Web cookies (also called HTTP cookies, browser cookies, or simply cookies) are small pieces of data that websites store on your device (computer, phone, etc.) through your web browser. They are used to remember information about you and your interactions with the site.
Session Management:
Keeping you logged in
Remembering items in a shopping cart
Saving language or theme preferences
Personalization:
Tailoring content or ads based on your previous activity
Tracking & Analytics:
Monitoring browsing behavior for analytics or marketing purposes
Session Cookies:
Temporary; deleted when you close your browser
Used for things like keeping you logged in during a single session
Persistent Cookies:
Stored on your device until they expire or are manually deleted
Used for remembering login credentials, settings, etc.
First-Party Cookies:
Set by the website you're visiting directly
Third-Party Cookies:
Set by other domains (usually advertisers) embedded in the website
Commonly used for tracking across multiple sites
Authentication cookies are a special type of web cookie used to identify and verify a user after they log in to a website or web application.
Once you log in to a site, the server creates an authentication cookie and sends it to your browser. This cookie:
Proves to the website that you're logged in
Prevents you from having to log in again on every page you visit
Can persist across sessions if you select "Remember me"
Typically, it contains:
A unique session ID (not your actual password)
Optional metadata (e.g., expiration time, security flags)
Analytics cookies are cookies used to collect data about how visitors interact with a website. Their primary purpose is to help website owners understand and improve user experience by analyzing things like:
How users navigate the site
Which pages are most/least visited
How long users stay on each page
What device, browser, or location the user is from
Some examples of data analytics cookies may collect:
Page views and time spent on pages
Click paths (how users move from page to page)
Bounce rate (users who leave without interacting)
User demographics (location, language, device)
Referring websites (how users arrived at the site)
Here’s how you can disable cookies in common browsers:
Open Chrome and click the three vertical dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies and other site data.
Choose your preferred option:
Block all cookies (not recommended, can break most websites).
Block third-party cookies (can block ads and tracking cookies).
Open Firefox and click the three horizontal lines in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy & Security.
Under the Enhanced Tracking Protection section, choose Strict to block most cookies or Custom to manually choose which cookies to block.
Open Safari and click Safari in the top-left corner of the screen.
Go to Preferences > Privacy.
Check Block all cookies to stop all cookies, or select options to block third-party cookies.
Open Edge and click the three horizontal dots in the top-right corner.
Go to Settings > Privacy, search, and services > Cookies and site permissions.
Select your cookie settings from there, including blocking all cookies or blocking third-party cookies.
For Safari on iOS: Go to Settings > Safari > Privacy & Security > Block All Cookies.
For Chrome on Android: Open the app, tap the three dots, go to Settings > Privacy and security > Cookies.
Disabling cookies can make your online experience more difficult. Some websites may not load properly, or you may be logged out frequently. Also, certain features may not work as expected.
As a land-grant University, UConn has an enduring commitment to understanding and protecting the terrestrial ecosystems that sustain life. Across departments focused on plant science, ecology, landscape architecture, and biodiversity, faculty and students study how land is used, how species interact, and how human activity shapes and can be reshaped to protect the natural world.
The Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture (PSLA) is a "collaborative community of faculty, staff, and students dedicated to UConn's land-grant mission of education, research, and extension." PSLA undergraduate and graduate programs include engaging coursework and hands-on, experiential learning opportunities that prepare students to make meaningful contributions to addressing global challenges. Research focus areas include climate and biodiversity, landscape visualization and representation, soil science, design activism and social justice, and many more.
The Ecology & Evolutionary Biology (EEB) Department in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) specializes in the study of biodiversity, evolution, and conservation. Using "modern statistical, molecular/genomic, and visualization tools," EEB students and faculty study the mechanisms and maintenance of biodiversity, interactions between and among species, and the relationships between organisms and their environments. EEB research takes place in the field and in the lab, spanning a range of topics such as habitat loss, invasive species, phylogenetics and systematics, adaptations, and more.
The Center for Land Use Education and Research (CLEAR), housed in the College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR), is dedicated to helping land use decision makers across the state better understand how to balance growth and natural resource protection. CLEAR's work demonstrates the intersections of critical issues and topics, including water management, land and climate, food systems, geospatial technologies, and STEM education; projects include stormwater management systems, story maps, training programs, and more.
Integrated pest management (IPM) is a sustainable approach to managing pests that helps protect crops, landscapes, and the environment. UConn Extension's IPM program provides workshops and trainings, online resources, and pest alerts to educate Connecticut farmers, land managers, residents, and other public entities on various topics, including the safe use of organic/synthetic pesticides, pesticide alternatives, pollinator protection, and more. Program areas include a range of applications, such as vegetable crops, greenhouse crops, turf and landscape, and invasive species.
The UConn Extension online Invasive Plant Certificate course prepares participants to manage invasive plant species using "effective, science-based procedures." The course is fully online and asynchronous, allowing students to learn at their own pace. Topics include invasive plant ecology, how to identify invasive plants, management strategies for terrestrial and aquatic invasive plants, and proper pesticide use and regulations in Connecticut.
