You know what they are – the tried and true sources of stormwater pollution like dog poop, lawns with fertilizer, pesticide or herbicide applications, poorly maintained septic and sewer systems, or improperly maintained construction sites to name a few. Once in a while something new gets added to the list, here in Connecticut in recent […]
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Preparing for Marsh Migration
With a CLEAR webinar on SLAMM (Sea level affecting marsh migration) this week by Emily Wilson (UConn CLEAR) and David Kozak (CT DEEP), it is timely to provide an update on the marsh migration buffer we’ve been developing in Stonington Borough. A small parcel of land was donated to Avalonia Land Conservancy (ALC) and added […]
Spring- time for…a soil test?
There’s nothing like the smell of fresh cut grass in the springtime…after a long winter we all seem to be longing for something green. Our lawns provide a place for recreation, but if not managed properly, they can cause problems for our local waters, and ultimately the Long Island Sound. Perhaps you fertilize your lawn, […]
Apply Now for NRCA Summer Programs!
Registration is now open for the Natural Resources Conservation Academy’s 2019 summer programs. The Natural Resources Conservation Academy (NRCA) is an innovative program in environmental conservation that engages Connecticut high school students, adult conservation volunteers and teachers in conservation efforts at the community level. NRCA’s three interconnected programs (below) benefit participants through education on natural resource […]
Projections Matter, Especially on Election Night
The first thing I teach someone about maps is that they are more than just lines and direction on a page, screen, or device. Maps convey information. Maps tell a story. But maps can also be deceiving. Consider for a minute, election maps. If you’re reading this blog post then you survived, if just barely, […]
Is there any hope to fix our salt problem? Perhaps…
Another winter has finally ended, and messy roads and salty cars are quickly becoming a distant memory. Where did all that salt go? The millions of tons of deicing salts that get applied to our roads either wash off into local streams, or move into the local groundwater. Yet another research study has recently come […]
Using GIS to Find Birdwatching Hotspots
Do you know why May is a New Englander’s favorite month for birdwatching? It is because it’s the peak of spring migration! Neotropical birds are passing through the area on the way to their breeding grounds, or are staying the summer. Plus they are sporting their best and brightest plumage to attract a mate, which […]
What do you do after you scoop?
On my drive home last week I saw two of my neighbors walking their dogs. One of the dogs had just done his business and the owner dutifully scooped it up with a doggy doodie bag dangling from the dog’s leash. Excellent, I thought, he knows that dog poop left on the street can be […]
Another win for rain gardens
It’s well known that rain gardens are great for infiltrating stormwater but people may not realize that they also help destroy common stormwater pollutants. Several studies have found that rather than accumulating pollutants in their soils, rain gardens tend to biodegrade them instead. One study (LeFevre et al., 2011) investigated petroleum hydrocarbon levels in 58 […]
clear.uconn.edu, Now Mobile-friendly!
The CLEAR website recently had an overhaul, and is now mobile-friendly. While this may seem pretty standard for 2018, it was a big lift for our rather hefty website! The site has hundreds of pages of information, hosts multiple project websites, and is bursting at the seams with tools, interactive maps, webinars, blogs, videos and […]