What Topics and Resources Can I Explore on the CSU Extension Website?

CSU Extension at Colorado State University organizes its resources around nine topic areas, plus a set of featured programs and a news section. If you are looking for research-based, practical information on farming, gardening, nutrition, natural resources, or community issues in Colorado, the site's topic list and "Explore All Resources" entry point are where to start. The site is a public education and outreach arm of CSU, so the material is aimed at Colorado residents and communities rather than being a degree or enrollment portal.

Topic areas you can browse

The homepage lists the following categories as the main way to find information:

• Agriculture — farming and ranching-related guidance
• Community & Economic Development — resources for local communities and economies
• Emergency Planning — preparedness information
• Food & Nutrition — food and dietary topics
• Garden & Landscape — home horticulture and landscaping
• Health & Well-being — general health and wellness education
• Insects & Pests — pest identification and management
• Natural Resources — land, water, and environmental topics
• Youth Development — programs for young people

Each category is a doorway into articles, guides, and programming tied to that subject. The site also provides an Explore All Resources entry point if you would rather scan everything at once instead of picking a topic first.

How to choose a starting point

Featured programs

Beyond the topic list, the site highlights specific programs you can explore directly:

• Rocky Mountain Naturalist — a flexible online certificate program for people interested in nature, ecology, and conservation. It covers the Southern Rocky Mountain Region through five online courses.
• Colorado Master Gardener — a program that pairs CSU horticulture expertise with community volunteers who educate locally. Participants focus on hands-on learning, gardening, pollinators, and community service.

These are useful if you want a guided, multi-session learning experience rather than a single reference page.

News and current topics

The News and Highlights section surfaces timely work, such as the Colorado Avian Health Program testing backyard chickens and drought-planning efforts. For example, CSU Extension range management specialist Retta Bruegger, who co-founded Drought Advisors, notes that drought "can't be stopped at an individual level," which is the kind of framing the news section uses to connect research to real conditions in Colorado.

What this site is and isn't

CSU Extension describes itself as connecting Coloradans to "actionable, research-based solutions, education and programming," operating as part of CSU's Office of Engagement and Extension and fulfilling the university's land-grant mission. That means the content is educational and community-oriented. It is not primarily a course catalog for degrees — the site points to separate CSU paths for learning in your community, online, or on campus if that is what you need.