About CLEAR

The mission of the Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) is to provide information and assistance to land use decision makers and other audiences in support of better land use decisions, healthier natural resources, and more resilient communities.

CLEAR is a partnership between the Department of Extension and the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, two units of the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), and the Connecticut Sea Grant Program. CLEAR became an official UConn center in 2002, but is built on a 25-year track record of award-winning programs focused on the relationship of natural resource protection to land use planning and management. CLEAR research, outreach and training programs address the overlapping issues of water management, land use planning, climate resiliency, and geospatial (mapping) technology. We are a small center of 7-10 people (depending on how you count), and take pride in our creativity, teamwork and productivity (just check out how massive this website really is!). CLEAR receives foundational support from CAHNR and CT Sea Grant Program, obtaining the rest (about half) of our support through state, federal and private grants.

CLEAR People: The Insider's Introduction

A quick look at the small cadre of people (more information on our Staff page) that make up the UConn Center for Land Use Education and Research.

 

CLEAR Awards and Honors

2016

CLEAR, CT ASLA Olmsted Award, (CT Chapter of the American Society of Landscape Architects)


Michael Dietz, UConn Environmental Leadership Award, Alumni


Michael Dietz and Dave Dickson, UConn Environmental Leadership Award, Faculty/Staff Team


CLEAR, Provost’s Award for Excellence in Public Engagement, Career Recognition


Emily Wilson and Joel Stocker, ESRI Storytelling with Maps Contest, First Prize in the Science, Technology and Education category.

2015

Bruce Hyde and the Land Use Academy, Land Use Academy, Education Award from the Connecticut Chapter of the American Planning Association


Emily Wilson and Chester Arnold, ESRI Storytelling with Maps Contest, First Prize in the Science, Technology and Education category.

2013

CT NEMO's Michael Dietz and the National NEMO Network's David Dickson won the 2013 Nancy and David Bull Innovation Award from the University of Connecticut College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for their creation of the Rain Garden App, the first University app for the general public.


CLEAR's Kara Bonsack won the Arland Mead Communications Award from the University of Connecticut College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for her design and maintenance of the CLEAR and CLEAR component websites.

2012

Emily Wilson won the 2012 Nancy and David Bull Innovation Award from the University of Connecticut College of Agriculture and Natural Resources for her use of geospatial data and technology through maps, aerial and satellite imagery and other geographically-referenced information.


Connecticut Chapter of the American Planning Association 2012 Public Service Award, to CLEAR and CT DEEP for developing and maintaining the comprehensive, innovative and highly accessible CT ECO website.


CT NEMO's Michael Dietz and Chet Arnold have been given the Environmental Merit Award through EPA Region 1, for their work on New England Rain Garden Trainings. EPA's Environmental Merit Award is an annual award that recognizes outstanding environmental advocates who have made significant contributions toward preserving and protecting our natural resources.


Tom Worthley and his collaborators received the "2012 Award for Excellence in Land Conservation" for Community Engagement for Forest Stewardship through School System Collaboration. Recognized by the award committee were the many ways their "management plan, conservation practice (forest improvement) demonstration, use of low-impact techniques and example of locally grown, harvested and utilized wood products" project has been able to engage multiple academic and adult audiences for educational purposes at all stages of the process, provide service learning opportunities, demonstrate local benefits and create a project that can be self-sustaining over time.


CLEAR Geospatial Educator Emily Wilson was honored as a Connecticut Woman of Innovation by the CT Technology Council. As stated at the CTC website, "the awards program, sponsored by the Connecticut Technology Council, recognizes women in the workforce and at the high school and college levels, who are innovators, role models and leaders in the technology, science and engineering fields." More on the awards.

2010

The American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS) have selected CLEAR Director Dr. Daniel Civco to be the 2010 recipient of the SAIC Estes Memorial Teaching Award.

2009

The Geospatial Technology Program (now the Geospatial Training Program) won the 2009 Excellence in Outreach Education Award from the University of Connecticut College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.


The Association of Public Land Grant Universities (APLU) has selected NEMO Co-founder Chet Arnold to receive the Excellence in Extension award in the Northeast Region. The award is presented annually to an individual who has strived throughout his/her career to achieve benchmarks reflective of excellence in extension educational programming. Chet is being recognized for his work in co-founding and running the CT NEMO program, the National NEMO Network and CLEAR. He is the first recipient of this award from UConn or even New England.

2008

CT NEMO's Emily Wilson won the 2008 Environmental Professional Award in recognition of her exemplary efforts to help local land use officials by brining geospatial technology to town hall through the CRI Online and Connecticut's Changing Landscape projects. The award was given by the Connecticut River Coastal Conservation District.


The CT NEMO Program won the 2008 Communications Award from the Connecticut Chapter of the American Plan Association for its set of three interrelated websites focused on Low Impact Development (LID).


The National NEMO Network won the 2008 national award from USDA as the Outstanding Integrated Water Resources Program.

2007

The NEMO program, comprised of CT NEMO and the National NEMO Network, was awarded the 2008 Water Resources Team Award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for Outstanding Integrated Program.


CLEAR Director Dan Civco received the National Award for Excellence in College and University Teaching in the Food and Agricultural Sciences from the USDA, CSREES.

2006

CT NEMO won the 2006 Outstanding Achievement Award from the Renewable Natural Resources Foundation in D.C. for its publication Putting Communities in Charge, which details the on-the-ground actions that Connecticut municipalities have taken after working with CT NEMO.


Public Outreach and Engagement Award, University of Connecticut (to CT NEMO Program) in 2006.

2005

CT NEMO’s Connecticut’s Changing Landscape website received a national award in 2005 from the Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals.

2004

NEMO was highlighted in the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy’s 2004 Final Report, which recommended an expansion of NEMO efforts. The full report can be found at www.oceancommission.gov.