At CLEAR, we work hard to provide geospatial data so that most everybody can view and access the maps and information. Inevitably, it is never exactly what everyone wants (sigh, I wish it was). One question that I am repeatedly asked is about printing or exporting. How do I print just one area of a pdf? […]
All New CT ECO Website (that’s the one with maps)
The Connecticut Environmental Conditions Online (CT ECO) website has become a central place to view and access Connecticut’s environmental mapping information along with aerial imagery and elevation. My head has been buried in the sand for the past few months (sorry if I didn’t reply to your email), but I’ve been working on the HUUGGE […]
CLEAR, 20 Years Online
Websites have come a long way since the inception of the Internet. While the Internet can be traced back to the 1960s, 1991 is considered the year the World Wide Web went live. In 1995 the last usage restrictions were lifted, clearing the path for the internet to become what we now know it to be today. […]
UConn’s Natural Resources Conservation Academy Adds Two New Education Programs in 2017
Founded in 2011, the Natural Resources Conservation Academy (NRCA) is designed to provide high school students with a structured informal learning experience focused on the environment, natural resources and geospatial technologies. In case you haven’t heard about it yet, let me get you caught up. The NRCA is all about making connections. Connecting young adults […]
Consequences of Road Salt Use in Connecticut
February 14, 2017 Presented By Mike Dietz, UConn CLEAR & Lukas McNaboe, UConn Grad Student Road salt use continues to increase in cold regions of North America. State Departments of Transportation and Municipal Public Works managers need to provide safe travel conditions for the public, however all of the salt applied to our roads ends […]
Getting Started on Your New MS4 Permit
February 7, 2017 Presented By David Dickson & Amanda Ryan, UConn CLEAR For the 121 communities (plus institutions) covered under CT DEEP’s newly revised “MS4” stormwater regulations, the first requirements are to develop (or revise) a Stormwater Management Plan (SWMP) for your town and register as an MS4. Draft SWMPs are to be posted for […]
Sunrise, sunset and the Equation of Time
The days are finally getting longer. It is always a slow, subtle and most welcome change from the days of leaving for work in the dark and arriving home again in the dark. Since the winter solstice on December 21, 2016 when the North Pole is tilted furthest from the sun the amount of daylight […]
Deny the Deniers
Last fall I thought about using this title to write about denying federal aid for climate change related disasters to states with administrations that deny climate change. To those governors and legislatures who take no or little action to prepare for sea level rise, increased precipitation events, more intense storms, droughts, etc. that science tells […]
Major New CLEAR Programs Getting Underway in 2017
As 2017 gets underway, CLEAR folks are working hard on the early stages of major new projects that cover all three of CLEAR’s traditional program areas, and actually add a fourth! Each one of these projects will no doubt be the fodder for many blogs to come, but for now, here’s a quick summary of […]
2017 CLEAR Report
Supporting Connecticut Communities Progress Report of the UConn Center for Land Use Education & Research (View Report as pdf)
Municipal Issues & Needs for Addressing Climate Adaptation in Connecticut
(View Report as pdf)
Drought in Connecticut? Who knew?
Connecticut is not the first place that would likely come to mind if I asked you to come up with a part of the country that experiences drought; the desert southwest and California might typically be first on the list. However, southern New England has received less than normal amounts of precipitation for the past […]
Groundwater 101
November 9, 2016 Presented By Dr. Gary Robbins, Dept of Natural Resources & the Environment, University of Connecticut Connecticut has an abundance of good quality groundwater owing to its geologic past. In this webinar, Dr. Gary Robbins, Hydrogeologist at UCONN, will discuss our groundwater resources—where they are, how much we might have and use, their […]
Natural Resources Conservation Academy Inspiring Young Conservation Ambassadors
Wading hip-deep through rivers, wandering off forested trails to gather wild blueberries, and hiking through tall grasslands. At the end of the day, UConn’s Natural Resources Conservation Academy (NRCA) strives to instill a sense of adventure, excitement, appreciation and wonder for local environments, biodiversity and natural resources in Connecticut teens. Despite the intrinsic interest in nature by […]
Connecticut’s MS4 Permit: What’s New?
October 11, 2016 Presented By David Dickson & Chet Arnold, UConn CLEAR The State of Connecticut has committed to an expanded stormwater regulatory program for municipalities, and CLEAR’s NEMO Program will be providing outreach and assistance to towns and institutions to support them in complying with this program. This introductory webinar will provide an overview […]
NEMO Program to Help Communities Navigate the New Stormwater Permit
CLEAR’s venerable, award-winning NEMO (Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials) Program is embarking on a five-year program to assist Connecticut communities in complying with the state’s revised “General Permit for the Discharge of Stormwater from Small Municipal Separate Storm Sewer Systems,” or the MS4 permit. Stormwater runoff is a major source of flooding, erosion and […]
CLEARscapes – Fall 2016 Edition
In This Issue Climate Corps MS4 Program Story Maps Gallery Land & Climate Program Updates Water Program Updates Geospatial Training & Technology Updates (View Newsletter as pdf)
A Firsthand Rain Garden
Stormwater is one of the largest polluters of surface water in our area. When rain falls to the ground and lands on impervious surfaces (such as roads, rooves, driveways, and more), the water collects all of the pollutants on this impervious cover and dumps them in concentrated amounts wherever the stormwater drains to. Often, the […]
MAGIC’s Historical Map Database
The Map and Geographic Information Center (MAGIC) located at the University of Connecticut’s Homer D. Babbidge Library in Storrs, CT offers a vast array of historical maps from around the world, but with a large focus on the Connecticut region of North America on their website http://magic.lib.uconn.edu/ As you delve into this historical map database […]
Citizen Science and the Connecticut Woodland Owner: New Extension Forestry program assists woodland owners with monitoring wildlife habitat
Scott Matties was checking his mailbox one late winter afternoon when he saw three shadowy figures cut across Ridge Road heading for his property. The shadows did not move like dogs. Domestic cats are not that big, he thought. He dashed to the back of his house and froze: three young bobcats trotted across his […]