The Middlesex County 4-H Program offers both a community club program as well as individual membership opportunities. Training is available for adult volunteers and the 4-H Program is open to you between the ages of 7 and 19. County level youth programming includes: the Middlesex & New Haven County 4­H Fair and the Middlesex County Food Show, the Middlesex County Public Speaking Contest, the Middlesex County
4-H Skill-a-thon, the Kiwanis Garden Project, and
                                           awards and recognition nights.

The State 4-H Shooting Sports Program includes youth instruction in archery at this time, although we are looking forward to expanding the opportunities very soon. The National 4-H Shooting Sports Program provides training opportunities for interested adults in many different areas.

The State 4-H Horse program provides opportunities on the state level for Horse leaders and members.  These opportunities include; Horse Leaders Training Day, The Horsin’ In Stride Workshop day at the Connecticut Horse Science Symposium, The Eastern States 4-H Connecticut Delegation Experience at the New England 4-H Horse Show, Trail Rides, The State 4-H Horse Communications Contest (offering Public Speaking, Team Demonstrations and Senior Individual Demonstrations), The State 4-H Hippology Contest, The State 4-H Horse Bowl Contest, and the State 4-H Horse Judging Contest.  For more information about 4-H, contact Emily Alger, 4-H Program Coordinator at emily.alger@uconn.edu or (860) 345-5218.

PEP (The People Empowering People Program)

PEP is a life skills program conducted at family resource centers,community organizations and prisons that builds on the strengths of adults and older teens. The PEP program includes 10 two-hour training sessions, weekly follow-up sessions and community projects. For more information, contact Cheryl Czuba at cheryl.czuba@uconn.edu or (860) 345-5215

Epiphany: Mentoring for Ex-offenders is a mentoring program for ex-offenders conducted by faith communities and community organizations. The program is designed to reduce the rate of re-incarceration among offenders by creating a network of support to help individuals build successful lives in society. For more information, contact Cheryl Czuba at cheryl.czuba@uconn.edu or (860) 345-5215

CLEAR (the Center for Land Use
Education and Research)

The mission of CLEAR is to provide information, education and assistance to land use decision makers, in support of balancing growth and natural resource protection. To achieve this goal, CLEAR conductsremote sensing research, develops landscape analysis tools and training, and conducts outreach education programs.

CLEAR was founded in 2002, but is built on a 20-year track record of award-winning projects focused on the relationship of natural resource protection to land use planning and management. The common foundation of these efforts is the use of remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) technologies to create cutting-edge information on our changing landscape, and the use of this information to develop innovative and effective outreach programs for land use decision makers.

CLEAR is a partnership between the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and the Department of Extension, two units of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), and the Connecticut Sea Grant Program.

For more information contact Chester Arnold at chester.arnold@uconn.edu or (860) 345-5230
On the web: CLEAR

NEMO (Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials)

A part of CLEAR, the NEMO program has been educating local land use decision makers about the impacts of land use on natural resources, particularly water resources, for the past 20 years. NEMO addresses natural resource management through the promotion of comprehensive local land use planning and "low impact" site design, and has worked in most of Connecticut's 169 municipalities. The success of the CT program has led to other states adapting NEMO to their localities (see National NEMO Network). NEMO is currently supported by the UConn College of  riculture and Natural Resources, and grants from the CT Department of Environmental Protection and the CT Sea Grant program.

For more information, please visit Nemo on the web or contact
Dr. Michael Dietz at michael.dietz@uconn.edu or (860) 345-5225.

The National NEMO Network

A part of CLEAR, the National NEMO Network is a confederation of programs that educate local land use decision makers about the links between land use and natural resource protection. Network programs are patterned after the original UConn NEMO Program, but each program is a unique entity, typically operated as a multi-organizational consortium. University-based USDA Land Grant and NOAA Sea Grant programs are the most common institutional homes of NEMO programs, although lead organizations also include state agencies and nonprofit groups. These programs, now numbering 31 in 30 states, have joined together to create a unique national network that is sharing information, educational methods and technical tools across state and agency lines. Network coordination is provided by the CLEAR NEMO Network "Hub," which is funded by grants from the USDA/CSREES Water Quality Program.

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For more information, please visit National NEMO on the web or contact
David Dickson at david.dickson@uconn.edu or (860) 345-5228.

The Geospatial Training
Program (GTP)

A part of CLEAR, the Geospatial Training Program was established to provide technical education and training outside the traditional academic environment. Its goal is to help municipal land use officials, staff and commission members understand and apply geospatial information technologies to help solve local land use problems and to develop environmentally sensitive land use plans. The program focuses on the use of geographic information systems (GIS), remote sensing (RS), and global positioning systems (GPS) and introduces new users to these technologies through hands-on training courses. The Program also is involved with geospatial research and tools development, in collaboration with other CLEAR programs and a variety of partner organizations.

For more information, please visit GTP on the web or contact Cary Chadwick at cary.chadwick@uconn.edu or (860) 345-5226.

Connecticut Land Use Academy

A part of CLEAR, the Land Use Academy provides practical education on the fundamental knowledge and skills needed to serve effectively on a local land use commission. The Academy’s basic training is offered in locations across Connecticut, allowing commissioners statewide the opportunity to participate. The Land Use Academy is recognized as the state’s official certification program in basic land use education for local commissioners. Every commissioner completing the Academy receives a certificate of recognition.
The Academy is supported by the State of Connecticut Office of Policy and Management, Office of Responsible Growth.

For more information, please visit LUA on the web or contact Bruce Hyde at bruce.hyde@uconn.edu or (860) 345-5229.

The Connecticut Forest Stewardship Program

A part of CLEAR, The Connecticut Forest Stewardship Program is a partnership between UConn, The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Forestry Division, the Connecticut Forest and Park Association, and the
USDA Forest Service.

Through the program Connecticut forest landowners receive education, information, and technical assistance towards the goal of developing and implementing a comprehensive forest stewardship plan for their property l andowners learn to identify and prioritize goals and objectives for their forest, how to accomplish an inventory of their forest resource, and how to develop a list of recommended activities that will help them achieve their goals and are provided with guidance about selecting competent, reliable, and professional private forestry assistance. Individual contacts, publications, Web sites, and formal workshops are methods used to deliver the program. The Connecticut Forest Stewardship Program also sponsors one or two formal educational programs, in the form of workshops and conferences, for forestry professionals each year. For more information, email Thomas Worthley, or call (860) 345-5232), or email Joel Stocker or call (860) 345-5233 or on the web.

The Connecticut Highlands Project

The Highlands Project is a USDA Forest Service project to identify areas of potential conservation value within the Highlands region of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut. The Connecticut portion consists of 28 towns in the northwest part of the state. For more information, email Thomas Worthley, (or call (860) 345-5232), or email Joel Stocker (or call (860) 345-5233).