Assist Invasive Species Removals
2025-07-14 - 2025-08-07
Our early detection team has identified sparse populations of invasive species. These smaller populations can be more easily controlled through manual hand removal efforts, and we’re seeking volunteers to assist with hand-pulls this summer. Events will be held from July- August. No experience is needed and tools will be provided. Please fill out the form below to register to join us!
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Healthy Habitat Series
2025-08-05 - 2025-08-09
Healthy Habitat Series August 5th, 7th, and 9th. Hosted by Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust and CCE Jefferson County.

August 5, 2025
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

Reservations Required

Join us for this first of two one-hour weeknight webinars with presenter Cierra Williams, Horticulture & Natural Resources Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, focusing on forest plants. Over the course of two evenings, Cierra will introduce us to individual plants, discuss the importance of nurturing native plants and beneficial non-native plants, and discuss identifying and managing invasive plants for improved habitat health.
The webinars will be followed up with an in-person field trip on Saturday, August 9th with Cierra at the Joseph A. Blake Wildlife Sanctuary, 31241 Middle Rd, Watertown, a 144-acre property managed for a range of forest habitats suitable for all kinds of wildlife.
You are welcome to register to attend one or more webinars and/or our field trip.
REGISTER HERE

Healthy Habitat Series Webinar: Non-native & Invasive Forest Plants

August 7, 2025
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm

No Charge Thanks to Our Generous Donors. Reservations Required

Join us for this second of two one-hour weeknight webinars with presenter Cierra Williams, Horticulture & Natural Resources Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, focusing on forest plants. Over the course of two evenings, Cierra will introduce us to individual plants, discuss the importance of nurturing native plants and beneficial non-native plants, and discuss identifying and managing invasive plants for improved habitat health.
The webinar will be followed up with an in-person field trip on Saturday, June 7th with Cierra at the Joseph A. Blake Wildlife Sanctuary, 31241 Middle Road, Watertown, a 144-acre property managed for a range of forest habitats suitable for all kinds of wildlife.
You are welcome to register to attend one or more webinars and/or our field trip.
REGISTER HERE

Healthy Habitat Series On-Site Field Trip

August 9, 2025
10:00 am – 12:00 pm

No Charge Thanks to Our Generous Donors, Reservations Required

Join us for this last portion of our Healthy Habitat series for August: an in-person field trip on Saturday, August 9th with Cierra Williams, Horticulture and Natural Resources Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County, at the Joseph A. Blake Wildlife Sanctuary, 31241 Middle Road, Watertown.
The 144-acre Blake Wildlife Sanctuary has been managed for wildlife benefits for decades and offers a changing tapestry of plant life throughout the year.
You are welcome to register to attend one or more webinars and/or our field trip here:
REGISTER HERE

2025 Invasive Species Expo
2025-09-15 - 2025-09-16
Mark your calendars for the 2025 NYS Invasive Species Expo!

Join us September 14–16 at the stunning Saratoga Spa State Park for a one-of-a-kind event focused on protecting New York’s lands and waters from invasive species. This immersive, hands-on experience is free to the public and packed with: Unique presentations, interactive demos, hands-on workshops, small-group discussions, field trips & outdoor activities!

Sunday, Sept 14th is Community Conservation Day — no registration needed! Meet local experts, explore conservation efforts, and enjoy games, prizes, and more next to the Spa City Farmer’s Market.
Sept 15–16th are Professional Days for those looking to dive deeper. Register for expert-led sessions, workshops, and field trips.

**Be sure to join a special workshop co-led by SLELO PRISM on Monday, September 15th, 10:45 AM-12:15 PM titled, “Awareness to Action: Education and Outreach Methods for Addressing Invasive Species”.

Learn more & get involved: nyis.info/new-york-invasive-species-expo

Beech Leaf Disease Guided Survey Training
2025-09-26 10:00 - 12:00 UTC
Join us for a guided nature walk at the stunning Salmon River Falls Unique Area in Richland, NY!

Location:185 Falls Road, Richland, NY,
Date: Friday, September 26th
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

We’ll gather in the parking area before heading out on the Upper Falls Trail, a scenic one-mile path along the north side of the river to Dam Road. Along the way, enjoy breathtaking views of the gorge and the iconic 100-foot waterfall.
What You’ll Learn:

How to identify beech trees and understand their ecological role
Signs and symptoms of Beech Leaf Disease (BLD)
Tips for surveying and reporting observations using the NYiMapInvasives mobile app

No experience necessary — this event is open to all ages and skill levels!
Registration is required to receive important updates and weather-related cancellations.
Come explore, learn, and help protect our forests!
This event is hosted by the St. Lawrence–Eastern Lake Ontario Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (SLELO PRISM) and The Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust.

Register to Attend

Before attending, participants should follow these steps to make an iMapInvasives user account and prepare for the training:

Make a Free iMapInvasives User Account
Download the Free iMapInvasives Mobile App

If needed, watch video tutorials 1-3 for the above steps

Learn more about BLD:

Species overview
15-minute webinar
5-minute YouTube Video

Don't Move Firewood Webinar Series
2025-10-16 - 2025-10-28
Hosted by The Nature Conservancy’s Don’t Move Firewood campaign. Recordings will be available at the Don’tMoveFirewood.org website.
Thursday, October 16th, 2025 at 2 pm EST
Beyond Wooden Thinking: Getting to the Heartwood of the Matter
Recreational firewood movement is a major pathway for the spread of invasive forest pests. Both human behavior and firewood characteristics can influence pest transport. Dr. Riggins will discuss the new study titled “Burning questions: how human behaviors and firewood characteristics influence the transport of wood-boring insects” whereby campers were surveyed at MS state parks and firewood was collected for inspection.
<<REGISTER HERE >>

Presentation by: John Riggins, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist in Forest Health at Oregon State University

Tuesday, October 28th, 2025, at 4 pm EST
Wildfire Fuel: How Destructive Forest Pests Travel in Firewood
This presentation will explore the significant threat that invasive forest pests, specifically the Goldspotted Oak Borer (Agrilus auroguttatus or GSOB), pose to forest health in Southern California. We will discuss the devastating impact of GSOB on native oak populations, how its infestation increases wildfire risk, and how the pest’s spread is accelerated by the unregulated movement of firewood. Drawing from the work of the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, this talk will cover current management strategies by addressing the need for heat treatment standards, industry collaboration, and effective regulations. Ultimately, it will emphasize the crucial role the public plays in protecting our shared natural and cultural resources.
<<REGISTER HERE>>
Presentation by: Joelene Tamm, Natural Resources Director for the LA Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians.

Wednesday, October 29th, 2025 at 1 pm EST
Updates on Emerald Ash Borer in the Pacific Northwest
Hear from invasive species experts and managers from both Oregon and Washington as they discuss the most recent findings and management efforts regarding the notorious firewood hitchhiker, emerald ash borer, in the Pacific Northwest.
<<REGISTER HERE>>
Presentation by: Wyatt Williams and other staff from the Oregon Department of Forestry as well as staff from the Washington Invasive Species Council.

Invasive Species to Watch for in Jefferson County: Tree and Landscape Pests
2025-10-23 17:00 - 18:00
Box Tree Moth, Zigzag Sawfly, Beech Leaf Disease, and Spotted Lanternfly are newer invasive species that are expanding their range.
Join an informative session with guest speaker Jacob Leeser, hosted by our partners at the Jefferson County Cornell Cooperative Extension, to learn about these species. During the session, participants will learn about the species’ lifecycle, impacts, treatment options, and monitoring techniques.

Date: Thursday, October 23rd, 2025
Time: 5-6 PM
Location: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Jefferson County
203 N. Hamilton St.
Watertown, NY 13601
Please register to attend

Restoration Plantings
2025-10-24 - 2025-10-25
Roll up your sleeves and help restore two beautiful natural areas in our region! This is a rewarding opportunity to connect with nature, meet fellow conservation enthusiasts, and make a lasting impact—one plant at a time.
Saturday, October 25 | 10 AM – 3 PM

Site: El Dorado Preserve
Location: Grand Jean Road, Henderson, NY (Google Map)
Details: This site requires a 10- 15 minute walk on flat terrain. Plantings will occur in an open field with tall grass and in forested gaps.

We’ve reached capacity for the planting on Friday, October 24 | 9 AM – 2 PM. However, you can join a waiting list and be notified of other events by registering.

Site: Deer Creek Marsh WMA
Location: South Rainbow Shores Road, Pulaski, NY (Google Map)
Details: This site requires a 1-mile walk through sandy conditions, which will take approximately 30 minutes in each direction. Platings will occur within the dunes and riparian areas of Deer Creek.

No prior experience is needed—bring your enthusiasm, weather-appropriate clothing/shoes, and a willingness to get your hands dirty. We’ll provide all the tools and guidance you need.
Registration is required to join, as more details and important updates will be provided.

Click to Register

Spotted Lanternfly Egg Mass Removal Workshop
2025-11-15 11:00 - 13:00
The Finger Lakes PRISM is hosting a spotted lanternfly egg mass scraping workshop on November 15th from 11 am-1 pm at the Finger Lakes Institute. Learn about the lifecycle of the spotted lanternfly and how to dispose of its egg masses properly! Cider and donuts will be provided.
Please register for the event.
Reach out to Laurel Williams (lwilliams@hws.edu) if you have any questions or concerns.

Winter invasive species survey tips
2025-11-18 13:00 - 14:00
Join iMapInvasives on Tuesday, November 18th, 2025, at 1 PM to review which species to look for in the winter months, how to capture their identifying characteristics, and where to look for your local invasive species volunteer programs.
Register to attend

Allies Against an Invasive: Interactions Between Spotted Lanternflies and Native Species
2025-11-19 11:15 - 12:15
Hear the latest research on spotted lanternfly predators from Postdoctoral Researcher Anne Johnson from Penn State. Johnson will share insights from her current research on the predators currently feeding on the spotted lanternfly and offer a look at which North American predators are most effective at controlling the spotted lanternfly. She will also share early findings from her work to determine how milkweed consumption impacts SLF.
This event is part of the Cornell Integrated Pest Management academic seminar series, designed to increase awareness of new research and techniques that advance Integrated Pest Management (IPM) and its adoption in various pest management settings.
Anne Johnson is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Entomology at Penn State. She studies how species native to North America interact with spotted lanternflies and how this could be applied to control their populations. In particular, she researches predators of spotted lanternfly found in the United States and how feeding on milkweed affects spotted lanternfly.

Date & Time
November 19, 2025
11:15 am – 12:15 pm

Location: Zoom (meeting link will be sent to those who register)

Virtual Hike Challenge
2025-12-01 - 2026-03-31
December through March, you can help protect forests and win prizes by participating in the annual #VirtualHikeChallenge. Participating is simple: fill out the form below, take a hike, check hemlock trees for the white woolly masses of hemlock woolly adelgid, report observations, and share your experience on any social media channel.
Late fall and winter are ideal times of the year to take a hike and check hemlock trees for the presence of an invasive forest pest that kills hemlock trees called hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). This is because HWA forms a white woolly mass around its body during this time which makes it more noticeable.

#VirtualHikeChallenge Rules

Fill out the form below so we know you plan to participate & to be entered to win prizes.
Take a hike (see suggested hiking trails map below).
Check hemlock trees you encounter for the white woolly masses of hemlock woolly adelgid.
Report if you do or if you don’t find HWA (see reporting methods below)
Help raise awareness by sharing our #VirtualHikeChallenge reels on Facebook or Instagram! You can also make your own social media posts. Please include #VirtualHikeChallenge @sleloprisminvasives.

Get Details and Register to Join the Learning Series

Report Observations
Reporting if you did or did not find HWA is important. Learning where HWA is or isn’t found helps strategize management & survey efforts.
Below are two reporting options:

Report positive and negative observations with a smartphone or mobile device using the iMapInvasives.org mobile app. See below for details.
If you don’t have access to iMap, you can also report positive observations to the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Forest Pest Hotline at 1-866-640-0652.

NYiMapInvasives is an online, collaborative, GIS-based database and mapping tool that serves as the official invasive species database for New York State.
Click the links below to become familiar with iMap

How to Set up an iMapInvasives User Account
iMap Tutorials
Quick Start Video
Explore iMapInvasive’s story-map

Any trail in the SLELO region can be visited as part of the challenge.
You can visit any trail in the St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario (SLELO) Region for the challenge. However, below is a map showcasing some public trails in the SLELO region that have hemlocks growing along the path. Click on the icon to learn more about the trails.
Blue icons on the map below indicate trails with hemlock stands that are directly benefiting the Black River Watershed.

How to Search for Hemlock Woolly Adelgid
When you approach a hemlock tree, check the underside of low-lying branches for white woolly masses. The presence of white masses may vary to a single or many masses on a branch. Check several branches from each side of the tree. Pro Tip: Bring a hiking pole to pull down high branches, also check branches you find on the ground.
Learn to Distinguish Hemlock From Other ConifersView Guide

HWA Look-alikes
You may find spider eggs, pine sap, bird droppings or other things that you may think is HWA, but the white masses you are to look for are only found along the branch at the base of the needles.

Why Care About Hemlocks?
Hemlock trees are important tree species. They are considered a foundation species-meaning that they create the habitat in which they exist. They provide food and habitat for hundreds of forest species; they provide many eco-services such as cooling and filtering water; hemlocks also help reduce soil erosion as they grow along steep slopes and streams.
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Video Playlist
Watch videos that highlight the importance of hemlock trees, the impacts of hemlock woolly adelgid, and what to look for when surveying for HWA.
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Playlist
4 Videos

Bob Duckett-The LIving System

0:16

NYS Hemlock Initiative Video Series Episode 1: Hemlocks

0:16

Epidsode 2:The Hemlock Woolly Adelgid

0:16

Hike to Protect Hemlocks Webinar-SLELO PRISM

The VirtualHikeChallenge is Supported by:
Supporters share social media posts for the challenge, some also provide prizes and showcase trail systems they manage as part of the challenge.

Eastern Lake Ontario Swallow-wort Collaborative Webinar
2025-12-04 15:00 - 16:30
Please join us on December 4th, 2025, from 3-4:30 PM EST via Zoom for an ELOSC webinar. Please register to attend.
Speaker line-up:

David Harris, SUNY ESF
Spencer Busler, Thousand Islands Land Trust
Josh Van Wieren, Thousand Islands National Park of Canada
Robert Smith, SLELO PRISM

Topics:

Updates on Chrysochus asclepiadeus root beetles as a biocontrol for swallow-worts.
Overview of swallow-wort management efforts in the Thousand Islands Region.
Networking session

Share this event on Facebook!

Hike to Protect Hemlocks: Learning Series
2025-12-05 - 2026-03-06
Learn to identify, survey, and report hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) through a unique learning series running from December 2025 to March 2026. HWA is an invasive insect that kills hemlock trees. Hemlock trees are a large majority of our forest tree species and provide many ecological benefits. You can help protect hemlock trees by surveying for and reporting sightings of HWA.
Learning Series Overview: To get the full experience out of the learning series, participants are encouraged to join sessions 1 and 2 before attending the HWA survey hikes.

Register to attend any or all sessions

Session 1: December 5th, 2025, 1-2:30 PM: HWA and iMapInvasives webinar.

Training Recording
Slides

Topics Covered:

HWA overview, impacts, and distribution in the SLELO region
iMapInvasives mobile app and desktop version tutorial
Adopt a trail to survey for HWA

Session 2: December 18th, 2025, 12:45-2 PM: Field trip to view HWA at Independence Park, located off Rikers Beach Road in Oswego, NY. (Google Map)

See HWA in person
Practice using the iMapInvasives mobile app
Learn about HWA biocontrol efforts in the SLELO region

Join HWA Surveys from 10 AM to 12 PM on the following dates. Join one or more surveys.

January 22, 2026– Salmon River Falls, 185 Falls Road, Richland, NY (Google map)

In the event of bad weather, we’ll postpone this hike to 1/23

February 5, 2026- Trenton Greenbelt Trail, 7905 Wood Rd, Holland Patent, NY 13354 (Google map)

In the event of bad weather, we’ll postpone this hike to 2/6

March 5, 2026- Forest Park, Ripley Rd, Camden, NY 13316 (Google map)

In the event of bad weather, we’ll postpone this hike to 3/6

Before attending any of the sessions, participants should follow these steps:

Make a Free iMapInvasives User Account
Download the Free iMapInvasives Mobile App
Video Tutorial

Aquatic Invasive Species Learning Experience
2026-05-01 - 2027-07-31
Please fill out the form below to sign up for our Aquatic Invasive Species Learning Experience (AISLE).

The AISLE empowers waterfront property owners and recreationists to protect waterbodies in the St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario Region. Participants of the AISLE become Water Protectors by adopting a waterbody to monitor for signs of aquatic invasive species and report observations. Those interested can sign up to adopt a waterbody. Commitment includes visiting the adopted waterbody at least once during the summer and reporting observations to NYiMapInvasives.org.
Trainings occur annually from May through July and include the sessions described below. You can join one or more of the trainings, but attending all three trainings is highly encouraged to get the full experience.
Session 1: Webinar Plant ID Training

Learn how to identify invasive and native aquatic plants.
Learn about community science identification tools, including iMapInvasives, iNaturalist, and Seek.

Session 2: In-Person Plant ID Workshop

View preserved and live native and aquatic plants in a classroom setting.
Learn how to report observations to iMapInvasives and iNaturalist.

Session:3 Guided Paddle
A fun evening on the water to test your new aquatic plant identification knowledge and learn how to survey for and report AIS of interest.

Learn how to conduct aquatic plant surveys on the water via rake toss.
Use our underwater scopes to explore the world below the surface.
Practice reporting observations to the iNaturalist and iMapInvasives mobile apps

Help us spread the word about this opportunity!
Facebook
AISLE Annual Sign-Up
Please fill out the form below to be notified of our next Aquatic Invasive Species Learning Experience (AISLE).

Name(Required)

First

Last

Email(Required)

Phone(Required)What county do you live in?(Required)What waterbody/waterbodies do you frequently visit?AffiliationPlease indicate if you are a SLELO partner or part of a kayaking group or Lake Association, etc. How did you hear about this event?(Required)

You will receive an email with an invitation to join the next aquatic invasive species learning experience annually in late winter/early spring.

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