Iryna Dronova
@irynad.bsky.social
Environmental scientist, Associate Professor, UC Berkeley. Remote sensing, GIS, wetlands, biodiversity, urban ecosystems, natural climate solutions. Bridges among science, landscape practice, and policy. I stand with Ukraine. Opinions are my own.
This food trivia game card on "borscht" is yet another example of an attribution of a not authentically russian heritage as russian. There's a UNESCO nomination of Ukrainian culture on this dish - and it has versions and names in other Eastern European nations, the word itself coming from Yiddish.
November 7, 2025 at 10:39 PM
This food trivia game card on "borscht" is yet another example of an attribution of a not authentically russian heritage as russian. There's a UNESCO nomination of Ukrainian culture on this dish - and it has versions and names in other Eastern European nations, the word itself coming from Yiddish.
A small distraction. Do you ever see an image in your mind that would make a nice painting? I do but have no such skill. So I tried a small experiment in Gemini AI to recreate a specific idea of a painting. This took time and didn’t quite meet the goal, but here are some versions and observations:
September 23, 2025 at 11:46 PM
A small distraction. Do you ever see an image in your mind that would make a nice painting? I do but have no such skill. So I tried a small experiment in Gemini AI to recreate a specific idea of a painting. This took time and didn’t quite meet the goal, but here are some versions and observations:
Our #UCBerkeley 's incredible ~143 California Buckeye tree is in bloom again. During the leafless stage it often looks nearly dead with its hollow trunk, like a fragmented sculpture. Yet the spring comes and it's back being vibrant and alive, just in time for graduation festivities!
May 14, 2025 at 8:50 PM
Our #UCBerkeley 's incredible ~143 California Buckeye tree is in bloom again. During the leafless stage it often looks nearly dead with its hollow trunk, like a fragmented sculpture. Yet the spring comes and it's back being vibrant and alive, just in time for graduation festivities!
On this #EarthDay, a few memories from a recent visit to our Southwest. Drylands tell the story of water - and time - like no other place.
April 23, 2025 at 2:58 AM
On this #EarthDay, a few memories from a recent visit to our Southwest. Drylands tell the story of water - and time - like no other place.
Mudflats are such critical wetland habitats, yet, in tidal systems their ephemeral emergence may be not too obvious to human eyes. It's fun to discover them in less expected places like channels that seem to look deep at high tides. (The birds, of course, know their mudflats).
January 21, 2025 at 12:30 AM
Mudflats are such critical wetland habitats, yet, in tidal systems their ephemeral emergence may be not too obvious to human eyes. It's fun to discover them in less expected places like channels that seem to look deep at high tides. (The birds, of course, know their mudflats).
Wishing everyone a great 2025.
January 3, 2025 at 2:02 AM
Wishing everyone a great 2025.
My favorite type of Black Friday
November 30, 2024 at 3:46 AM
My favorite type of Black Friday
5 years ago I visited Antarctica with #teamHB4. The stunning beauty of this place reminded yet again of the fragility of our global ecosystems and special gifts they keep bringing us even in the face of peril. But there was also a deep sense of hope, of which we must not let go.
November 27, 2024 at 2:47 AM
5 years ago I visited Antarctica with #teamHB4. The stunning beauty of this place reminded yet again of the fragility of our global ecosystems and special gifts they keep bringing us even in the face of peril. But there was also a deep sense of hope, of which we must not let go.
Great turnout at our 2nd UC Berkeley GIF Geolunch on a very rainy day! This time we had lightning talks from 7 faculty groups in 4 departments on mountain snow, California water, public health, air pollution, plant spectral ecology, vulnerable wetlands, and more. Thanks to all speakers and guests.
November 22, 2024 at 11:04 PM
Great turnout at our 2nd UC Berkeley GIF Geolunch on a very rainy day! This time we had lightning talks from 7 faculty groups in 4 departments on mountain snow, California water, public health, air pollution, plant spectral ecology, vulnerable wetlands, and more. Thanks to all speakers and guests.
Huge thanks to all colleagues who develop tools and tutorials and pass on their inspiring energy. On the data side, grateful for the aesthetic bonus of landscape images. Often start my remote sensing course just by looking together at Landsat scenes & guessing what we see, like this one #gischat
November 20, 2024 at 6:27 PM
Huge thanks to all colleagues who develop tools and tutorials and pass on their inspiring energy. On the data side, grateful for the aesthetic bonus of landscape images. Often start my remote sensing course just by looking together at Landsat scenes & guessing what we see, like this one #gischat
Our microclimate in San Francisco Bay Area is sensitive to the Pacific fog. You know they say the fog enters through the Golden Bay Bridge and goes right to North Berkeley? Occasionally satellite images capture this precise moment. #Landsat
November 19, 2024 at 5:59 AM
Our microclimate in San Francisco Bay Area is sensitive to the Pacific fog. You know they say the fog enters through the Golden Bay Bridge and goes right to North Berkeley? Occasionally satellite images capture this precise moment. #Landsat
“Orderly frames” & “cues to care” – ways for landscape design to mitigate human perception of “messy” ecosystems & habitats (famous 1995 & later work by Joan Nassauer). Fun to see examples, intentional or not: neat edge of a purposefully unmowed grassland, one in the USA, one in Germany.
November 14, 2024 at 7:00 PM
“Orderly frames” & “cues to care” – ways for landscape design to mitigate human perception of “messy” ecosystems & habitats (famous 1995 & later work by Joan Nassauer). Fun to see examples, intentional or not: neat edge of a purposefully unmowed grassland, one in the USA, one in Germany.
So many warm fall colors and hues in our university botanical garden. And still lots of green even on non-evergreens this warm fall - more bright colors yet to come.
November 11, 2024 at 3:15 AM
So many warm fall colors and hues in our university botanical garden. And still lots of green even on non-evergreens this warm fall - more bright colors yet to come.
Our Geospatial Innovation Facility team was excited to host a new Geolunch seminar introducing geospatial resources & training at UC Berkeley. Big thanks to our guests and speakers from UC Berkeley Library, D-Lab and UCANR IGIS. Look forward to future events & workshops (some of which I'll teach)!
October 25, 2024 at 10:48 PM
Our Geospatial Innovation Facility team was excited to host a new Geolunch seminar introducing geospatial resources & training at UC Berkeley. Big thanks to our guests and speakers from UC Berkeley Library, D-Lab and UCANR IGIS. Look forward to future events & workshops (some of which I'll teach)!
Shadow tracing of garden plants with ink pen and pencil - great end-of-the-weekend activity to do with kids or just to create a moment of calm focus. (Though it appeared much harder than had seemed - shadows and paper tend to move around a lot). it's our native California fuchsia bloom season again.
October 21, 2024 at 5:03 PM
Shadow tracing of garden plants with ink pen and pencil - great end-of-the-weekend activity to do with kids or just to create a moment of calm focus. (Though it appeared much harder than had seemed - shadows and paper tend to move around a lot). it's our native California fuchsia bloom season again.
Even small wetlands are very important for biodiversity and hydrology of rangelands in our dry-summer climate. End of summer makes this especially evident!
September 4, 2024 at 4:42 PM
Even small wetlands are very important for biodiversity and hydrology of rangelands in our dry-summer climate. End of summer makes this especially evident!
It's always a nice surprise just how late the spring can be at higher elevations. Yet, once it really starts, the landscape changes so fast. (And important to know about the need to cover parked cars bottom-up with solid tarp near marmot grounds - for everyone's safety).
May 30, 2024 at 6:04 AM
It's always a nice surprise just how late the spring can be at higher elevations. Yet, once it really starts, the landscape changes so fast. (And important to know about the need to cover parked cars bottom-up with solid tarp near marmot grounds - for everyone's safety).
Seeing "wild" nature by surprise on our university campus brings a smile, be it a Wild Turkey or a stinkhorn mushroom.
May 22, 2024 at 4:13 PM
Seeing "wild" nature by surprise on our university campus brings a smile, be it a Wild Turkey or a stinkhorn mushroom.
It's California wild lilac season! Another favorite among native drought tolerant plants. Four kinds of Ceanothus are blooming in my yard right now, and pollinators seem to love them.
March 13, 2024 at 8:47 PM
It's California wild lilac season! Another favorite among native drought tolerant plants. Four kinds of Ceanothus are blooming in my yard right now, and pollinators seem to love them.
It's still cold in our woodlands but the spring is here
March 4, 2024 at 4:46 AM
It's still cold in our woodlands but the spring is here
Two years of the senseless, unprovoked russia's war in Ukraine. So much loss and pain. In my heart Ukraine remains like this: full of rich beauty and love. And we are beyond grateful to everyone who has been a true friend at this most difficult time. Ukraine fights for more than its own future.
February 25, 2024 at 4:27 AM
Two years of the senseless, unprovoked russia's war in Ukraine. So much loss and pain. In my heart Ukraine remains like this: full of rich beauty and love. And we are beyond grateful to everyone who has been a true friend at this most difficult time. Ukraine fights for more than its own future.
These lovely sculptures can't help but hint what our world might look like without its biodiversity.
(However, a real bird was singing nearby when I snapped this - a sign of hope?)
(However, a real bird was singing nearby when I snapped this - a sign of hope?)
February 20, 2024 at 4:45 PM
These lovely sculptures can't help but hint what our world might look like without its biodiversity.
(However, a real bird was singing nearby when I snapped this - a sign of hope?)
(However, a real bird was singing nearby when I snapped this - a sign of hope?)
Our mode and mood these days
February 7, 2024 at 5:10 PM
Our mode and mood these days
Here in California January is often a fuzzy transition between fall and spring: some plants are in fall colors, others are opening the buds and starting to flower. But seeing the rosemary blossoms always feels like a true turning point towards spring.
January 21, 2024 at 4:10 AM
Here in California January is often a fuzzy transition between fall and spring: some plants are in fall colors, others are opening the buds and starting to flower. But seeing the rosemary blossoms always feels like a true turning point towards spring.
Año Nuevo State Park in California is a magical place hosting one of the largest colonies of the northern elephant seals (to see them, one needs to sign up for a guided walk at the park). Amazing at every visit, rain or shine.
January 15, 2024 at 7:33 PM
Año Nuevo State Park in California is a magical place hosting one of the largest colonies of the northern elephant seals (to see them, one needs to sign up for a guided walk at the park). Amazing at every visit, rain or shine.