Utah

List of Sustainability-Focused Extension Programs

Program: Climate Change Science Essentials

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Air Quality/Climate Change

Range: Utah Statewide

Description: In this course, we examine the scientific underpinnings from which all of this critical knowledge has emerged. We overview the evidence that tells us the planet is warming, the evidence that attributes this warming to human activities, the mechanisms by which this warming disrupts the climate system, the impacts this climate disruption is already having on both natural and human systems, the modeling that projections for us the additional changes and impacts in the landscape to come, and what the science has to say about how we can minimize the changes and risks we face in the decades ahead. This course is intended to provide a common base of knowledge, from which we as a society can begin to move forward.

Program Offerings: Online training, Certificate


Program: Moab Bee Inspired Gardens Initiative

Institution:  Utah State University

Category: Land

Range: Grand County

Description: Bee Inspired Gardens are popping up across Moab, from the Community Rebuilds intern campus to USU Moab. USU Moab’s campus gardens allow for a university sustainability teaching platform for water-wise, pollinator friendly, perennial edible, and native plants. Implementing this type of landscaping will better bridge the university with the community and provide an ongoing public research and teaching space.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information


Program: Learn at Lunch Webinar Series  

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Land, Air Quality/ Climate Change, Water, Energy

Range: Global

Description: Learn at Lunch webinars tackle a variety of urban and rural forestry issues. We often invite researchers that can offer their perspectives from the field or lab, and encourage discussion on the practical implications of their findings for people managing the resource. Promoting sustainable urban and rural forest management is a guiding principle for this series.

Program Offerings: Website, Information


Program: Logan City Sidewalk Project

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Air Quality/ Climate Change, Energy, Land

Range: Utah statewide

Description: This project replaces damaged, traditional concrete sidewalks with rigid sidewalk tiles made from 100% recycled plastic. These unique tiles allowed trees (and often tree roots) to remain intact while maintaining safe, walkable sidewalks for the residents of Logan. We recently received a second grant to install the Terrewalks in Ogden, Utah. Stay tuned!

Program Offerings: Website, Information


Program: USU Extension Sustainability

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Air Quality/ Climate Change, Energy, Food, Land, Water

Range: Utah statewide

Description: Extension Sustainability provides credible information and trainings fostering increased awareness and behavioral change to improve environmental, social, and economic conditions.

Program Offerings: Certificates, Face-to-face trainings, Factsheets, Website


Program: Utah Farm-Chef-Fork

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Food

Range: Utah Statewide

Description: Utah Farm-Chef-Fork is a USDA Specialty Crop funded program that is a collaboration between the USDA, Utah State University Extension, and Slow Food Utah. The goal is to enhance the community vitality and reduce food miles by connecting Utah producers and restaurants.

Program Offerings: Certificates, Face-to-face trainings, Website


Program: Utah Forest Factsheet Series

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Land, Air Quality/ Climate Change, Water, Energy

Range: Regional

Description:  We publish Utah Forest Factsheets multiple times / year. These factsheets are targeted at Utahans, primarily, however we aim to synthesize the most current facts on issues relating to urban and rural forestry. These factsheets are an excellent way to brush up on such topics as how to create a wildlife-friendly yard, to understanding how prescribed fire can benefit public lands.

Program Offerings: Website, Information


Program: Utah State University Botanical Center

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Air Quality/ Climate Change, Food, Water, Energy

Range: Utah statewide

Description: Our mission is to guide the conservation and wise use of plant, water, and energy resources through research-based educational experiences, demonstrations, and technology.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information


Program: Water Check Program

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Water

Range: Utah statewide

Description: Onsite evaluation of landscape irrigation systems for homeowners and managers of commercial and institutional landscapes.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings


Program: Center for Water Efficient Landscaping

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Water

Range: Regional; Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah

Description: The Center for Water Efficient Landscaping (CWEL) is a research and outreach center designed to improve efficient use of water for landscape irrigation. The mission of CWEL is to promote water conservation through environmentally, socially, and economically sound landscape management practices.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Factsheets, Website


Program: Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Land, Air Quality/ Climate Change, Food, Water, Energy

Range: Utah statewide

Description: The Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism at Utah State University does research, outreach, and teaching focused on outdoor recreation and tourism management — inside Utah and beyond its borders. Our work focuses on the social and economic trade-offs associated with providing outdoor recreation opportunities on public lands.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information


Program: Stream Side Science

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Water

Range: Nationwide

Description: The goal of the Stream Side Science program is to promote and provide effective education about watershed functions and water-quality issues for all ages; students and educators. The program uses lesson plans along with hands-on stream exploration techniques to achieve this goal.

Stream Side Science directly engages participants through monitoring, observations, and simple analysis of local data. Participants are encouraged to become stewards of their local watersheds through service and community outreach projects. Although most teachers and leaders take kids outside, when that is not possible, the lessons are easily adapted to bring samples from streams and lakes to the classroom.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information


Program: USU Water Quality Extension

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Water

Range: Utah statewide

Description: Our mission: To help people understand the link between the quality of our water, land uses, and everyday activities.  We provide programs and resources about water quality and watershed functions, about different threats to surface waters and drinking water and about steps to take to protect your water.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information


Program: Utah Biomass Resources Group

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Land, Air Quality. Climate Change, Food, Water, Energy

Range: Utah Statewide

Description: The Utah Biomass Resources Group (UBRG) is made up of a diverse group of stakeholders with the mission of improving waste wood utilization and forest health in the Intermountain West. We focus on mobile pyrolysis technologies, biochar production, application, and trial as well as bio-oil production and refining into high value bio-chemical products. We also have a focus on Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) construction as a more sustainable approach to building and housing.  

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information, Demonstration, Applied Technologies


Program: Western Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE) program

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Land, Air, Food, Water, Energy

Range: Regional

Description: The Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) grants and education program advances—to the whole of American agriculture—innovations that improve profitability, stewardship and quality of life by investing in groundbreaking research and education.  The SARE program is administered through four regions.  For information on Western SARE program and the grant programs offered, go to:  www.westernsare.org.

Program Offerings: Grants program


Program: Utah Master Naturalist

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Land, Air Quality/ Climate Change, Water

Range: Utah statewide

Description: The mission of the Utah Master Naturalist Program is to develop well-informed volunteers and professionals who provide education, outreach, and service promoting stewardship of natural resources within their communities.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information, Certification


Program: Utah Water Watch

Institution: Utah State University

Category: Water

Range: Utah statewide

Description: Utah Water Watch (UWW) is a water quality education and data collection program that seeks to increase awareness about the importance of water quality and promote stewardship of Utah’s aquatic resources (streams, rivers, lakes and reservoirs).  Volunteers are trained in our educational level program (Tier 1) or more advanced  program (Tier 2) monitoring techniques.  Tier 1 volunteers collect data from May through Sept and enter the data into UWW’s online database.  Tier 2 volunteers help professionals with their monitoring efforts.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information


Program: Water Quality Extension Program

Institution: Utah State University

Category:  Land, Water

Range: Regional

Description: USU WQ Extension’s mission is to help people understand the link between the quality of our water, land uses, and everyday activities, and how to protect and restore these waters.   Our website (www.extension.usu.edu/waterquality) is content rich, but also contains links to fact sheets, videos, and more.

Program Offerings: Face-to-face trainings, Website, Information, Other