Everyone is invited to be a scientist on Thursday (May 8) in cooperation with UC Cooperative Extension on the occasion of its centennial year.

Cooperative Extension here and in other states dates back to May 8, 1914, when President Woodrow Wilson signed an act of Congress to channel scientific advances from university research to everyday people in the United States.

"UC Cooperative Extension is all about science and service," said Barbara Allen-Diaz, UC vice president for Agriculture and Natural Resources, which administers Cooperative Extension in California. "To celebrate the anniversary of Cooperative Extension, we are asking Californians to help us collect scientific data so hat all of us will better understand our natural, agricultural and urban communities."  

The project, covering pollinators, water and food, aims to further connect public higher education with the community.

Data will be collected online, in an interactive way — with participants asked to mark their data collection points on a map, and add photos.

People are asked to record their observations on three questions:

• How many pollinators do you see? (Yes, bees, count. And so do birds, bats, beetles, butterflies, flies, moths and wasps.)
• How do you conserve water?
• Where is food grown in your community?

The state science day will include special events at many UC Cooperative Extension county offices. Computers will be available to allow participants to record their observations to the science questions.

The Yolo County office, 70 Cottonwood St., Woodland, has scheduled an open house with refreshments from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Activities will include presentations on Cooperative Extension history and programs. More information is available from Rachael Long, county director, by telephone, (530) 666-8734, or email.

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