Extension Around the State
Supporting Our Infrastructure
UConn Extension is part of the nationwide Cooperative Extension System that connects the public with the research and resources of land-grant universities. We are comprised of faculty and staff with Extension appointments across the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources’ (CAHNR) nine departments.
Extension’s local presence is led by the Department of Extension, which works collaboratively with other departments in CAHNR to deliver programs and research statewide. Extension educators within the Department of Extension are based at eight Extension Centers located throughout the state and at UConn Avery Point (home to Connecticut Sea Grant). The administrative offices for UConn Extension and the Department of Extension are at the Storrs campus. In addition, Extension programs are held at the Bartlett Arboretum in Stamford and the 4-H Education Center at Auerfarm in Bloomfield.
These statewide locations offer residents, municipalities, organizations, and businesses nearby access to the university and its resources. UConn Extension offers place-based solutions and each of the eight centers houses 4-H youth development and Master Gardener offices. Other programs are also based in each location, for example, the Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR) works with municipalities statewide and is based at the Middlesex County Extension Center in Haddam.
Highlighting Our Middlesex Office
Our community-based locations help us identify and address critical issues facing residents, businesses, and municipalities. For example, the Land Use Academy, one of CLEAR’s programs, is in the Middlesex office and provides practical education for local land use decision makers in Connecticut. The program focuses on the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to serve effectively on a local land use commission. CLEAR partners with the Connecticut Bar Association and Connecticut Office of Policy and Management on this initiative.
Connecticut’s bounty of natural and physical amenities—greenways, multi-use paths, parks, and forested areas are some of the state’s greatest assets for encouraging physical activity. The Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) estimates that there are over 2,000 miles of multi-use trails within the Connecticut State Parks and Forests alone, and over 3,000 miles including those not in their system. The Connecticut Trail Census, the Connecticut Trail Finder, and Active Living (PATHS) are three UConn Extension programs supporting the state’s trail systems, and offices for these are also in Haddam.
UConn Extension is committed to our community-based locations because we live, work, and play here too, and is investing in our infrastructure and invite your support investing in our infrastructure while we continue building the future of Connecticut.