SLELO PRISM

WNY’s Emerging Forest Pests and Diseases
2020-10-29 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
Thursday, October 29; 2:00-3:00 PM
Join via Computer; Meeting Code: 130 982 1301
Facebook Event
Join WNY PRISM to learn about the new invasive pests and diseases that threaten WNY’s forests. Our speakers, Andrew Lance, WNY Land Conservancy and Emily Thiel, WNY PRISM, will discuss recent additions including hemlock woolly adelgid, beech leaf disease and jumping worms, as well as species that are threatening nearby regions such as oak wilt, sudden oak death and Asian longhorned beetle. You’ll also learn about what you can do to stop their spread and prevent their introduction.

Calling all Hikers-Protect Your Hemlocks
2020-10-29 13:00 - 14:00 UTC
Thursday, October 29th, 1 pm-2 pm EST
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You can help protect the hemlock trees in your region by learning how to recognize hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) and report it using the iMapInvasives mobile app. Join this webinar to get involved in early detection efforts in your region and across the state. View a live demo of the iMap mobile app, learn of beautiful trails to hike that have hemlocks nearby, learn of state-wide volunteer opportunities to protect hemlocks, and hear from one of SLELO’s volunteers who has been visiting trails in the St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario (SLELO) region in search of HWA.
Hemlock woolly adelgid is an invasive forest pest that is spreading through New York. While it has not yet been detected in the Tug Hill region, an HWA infestation was recently confirmed on the shores of Lake George in the Adirondacks that isn’t too far from the Eastern Lake Ontario region. Considering that no HWA infestations have yet been found in the SLELO region, strengthening early detection efforts for HWA is vital to protecting our hemlocks.
Presenters: Carri Marschner with the Cornell Hemlock Initiative, Megan Pistolese with SLELO PRISM, and Frank Williams- SLELO’s Conservation Volunteer.

Interagency Ecological Restoration Quality Committee (IERQC) Monthly Webinar Series
2020-10-29 11:00 - 12:00 UTC
Mentor Marsh: History, Tragedy, Recovery
Thursday, October 29th
11am-12pm EST
Register
About the Presentation
Mentor Marsh is a National Park Service-designated National Natural Landmark (1966) for being one of the most species-rich sites on the Great Lakes shoreline. The Marsh was named Ohio’s first State Nature Preserve in 1971 and is a National Audubon Society Important Birding Area. This 806-acre wetland suffered dramatically in 1966 when salt-mine tailings leached into Blackbrook Creek. By 1973 most of the swamp forest trees and marsh plants had died, and the 4-mile long wetland basin was overtaken by reed grass (Phragmites australis), a 15 to 24 foot-tall nonnative invasive plant from Eurasia.

The Cleveland Museum of Natural History began the large-scale restoration of Mentor Marsh in 2015. Guided by Museum restoration ecologists, the Phragmites monoculture is being sprayed with an aquatic-safe herbicide and then physically mashed flat to allow native plants to grow. Over 180 species of native plant species have been documented sprouting from the soil seed bank, including three Ohio state-threatened plants. Rare marsh birds—such as American and Least Bitterns, and Virginia, King and Sora Rails are nesting, and wading birds and waterfowl are now frequent. Yellow Perch fingerlings are now using the Marsh as a nursery and Northern Pike are spawning.
About the Presenter
Dr. Kriska joined the Museum in 2003 working for the Center for Conservation & Biodiversity & the Natural Areas Division. He specializes in rare plant and animal surveys, community ecology, and habitat restoration. Since 2008 he’s helped the Natural Areas Division acquire nearly 2,000 acres of critical habitat- the Museum currently has 60 scientific natural areas spread across 11,000 acres that contain unique natural communities, such as old growth forests, marshes, bogs, swamps and fens. These high-quality habitats- many are globally rare, together protect 250 different kinds of endangered, threatened, or rare plant and animal species, and represent the remarkable biological diversity that was once widespread throughout the region.
About the Series
The Interagency Ecological Restoration Quality Committee hosts monthly Webinars in an effort to bring restoration practitioners from across the country together to present and discuss the innovations aimed at improving the quality of ecological restoration data. Presentations are approximately 45 minutes in length, followed by open discussion.
About the Committee
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) Great Lakes National Program Office established this Committee (including federal agencies, contractors, and ecological restoration practitioners) in June 2012 to share and develop quality practices that facilitate the collection of reliable data for ecological restoration projects funded by the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. This Webinar series supports this collaborative effort; please join us! Contact Lou Blume (USEPA Quality Manager) for more details.

Using Boater Data to Inform Risk Models
2020-10-28 11:00 - 12:30 UTC
Hosted by the Invasive mussel Collaborative
Wednesday, October 28th
11 am- 12:30 pm EST
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The webinar will discuss the development of invasive mussel risk models informed by watercraft inspection and boater movement data. This webinar will feature the ARMOR model, built in New York to streamline the process of boat inspections for invasive species management, and a predictive model for Minnesota assessing the likelihood of overland transport of invasive mussels on recreational boats.
Presenters will include:

Cathy McGlynn and John Marino, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Marc Frischer, University of Georgia; Sandra Nierzwicki-Bauer and Jeremy Farrell, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Nick Phelps, University of Minnesota

Assessing the Risk of Invasive Introductions at Trailheads in the Adirondack Park (NYISRI)
2020-10-28 11:00 - 12:00 UTC
Wednesday, October 28
11 a.m.
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Join the NY Invasive Species Research Institute for a presentation by Jim Duncan, Director of the Forest Ecosystem Monitoring Cooperative, as he speaks on invasive plant introductions in the Adirondacks.

North American Weed Biocontrol Summit (NAISMA)
2020-10-28 10:00 - 14:00 UTC
Wednesday, October 28
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
REGISTER

This summit will bring together weed biocontrol researchers and land managers to share the status of biocontrol research and implementation programs from various regions across the US and Canada, as well as updates from European and other international collaborators.

Gypsy Moth Eggmass Survey Training: How to Quantify Potential Defoliation in 2021
2020-10-21 10:00 - 11:00 UTC
Wednesday, October 21st
10 am EST
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Presenters:
Naja Kraus is a Forest Health Scientist in DEC’s Bureau of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies from SUNY Binghamton and a Master’s degree in Plant Science and Environmental Forest Biology from SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry. She has been with DEC’s forest health programs since 2005 starting with a focus on forest defoliators and moving to work on terrestrial invasive plants. Currently, she coordinates the DEC response to giant hogweed and kudzu.
Rob Cole is a Forester in the DEC’s Forest Health Unit. He earned his AAS and BS in Forestry from SUNY-ESF and became an ISA Certified Arborist in 2016. Rob has worked on numerous projects over the years. He currently focuses on oak wilt and other oak pests, as well as white pine decline across the state.

Dormant Season Identification and Prevention of Invasive Species
2020-10-15 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
Thursday, October 15; 2:00-3:00 PM
Join via Computer; Meeting Code: 130 455 5626
Facebook Event
Stopping the spread and reporting the presence of invasive species doesn’t stop as the weather gets colder. Join Emily Thiel, WNY PRISM’s Education and Outreach Program Manager to learn about the invasive species we can identify all year long, including the recent WNY invader, the hemlock woolly adelgid. We will also learn about how humans contribute to the spread of these invasive species and what we can do to stop it.

Dormant Season Identification and Prevention of Invasive Species
2020-10-15 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
Date/Time: Thursday, October 15; 2:00-3:00 PM
REGISTER.
Stopping the spread and reporting the presence of invasive species doesn’t stop as the weather gets colder. Join Emily Thiel, WNY PRISM’s Education and Outreach Program Manager to learn about the invasive species we can identify all year long, including the recent WNY invader, the hemlock woolly adelgid. We will also learn how humans contribute to the spread of these invasive species and what we can do to stop it.

Certified Weed-Free Products Workshop
2020-10-09 10:00 - 12:00 UTC
The NAISMA Certified Weed-Free Products program is the only program in North America that provides land managers with assurance that noxious weeds will not be spread through the movement of forage, hay, mulch, or gravel brought in to the property. Learn more about the program in this special session of the NAISMA Invasive Species Conference.
In the past, this portion of the NAISMA conference was open only to inspectors. Now, everyone who wants to learn is welcome to attend.
Brand new in 2020: mulch standards. This workshop is an opportunity for government organizations to learn what the standards and certification training will cover.
While this workshop is part of the conference, attendees may register for this portion of the conference for free and not attend rest of conference.

An Ecological Approach to Wildlife Stewardship: Threats to Wildlife
2020-10-07 18:00 - 19:30 UTC
Date/Time: Wednesday, October 7; 6:00-7:30 PM
Register HERE.
Hosted by the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies and Dutchess Land Conservancy. This session will cover threats to wildlife, managing invasive plants and controlling deer overpopulation through hunting.

Virtual Black River Watershed Conference Session- Japanese Knotweed
2020-10-07 15:00 - 16:30 UTC
Wednesday, October 7, 2020, · 3:00 – 4:30 p.m
This Series is part of a virtual Black River Watershed Conference. View the full conference schedule.
REGISTER
Access webinar recordings
The State of Hamilton County Lakes: A 25 Year Perspective presented by, Caitlin Stewart and Jaime Parslow, Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District
Japanese Knotweed, presented by, Katherine Whitcomb & Bob Tilbe, Herkimer County Soil & Water Conservation District

Forest Health Webinar: Ailanthus Biocontrol
2020-10-07 13:00 - 14:00 UTC
Date/Time: Wednesday, October 7; 1:00-2:00 PM
Join HERE.
Join the Southern Regional Extension Forestry’s webinar as Dr. Matt Kasson, Assistant Professor, Plant Pathology, WVU, discusses the potential of Verticillium nonalfalfae as a biological control agent for Tree of Heaven.

Virtual Black River Watershed Session- Emerald Ash Borer
2020-10-06 15:00 - 2020-11-05 16:30 UTC
Tuesday, October 6th 3pm-4:30pm
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The session will be led by Christine Watkins with the Jefferson County Soil and Water Conservation District as part of the Black River Watershed Virtual Conference series View the full conference Schedule.

NAISMA Virtual Conference
2020-10-06 08:00 - 2020-10-08 17:00 UTC
North American Invasive Species Management Association Virtual Conference
October 6th-8th
Learn More

On Wednesday, October 7th, SLELO PRISM will be presenting on the below topics:
11:30-1 pm: Human Dimensions of Invasive Species Management (multiple 20-25 min session)
Topic: Understanding Success through a Macrophyte Nutrient Analysis and Standardized Metrics
Presented by: Brittney Rogers, SLELO PRISM Aquatic Restoration and Resiliency Coordinator
In this session, attendees will learn about how regional invasive species efforts are being applied to standardize state and international management practices while considering restoration opportunities to create more resilient ecosystems against new invasions and our changing climate. Hosted by The Nature Conservancy, the St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (SLELO PRISM) is one of eight PRISMs in NYS and covers five northern NY counties. SLELO strives to protect native biodiversity and freshwater resources through a collaborative partner-focused approach. One portion of our work is the management of invasive species populations that have a high impact on native ecosystems.
Among the most widely managed invasive species in NYS is the European water chestnut (Trapa natans). Rosettes are removed by manually hand pulling and in the last two years, SLELO and partners removed 69,000 pounds of water chestnut from our waters. Through management, the composition of the water and the nutrients found within these beds is changed. To better understand the changes of these efforts, we’ve initiated the Aquatic Invasive Species Macrophyte Nutrient Analysis to look more closely at carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus implications for aquatic invasive species removals. The results will provide guidance for best management practices and standardized metric collection that considers impacts to both local ecosystems and broader contributions to climate change. These results may also expose potential restoration opportunities that expedite a return to native character and enhance resiliency against new invasions and climate change.

1:30 pm-3: pm: Human Dimensions of Invasive Species Management (multiple 20-25 min sessions)
Topic: Cultural Impacts of Invasive Species – A survey of cultural impacts that invasive species have on people, their well-being, and livelihoods.
Presented by: Robert Williams- SLELO PRISM Program Manager & Timothy Ives, Cornell Cooperative Extension
Often is the assumption that invasive species only impact the well-being and livelihood of indigenous peoples of the third world, underdeveloped countries, but how could invasive species affect areas within a developed nation such as the United States. Evidence suggests that, in addition to the ecological and economic impacts of invasive species, these same species have an effect on the well-being and livelihoods of people locally and regionally. The purpose of this survey was to better understand how invasive species affect the well-being (general happiness) and livelihood (food on the table, money in your pocket, or financial means) of individuals in the St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario (SLELO) Region of New York State. The top responding demographic categories were hunters, anglers, recreationists, loggers/wood and forest benefactors, and waterfront property owners. To date, this survey has produced 107 charts, tables, and graphs along with 8 pages of additional comments. There were also 155 responses to the (additional comments) section, providing valuable, real-time insight as to how people feel invasive species are affecting them. Much is known about the ecological and economic impacts of non-native, invasive species. Much less is known about the impacts invasive species have on the well-being and livelihoods of people living in the survey region, until now.

Pesticide Stakeholder Webinar
2020-10-01 09:00 - 13:00 UTC
Date/Time: Thursday, October 1; 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
Register HERE.
The DEC is considering changes to the entire series of pesticide regulations contained in Parts 320 through 329. DEC will facilitate a discussion of potential and current changes to the regulations. Visit the DEC’s website for complete information on this event.

Using iMapInvasives for End-of-Season Reports
2020-09-30 13:00 - 14:00 UTC
Date/Time: Wednesday, September 30; 1:00-2:00 PM
Register HERE.
Join this event hosted by The NY Natural Heritage Program to learn how to summarize, visualize, and analyze invasive species data for end-of-season reports within the iMapInvasives web interface.

Dept. of the Interior Draft Invasive Species Strategic Plan – Listening Sessions, Public Comment
2020-09-24 16:00 - 18:00 UTC
Session 1 Date/Time: Thursday, September 24; 4:00-6:00 PM
Session 2 Date/Time: Monday, September 28; 4:00-6:00 PM
Register HERE.
RSVP deadline is Monday, September 21; 5:00 PM.
Written comments will be accepted until Friday, October 9; 11:59 PM.
The Department of the Interior has released the draft of its strategic plan for invasive species management. The draft plan is now available for public review. Join one of the upcoming teleconference listening sessions to provide input.

What's Eating My Trees and how do I kill them
2020-09-23 10:00 - 12:00 UTC
September 23rd, at 10 AM
What’s Eating My Trees and how do I kill them
Webinar – Hosted by Finger Lakes ReLeaf
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CNLP (1.25 credits), DEC Pesticide applicator category 10, 2, 3a, 25, and 9 (0.75 credits), SAF (2 credits), ISA credits pending.
Join this free webinar on the gypsy moth outbreak in Western and Central NY this summer.
Speakers include:
Rob Cole and Jerry Carlson – NYS DEC Forest Health and Invasive Species – providing an overview and updates on the gypsy moth outbreak this year.
Shawn Kenaley – Professor, Finger Lakes Community College – giving us a crash course in tree biology and stress responses.
Noreen Riordan – ISA Certified Arborist, Bartlett Tree Experts – demonstrating how a gypsy moth inspection goes, what to expect, and what you can do to help your trees.

Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species – Sportsmen & Sportswomen Edition
2020-09-22 17:30 - 19:30 UTC
Date: Tuesday, September 22nd 5:30 to 7:00
Hosted ONLINE via Zoom, RSVP Required, Register here: http://adkinvasives.com/Events/Detail/52
ABOUT: North Country lakes, wetlands, and forest habitats are at risk to the impacts of voracious invasive invertebrates and fast-growing invasive plants. More often than not, these problematic pests are accidentally introduced to new areas on the boats, boots, tires, pets, and firewood of those coming to recreate in the outdoors.
Join our partners, the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP), to learn how you can help prevent the spread of invasive species this hunting season. This workshop will cover best prevention practices for sportsmen and sportswomen planning to boat, hike, and camp while also teaching how to be on the lookout for top invasive forest pests. Helping report target species is the number one way to deploy rapid response teams that protect Adirondack trees from emerging invasive species.

Building community to address the threat of emerald ash borer to northern forests
2020-09-22 16:00 - 17:00 UTC
Tuesday, 22 September 2020, from 4:00 – 5:00 p.m.
The webinar is free and open to the public, but please register here: https://forms.gle/K7YSq5nZLrhR9YMn8
Tony D’Amato and Amanda Mahaffey will share their work on “Building community to address the threat of emerald ash borer to northern forests”
The invasive emerald ash borer (EAB) has spread extensively over the past two decades, threatening the cultural and ecological values of ash species across over two-thirds of the US and large portions of Canada. In response to this novel threat, communities of foresters, tribal members, forest health specialists, and scientists have developed in various regions to honor and better understand the cultural and ecological role of ash species in our forests, as well as to develop ecologically-sound adaptation strategies. This webinar will highlight outgrowths of these efforts in the northeastern US and Lake States, particularly in relation to forests with significant black ash and white ash components.
Tony D’Amato is Professor of Silviculture and Forest Ecology in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont, and Director of the Forestry Program and the UVM Research Forests. He holds degrees from the University of Maine, University of Oregon, and a PhD from the University of Massachusetts, and his research centers on evaluating traditional and experimental silvicultural strategies’ ability to meet an increasingly diverse range of forest management objectives on public and private land.
Amanda Mahaffey is Deputy Director of the Forest Stewards Guild, where she develops programs that support the Guild’s mission to practice and promote responsible forestry as a means of sustaining the integrity of forest ecosystems and the human communities dependent upon them. She is a licensed forester and holds degrees from Yale University and the University of Southern Maine.

Pesticide Stakeholder Webinar
2020-09-22 09:00 - 13:00 UTC
Tuesday, September 22; 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
Hosted by the Department of Environmental Conservation
Register HERE

The DEC is considering changes to the entire series of pesticide regulations contained in Parts 320 through 329. DEC will facilitate a discussion of potential and current changes to the regulations. Visit the DEC’s website for complete information on this event.

Swallow-wort Collaborative Webinar
2020-09-21 13:00 - 14:00 UTC
Monday, September 21st, 1 pm-2 pm EST.
Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 965 7766 8034
One tap mobile
+16468769923,,96577668034# US (New York)
Topics:
From Research to Implementation: An Overview of Swallow-wort biocontrol (or Hypena opulenta) Release Projects in New York State
Presented by:
Carrie Brown-Lima, Director, New York Invasive Species Research Institute
Audrey Bowe, Project Coordinator, New York Invasive Species Research Institute

Successful Adult Emergence, Larval Development, and Defoliation at Wehle Site
Presented by:
Rob Williams, Invasive Species Program Manager, SLELO-PRISM

Collecting Native Seeds: Sow Much to Know
2020-09-21 13:00 - 14:00 UTC
Monday, September 21; 1:00-2:00 PM
Hosted by Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Register HERE.
One of the best ways to help stop the spread of invasive plants is to grow native plants. Join in on this webinar and learn how you can collect native seeds and overwinter them to grow your own native plants. Join Angela Monaghan, Rutgers Master Gardener Coordinator for Middlesex County to learn the ins and outs of native seed collection and sowing seeds for next year’s garden.

Prevent the Spread of Invasive Species - Hiker and Biker Edition
2020-09-16 17:30 - 19:00 UTC
Date: Wednesday, September 16th 5:30 to 7:00
Hosted ONLINE via Zoom, RSVP Required, Register here: http://adkinvasives.com/Events/Detail/53
ABOUT: The Adirondacks are an endless playground for hikers, campers, and mountain bikers. Unfortunately, though, many invasive species are accidentally introduced to new areas on the shoes, tires, pets, boats, and firewood of those coming to recreate in the Adirondack region and beyond.
Join our partners with the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) to learn how you can help protect local ecosystems while enjoying the great outdoors this Fall. This workshop will cover best practices for hikers, campers, and mountain bikers to be responsible stewards of the lands they love, while also being on the lookout for top invasive species out on the trail.

Emerging Species Watch Out For Jumping Worms
2020-08-25 10:00 - 12:00 UTC
Register

Interagency Ecological Restoration Quality Committee Monthly Webinar Series
2020-07-30 11:00 - 12:00 (America/New_York)
Interagency Ecological Restoration Quality Committee Monthly Webinar Series
Thursday, July 30, 2020 – 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET An Introduction to the SER International Principles and Standards for the Practice of Ecological Restoration Bethanie Walder, Society for Ecological Restoration (SER) REGISTER

How Biocontrol Agents are Approved and How to Access Them for Your Invasive Species Management Needs:Free NAISMA Invasive Species Webinar Series
2020-07-19 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
REGISTER
(1 CFE for SAF)

How Biocontrol Agents are Approved and How to Access Them for Your Invasive Species Management Needs

Classical biological control of weeds is an important management tool to control invasive species across large landscapes. This webinar intends to provide a brief history of biocontrol to include the processes in place for testing, screening, evaluating and approving introductions in the U.S. Additionally, accessibility of these agents for private landowners and government agencies will be discussed to include generalities of that process, where they might go to collect biological control agents, tools to identify agents that have proven to be successful in providing management of certain species, and what new ideas are available that landowners may be unaware of.

Virtual Urban Walk and Talk
2020-07-17 13:00 - 14:45 (America/New_York)
Friday, July 17th 1pm-2:45pm via zoom
CLICK TO REGISTER
Continuing Education Credits for the following:
1.5 Certified Nursery and Landscape Program Credits
1.5 Society of American Foresters Certified Forester Credits
International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist Credits (pending)
The City of Watertown holds a unique urban arboretum that provides immense beauty and many benefits for people and nature. This webinar will provide an overview of invasive tree pests that threaten the health of the arboretum (spotted lanternfly, hemlock woolly adelgid, emerald ash borer, and Asian longhorned beetle), and how the City is planning to manage trees that may be impacted by these pests. A virtual tour of the arboretum will be given through a live demonstration of an interactive online story-map. Visitors of the arboretum can access this story-map on their mobile devices and receive a guided tour of the trees and other information. Webinar participants will learn how to recognize signs of invasive tree pest infestations and be invited to volunteer to adopt a street tree to help monitor the overall health of street trees in the City.
Presenters:
Mike DeMarco-Watertown City Planner
Robert Smith- SLELO Terrestrial Restoration and Resiliency Coordinator
Megan Pistolese- SLELO Education/Outreach Coordinator

Summer Scavenger Hunt Adventure
2020-07-17 - 2020-08-17
Join us this summer for a North Country scavenger hunt!
Visit Nature Up North, for the full details, a printable checklist and awesome resources!
