The California Natural Resources Agency (CNRA) is a state cabinet-level agency in the government of California. The institution and jurisdiction of the Natural Resources Agency is provided for in California Government Code sections 12800 and 12805, et seq. The Agency has six departments, 10 conservancies, 17 boards and commissions, three councils, and one urban park in Los Angeles that consists of two museums, the California Science Center and the California African American museum. Through its 25 departments, conservancies and commissions, the Natural Resources Agency is responsible for protecting prehistory history, natural landscapes and cultural sites, monitoring and stewarding state lands and waterways, and regulating fish and game use, as well as private lands and the intersection with federal lands and waters.The current Secretary for Natural Resources is Wade Crowfoot, and is a member of Governor Gavin Newsom's cabinet.
Social Impact Statement The use of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) in agrosystems is a potential solution to the challenges arising from global change. These species could contribute to the equitable diversification of agricultural systems. Providing knowledge on their genetic diversity and fostering access to data and results is essential for the development of strong collaborative future research. The study addressed these issues by assessing the diversity of the largest fonio ( Digitaria exilis ) collection existing to date. Associated with a user‐friendly Shiny application ( https://shinyapps.southgreen.fr/app/foniodiv ), our results reinforce research efficiency and broaden the prospects for all actors involved in enhancing fonio and indigenous crops as valuable resources for the future.
Tropical forest restoration is a global priority, yet its success often hinges on seedling survival in degraded landscapes. In West Africa, large-scale restoration is challenged by limited knowledge of how survival drivers interact across diverse native species. This study dissects the "anatomy of survival" by evaluating how planting time, shade, and vegetation competition shape early performance across 21,609 seedlings from 16 native tree species in central C & ocirc;te d'Ivoire-a region marked by seasonal rainfall and widespread land degradation. A large-scale field experiment tested the effects of delayed planting, shade from intercropped banana, and competition from herbaceous cover, Panicum grasses, and the exotic tree Cedrela odorata. Seedling survival was monitored over the first growing season under operational planting conditions. Hierarchical Bayesian survival models were used to isolate species-specific responses to each factor while accounting for environmental variability. The analysis revealed a multidimensional structure to seedling survival. Early planting was generally beneficial, especially for slow-growing species. Banana shade consistently improved survival by buffering temperature and preserving soil moisture. Cedrela had strong negative effects on most species, underscoring its competitive dominance and incompatibility with native restoration. Herbaceous cover also reduced survival, though effects varied by species. Fromager, Kotib & eacute;, Ako, and Asan showed the highest survival probabilities across treatments. This breakdown of survival patterns provides a functional basis for restoration design. We propose species-specific guidelines emphasizing early planting, strategic shading, and targeted weeding. Yet given the complexity and cost of planting, assisted natural regeneration remains the preferred option where viable seed sources persist.
The benefits of participatory science (PS) engagement for participants are not equally distributed. Currently, people who identify as white, highly educated, and wealthy largely constitute contributory PS projects, and little is known about what motivates or impedes participation of people from underrepresented groups. We investigated how Project FeederWatch (PFW), a PS project focused on people who feed and watch birds, could be made more inclusive for people identifying as 1) Black, Indigenous, or a person of color and/or 2) disabled and/or neurodivergent using focus groups of people who already feed birds but do not currently participate in PFW. We explored how PFW could better align with people’s existing interests and address perceived systemic barriers to participation. The motivations and barriers that attendees identified reflected their associations with PS as a whole. Attendees indicated that PFW already matched their interests and had several accessible aspects. However, attendees noted substantial systemic barriers to participation, including the participation fee, economic barriers, accessibility barriers, and a pervasive lack of belonging. Attendees suggested that PFW could be more inclusive by addressing these barriers, improving accessibility, and further supporting participant interests. Based on our research, we share recommendations for designing both inclusive focus groups and inclusive PS projects. These findings have relevance for other projects seeking to distribute the benefits of PS to all.
