year, Rick Nicholas of H & R Citrus in Orange Cove started growing organic oranges and minneola tangelos for financial reasons, or as he put it, “to survive.” Organics have “helped quite a bit,” according to Nicholas.

Although the transition to organics wasn't easy, it wasn't as difficult as he thought. There have been some changes though.

“We have a lot of weeds, but they keep the insect pressure down,” he said. “Organic oranges are going to rot on you in two weeks. A regular one takes a month or so. An organic's life is less but they are better eating.”

H & R Citrus is also a packing house and packing organic oranges also require some changes. Soap cleaners are not allowed, but chlorine and organic wax are acceptable.

Kenneth Olsen of Olsen Organic in Lindsay became an organic farmer because of his “appreciation for all life on earth.” Although he started off following UC recommendations for his first three years as a farmer, he became concerned that the suggested poisons and herbicides were “killing life.”

“I believe in sustaining life,” he explained. “As an organic farmer, I depend on this life that's going on below the soil, the microbes and fungi.”

In 2002, he made the transition to organic farming. “It's getting better each year,” he said. “The soil is healing. It's better than what it was when it was with chemicals.”

Olsen admits that because of expenses, his profits haven't been as high as with traditional farming. He estimates that it costs him $3,000 per acre to grow oranges organically. With chemicals, his expenses would be only $1,400 an acre.

On the plus side, however, most of his orders are pre-sold. He sells his oranges to “small selective organic grocery stores” in places such as Minnesota, Connecticut, Texas, Oregon and Washington for twice as much per carton as traditional oranges. His clementines retail for $3 per pound. “I've seen them sell for up to $4 a pound,” he said.

Olsen does all of his own packing. He uses a dry brush to clean and polish his oranges. An orange spends only one day in cold storage. “In a few days, it's in the consumer's hands.”

One of the first organic citrus growers in the valley is Tule Specialty Packing of Porterville which has been certified since 1989. “Before 1990, nobody in the U.S. had an organic law,” explained owner John France. “The California Organic Food Act of 1990 put all the organic standards under one roof. Before then, certifiers were beholden to no one. Private certifying agencies all had their own standards. The law let everyone know what the word 'organic' meant.”

Tule Specialty Packing became involved in organic farming more than 20 years ago. “In the 1980s, people passed the 'Big Green Initiative,'” France said. “It effectively began to eliminate some of the hardcore pesticides that were being used. It was clear to me that the train of U.S. chemical farming had left the station.”

The company began to explore ways to farm without chemicals. Up until that time, however, the only organic farmers in the area were “hippie types wearing Birkenstocks who had organic gardens.”

Things began to change in the 1980s as companies started to prove that organics could be grown commercially—and make a good profit. “With organics, there's not a market in the world you can't access,” he said.

Tule Specialty Packing is among those companies that left Sunkist over the organic citrus issue. According to France, in 1989, when “people's eyes would roll” if you mentioned organics, his company had a deal to sell 12 loads of organic citrus to the Sunkist company in Japan, but “Sunkist of Sherman Oaks quashed it.”

Tule went independent soon after that and became a fruit packing company, handling its own fruit. It became very successful in packing, according to France, becoming one of the largest marketers of organics in the U.S.

Not all growers are planning to hop onto the organic bandwagon, however. Many are skeptical about the future of organic citrus, doubting that its demand will grow because of factors such as the fruit's appearance. Many customers determine their produce selections based mainly on appearance and without timely sprays, pests can do cosmetic damage to the orange, rendering it less appealing to the eye. Others are concerned about the restrictions or the three years required to become organically certified.

“We grow, harvest, pack and ship all our products and don't have an organic marketing program,” said Al Bates, General Manager of Sun Pacific, a grower, packer and shipper with facilities in Exeter, Bakersfield and Los Angeles. “We're a very large company, producing a few million boxes a year and we haven't decided to get into organics yet.

“If there's a large demand from our growers, we will get into it,” he added. “So far, there hasn't been. The market seems to have peaked and stabilized.”

Woodlake area grower Bob Baker scoffs at the idea of trying to grow citrus organically. “If I see a weed, I want to kill it,” he explained. “Sometimes that requires spraying and pre-emergent use. Battling weeds without these tools will require more labor and more tractor passes and more dust. It's just not practical.”

In recent years, however, the increasing demand from commodity after commodity to be organically grown or produced—milk, meat, tree fruit, grains, vegetables, etc.—has pushed the big retailers to offer more and more organic products. This trend includes the nation's largest grocer, Wal-Mart.