News & Events

Drs. Darren Ward and Nick Som received a grant for research on salmon populations and habitat in the Redwood Creek estuary. The project will build on ongoing monitoring efforts to better understand salmon population abundance and life history. New work will include fish tagging and tracking, water quality assessment, food web studies, and expanded habitat monitoring. Findings will generate information to guide habitat restoration efforts in Redwood Creek and help inform future estuary restoration projects.

Dr. Eileen Cashman received a grant to lead a sea level rise planning and economic study for the Murray Field Airport in Eureka. The airport provides critical services to Humboldt County, including air freight, postal delivery, air ambulance, and Coast Guard operations, but faces growing vulnerability to sea level rise, making this study essential to inform long-term planning decisions for its future. The study will assess sea level rise impacts and develop conceptual designs for possible adaptation options. 

Dan Mar received a grant from the Resources Legacy Fund to support initiatives within the Cannabis Studies Program, including the 2026 Cannabis and Environmental Stewardship Symposium and student-led podcast production through the Cannabis Studies Lab. Funding will provide paid opportunities for undergraduate students in event planning, research, and media creation, and allow the purchase of podcast equipment.

Sara Hart and the Center for Community Based Learning received renewed funding from the Governor’s California Volunteers Office to continue and expand Cal Poly Humboldt’s College Corps program, a service fellowship providing students $10,000 toward their education for 450 hours of service in the community. Fellows partner with local organizations to meet local needs while developing future-ready skills of service leadership.

Dr. Darren Ward received a grant to support collaborative research on spring-run Chinook salmon in the Klamath River Basin. The project seeks to better understand the species’ abundance and distribution, with a special focus on the Salmon River, home to the basin’s last remaining wild spring-run Chinook population. Research will examine how past and present human modifications to river features influence salmon movement and spawning. Findings will help guide current and future management efforts aimed at supporting the long-term survival of spring-run Chinook salmon.