Today is National Farmer’s Day, and here at UConn Extension, we celebrate our farmers every day. Extension professionals work statewide to help farmers improve their operations, diversify crops, and scale up their business models. Jiff Martin is our Food Systems Extension Educator and works with agricultural producers statewide to strengthen agriculture and promote local agriculture […]
Connecticut
Native Plants for Riparian Corridors in CT Guide Available
The Native Plants for Riparian Corridors in CT guide from Connecticut Sea Grant is now available! The guide includes native trees, shrubs, ferns, grasses, sedges, reeds and herbaceous plants that can grow and thrive along bodies of water. Download the guide at seagrant.uconn.edu/?p=10305
Shell recycling initiative being introduced in Connecticut
Article by Connecticut Sea Grant Empty oyster and clam shells from Long Island Sound shouldn’t be treated like trash. They are vital components of healthy habitat for shellfish and other marine life, and need to be returned to their watery home instead of being hauled away with other garbage. That’s the message shell recycling advocates […]
Northeast Disability and Agriculture 2023 Conference Survey
Hey Farmers! In order to help with the planning process of the Northeast Disability and Agriculture 2023 Conference Survey (Encuesta Para La Conferencia Noreste 2023 Sobre Discapacidad y Agricultura) would you please consider taking 3 minutes to fill out/ share this survey and help the steering committee (One of our local farms! ) to know what you want […]
Farmland Mixer
OUR LAST FARMLAND MIXER for the foreseeable future is coming up on DEC. 4TH. So if you want to hear about some great land opportunities, talk about how to go about finding land, OR have some land you want to sell or lease yourself, then you should join us at our Farmland Mixer ! We already have some land opportunities already registered […]
10 Ways to Volunteer with UConn 4-H
No matter how much time you have, volunteering with UConn 4-H makes a difference by helping youth explore and discover the skills they need to lead for a lifetime. There are lots of ways to get involved! Please note, your volunteer experience and/or opportunities may be happening virtually or in-person. Contact UConn 4-H for more […]
Results of CT Sheep Producers Survey
CT Sheep Survey Report Factsheet August 2022 Limitations associated with characterizing and quantifying sheep operations in the state of Connecticut present obstacles to communication, community development, and growth opportunities for producers. A survey was conducted from October 2021 to February 2022 in order to gain insight into the status and health of the Connecticut sheep […]
Hyde’s Dairy Farm Named 2022 CT Outstanding Dairy Farm for New England Green Pastures
Hyde’s Dairy Farm LLC in North Franklin is the 2022 Connecticut Outstanding Dairy Farm. Owner Dave Hyde and his team will be recognized at the New England Green Pastures award ceremony at the Eastern States Exposition in September. Dave’s father, Harry, helps wherever needed, Samantha Hoffman is herdsman, and there are also three part-time employees. […]
Shellfish Habitat Restoration
The COVID-19 pandemic hit the aquaculture industry particularly hard. It was facing catastrophic sales losses that would have forced many out of business. Connecticut Sea Grant Extension helped keep industry members afloat during the pandemic by involving them in shellfish habitat restoration work. We kept people working at a time when the shellfish marketplace collapsed […]
Funding Available for Connecticut Farmers
Farmers: If you are looking for a little help to get access to capital for your farm/market garden, or want some funds to contribute to conservation of natural resources, climate resilience, climate adaptation, or climate mitigation strategies OR help in increasing production and availability of CT Grown products UConn Extension’s Solid Ground program is making […]
2022 Long Island Sound Research Conference Announced
The 2022 Long Island Sound Research Conference will take place in Bridgeport on May 25, 2022. Oral presentations and posters across disciplines in natural and social sciences that contribute to the four themes of the Long Island Sound Study CCMP are welcome. These are: Clean waters and healthy watershed Thriving habitats and abundant wildlife Sustainable […]
#DoOneThing theme of 2021 #DontTrashLISound campaign
The Connecticut Sea Grant program, joined by volunteers from Save the Sound, the Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk and other groups, will launch the fifth annual #DontTrashLISound campaign with a cleanup at Sherwood Island State Park in Westport on Aug. 16. This year’s campaign, run by the Connecticut and New York Sea Grant programs with support […]
Teacher Webinar Offered on Long Island Sound Habitats
A new educational tool for teachers will be showcased in an Aug. 19 webinar sponsored by the Long Island Sound Study national estuary program and its partners Connecticut Sea Grant (CTSG) and New York Sea Grant (NYSG). Titled “A Spotlight on Long Island Sound Habitats,” the webinar will showcase a Next Generation Science Standards-based StoryMap […]
Gov. Lamont Signs Legislation Supporting Continued Growth of CT’s Shellfish Industry
Stratford – Gov. Ned Lamont joined legislators, state officials, agricultural advocates and business representatives on July 23 for a bill signing ceremony near the shore of the Long Island Sound to commemorate the enactment of legislation implementing policies that will support continued growth of Connecticut’s shellfish industry in an effort to increase the populations of oysters […]
New Haven artist chosen for 2021 CTSG Arts Support Award
Beachcombing with his wife and two children led New Haven artist Joseph Smolinski to the source of inspiration and raw materials for works he will create for Connecticut Sea Grant’s 2021 Arts Support Award Program that reflect on the human impacts of climate change. His project, titled “Carbon Adrift: Sea Coal in the Long Island […]
Save Your Boxwoods: Check Them for the Box Tree Moth!
A Message from USDA to Gardeners in Connecticut A New Invasive Pest May Be in Connecticut The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is responding to a significant plant health threat and needs your help. Please check your boxwood plants for the invasive and destructive box tree moth. During the spring, a number of U.S. nurseries […]
1st marine economics fellow to focus on natural coastal resources
By Judy Benson Oversimplified, shoreline beaches are where the sand meets the sea. Too often, this two-dimensional view has become the foundation of efforts to restore storm and erosion-battered beaches on Long Island Sound and other coastal areas. These projects mainly seek to widen the flat open sand swathe to maintain maximum recreational worth and […]
Connecticut Residents Urged to Pick Up the Phone! for Largest-Ever Town-Level Survey on Quality of Life and Recovery from COVID-19
Connecticut Residents Urged to “Pick Up the Phone!” for Largest-Ever Town-Level Survey on Quality of Life and Recovery from COVID-19: Over 75 Leading Foundations, Hospitals, and Local Agencies Join DataHaven Initiative Over 10,000 randomly-selected Connecticut residents will participate in the 2021 Community Wellbeing Survey’s live, in-depth interviews, the fifth such survey that DataHaven has fielded […]
‘Born Out of Crises’ Issue Looks at Responses to Pandemic, Disasters
The Spring-Summer 2021 issue of Wrack Lines examines actions that grew from different crises, from the pandemic to sea level rise to the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster. The issue leads off with an article by Robert Klee, former commissioner of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, reflecting on the valuable lessons we can take from the […]
Sen. Blumenthal Seeks Funding for CT River Hydrilla Control
Sen. Richard Blumenthal announced on June 3 that he is leading an effort to secure $100 million over four years in federal funding for a multistate effort to control hydrilla in the Connecticut River watershed. In an event at Harbor Park in Middletown, Blumenthal said he is seeking an urgent fiscal year 2022 appropriation for […]
CAES Announces the Finding of the Box Tree Moth in Connecticut
The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES) in cooperation with USDA U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) announce the detection of the box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis (Walker), at a single retail nursery in Connecticut on boxwood imported from a nursery in Ontario, Canada. As of […]
Earth Day to feature audiovisual exhibit, puppet show
Several special events are planned for Earth Day (April 22) at the University of Connecticut’s Avery Point campus, including audiovisual artwork projected on campus buildings and an original puppet show. Events will begin at 6:30 p.m. with music recorded by the five-person Connecticut-based group Hitch and Giddyup sponsored by the Avery Point EcoHusky club. At 7 p.m., […]
Healthy Soils to be Focus of 2021 Coastal Certificate Program
This year’s Coastal Certificate Program will take place virtually over four days in mid-May. Led by Judy Preston, CT Sea Grant’s Long Island Sound outreach coordinator, this year’s classes will emphasize healthy soils at the root of healthy gardens, landscapes, and ultimately the watersheds that are essential to clean waters and a healthy Sound. The […]
A Guide to Planting Along the Connecticut Coast
Juliana Barrett, Ph.D. and Kiernan Sellars, 2021 This 35-page guide lists native trees, shrubs, herbaceous perennials and vines that are appropriate for planting in Connecticut’s coastal zone. It includes a map of that ecoregion and characteristics of each species, such as tolerance to salt water and salt spray, light and soil requirements as well as […]
Sea Grant, DOE, NOAA Fisheries partner to invest $1M+ to support research for the co-existence of ocean energy with Northeast fishing and coastal communities
The Northeast Sea Grant Consortium, in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Wind Energy Technologies Office and Water Power Technologies Office, and NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center, announces a research funding opportunity to improve understanding of offshore renewable energy interactions with fishing and coastal communities to optimize ocean co-use. This unique funding partnership will […]
LIS Blue Plan now in hands of CT Legislature
The Long Island Sound Blue Plan, a marine spatial plan for what many consider the state’s most valuable natural resource, has been voted out of the state Legislature’s Environment Committee and awaits a vote in the full House and Senate. Read about the plan and why many believe it should be approved in articles by […]
‘Right Trees for the Right Time’ series begins March 10
Connecticut Sea Grant is joining with the Avalonia Land Conservancy and UConn CLEAR in presenting, “Finding the Right Trees for the Right Time,” a series of four talks about planning and planting for a resilient coastal forest in southeastern Connecticut. The series begins March 10, culminating in a June 9 presentation by Juliana Barrett, coastal […]
Extension Impacts – 2020
Extension is a part of UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health, and Natural Resources (CAHNR). We have over 100 years of experience strengthening communities in Connecticut and beyond. Extension programs cover the full spectrum of topics aligned with CAHNR’s strategic initiatives: Ensuring a vibrant and sustainable agricultural industry and food supply Enhancing health and well-being locally, […]
Connecting Connecticut: A New Podcast from UConn Extension
Land-grant universities have provided communities, organizations, farmers and individuals with practical knowledge rooted in research through the Cooperative Extension System since the passage of the Smith-Lever Act in 1914. Over the last 107 years a lot has changed with our Extension systems. The program has expanded beyond its agricultural production origin to encompass a […]
Connecticut Sea Grant’s Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report
Connecticut Sea Grant’s Fiscal Year 2020 Annual Report is now available. With photos, graphics, and summaries of many projects and initiatives, it’s a great way to get a quick overview of Connecticut Sea Grant‘s programs. It is available here. Original Post
UConn CLEAR Webinars in February
Registration is open for all three February webinars! Wednesday, February 10, 1:00 – 1:30 PM Long Island Sound Report Card: Grading the Urban Sea Peter Linderoth, Save the Sound What is this map telling us? Join Peter Linderoth from Save the Sound as he discusses the latest release of the Long Island Sound Report Card. The Report […]
CT Sea Grant Fellowship Opportunities
Connecticut Sea Grant has announced new fellowship opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students! To learn more about the Undergraduate Summer Marine Science Research Fellowship for Underrepresented/Underserved Students click here. To learn more about the Coastal & Marine Economics Fellowship 2021-22 click here.
CTSG, Avalonia project looks to prepare forest for the future
By Judy Benson Stonington – Battered by coastal storms and infestations of wooly adelgids, gypsy moth, winter moth and emerald ash borer, sections of the 200-acre Hoffman Evergreen Preserve will now serve as a living lab and demonstration site for how land managers can help forests adapt to climate change. “We want to increase the resilience […]
Virtual Managed Retreat in the Age of Climate Change Workshop
When talking about community response to climate change issues, retreat is the “R” word. But it is already happening in coastal states throughout the country, including here in Connecticut. Is it a good or bad idea? Will we be forced to retreat due to sea level rise in 30 years or 50 years? What does […]
Connecticut stays on guard against toxic algae blooms
Article by Judy Benson If you’re a Connecticut shellfish farmer, your ears might perk up a bit when you hear the term HABs – harmful algal blooms. Toxic HABs outbreaks, sometimes referred to as “red tide” or “brown tide” because of the discolored water that can occur along with it, have caused recent shellfish bed […]
CT, NY Sea Grants to Create Plan for LIS Debris Reduction
Abandoned boats, broken lobster traps, discarded tires and all types of other trash aren’t just eyesores on Long Island Sound’s beaches, coves and channels. They’re also hazards to wildlife that can impede navigation and threaten human safety and health. To address this problem, Connecticut and New York Sea Grant programs will initiate a Marine Debris […]
May Wildflowers
Why are wildflowers the most beautiful of flowers? Perhaps it is because they are untamed by mankind and often appear when one is not even looking for them. In spring, one of the pleasures of getting out on nature trails or trekking through the woods is coming across some of Connecticut’s spring blooming wildflowers. These […]
Seafood survey could help further increase in demand
With national data showing Americans have been eating more fish and shellfish during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report on a survey of Connecticut residents’ seafood consumption habits and preferences offers timely information seafood dealers can use to help make the increase permanent. The final report on the Connecticut Seafood Survey, a project to better understand […]
Early Garden Arrivals
Spring 2020 generally arrived on time in Connecticut, but with some hesitation. A few bright, warm days have been sprinkled between cool or rainy, windy days and some localized snow showers. Those warm days brought out the rakes, pruners, shovel, and a pop-up yard bag to clear the debris that accumulated since the fall clean […]
‘Gardening for Good’ show features Sea Grant’s Preston
Listen and learn about sustainable gardening in “Gardening for Good,” the new monthly radio show hosted by Judy Preston, the Long Island Sound outreach coordinator for Connecticut Sea Grant. It airs at 10 a.m. on Fridays on iWCRV Internet radio: http://icrvradio.com/programs/program/298 The common theme is sustainable gardening, with emphasis on water quality and connecting the watershed […]