The summer sun is starting to dip a little earlier, and the trails feel quieter than they did just a few weeks ago. Maybe you’ve pulled the last of the weeds from your garden, rinsed off your kayak one final time, or taken a slow walk through the woods. As the season shifts, so does our focus. But if you’ve taken the Pledge to Protect, you know the work doesn’t stop when summer ends.

Now’s the time to double down on those small but powerful actions: checking for invasive species, sharing what you’ve learned, and encouraging others to do the same. Fall brings new opportunities to protect the lands and waters you love. Here’s how you can stay engaged as a dedicated Pledger!

Attend These Events!

SLELO PRISM is hosting a guided walk to help train and recruit community members to recognize and report BLD on September 26th at the Salmon River Falls in Richland, NY. Get more details and register on our event page.

Join fellow protectors, land stewards, and conservationists at the Invasive Species Expo September 14-16. You’ll find hands-on workshops, updates on the latest science, and community conversations—all focused on protecting New York’s ecosystems. Register to attend!

Revisit Our Resources

Our Protectors Toolkits include seasonal reminders and management tips that you can use to help protect your favorite outdoor spaces. 

  • Lands/Trails Toolkit: Get quick tips on how to protect your favorite hiking trails and camping spots. 
  • Forests Toolkit:Own forested property or have a favorite forest bathing spot? Then this toolkit is for you! 
  • Gardens Toolkit: This is a great resource for late-season plantings, invasive species fall time identification and management tips.
  • Waters Toolkit: Refresh your knowledge of how to properly clean and dry watercraft and gear and learn about aquatic invasive species and management options. 
  • Communities Toolkit: Like to spend time in urban green spaces and parks? This toolkit showcases ways you can help protect urban trees from pests and community science tools you can engage with.

Lands & Trails

Lands & Trails

Protect your private or publicly accessible lands and favorite hiking trails
Open Toolbox

Forests

Forests

Protect your private or publicly accessible forested areas
Open Toolbox

Waters

Waters

Protect your favorite paddle-ways, boating and fishing destinations
Open Toolbox

Gardens

Gardens

Protect your backyard or community gardens
Open Toolbox

Communities

Communities

Protect your favorite parks or urban green spaces, and street trees
Open Toolbox

If you’re looking for more ways to protect nature during these last weeks of summer, explore our Blog Archive.

Invasive Species to Keep an Eye On

No matter which environment you’re protecting, these invasive species are worth watching across the region:

Spotted Lanternfly (SLF): an invasive plant hopper that threatens cash crops like apple, grape, and hops. SLF can easily hitchhike on vehicles and lay eggs on nearly any flat surface exposed to the outdoors. Be sure to check for adult SLF and eggs on your vehicles, RV’s, watercraft/trailers, and any other outdoor equipment before and after traveling.

Learn More

Black and Pale Swallow-wort: herbaceous perennial vines that smother out native vegetation and take over habitats in which native milkweed and other pollinator-loving plants grow. One of most adorned pollinators at risk is the monarch butterfly, which can mistake swallow-worts for milkweed.

Learn More

Beech Leaf Disease (BLD): is the newest threat to beech trees and is spreading rapidly across the Northeastern United States and Canada. A nematode, BLD is believed to cause leaf deformities that hinder the ability of photosynthesis thus weakening and killing beech trees over time.

Learn More

Porcelain Berry and Bittersweet: two fast-growing invasive vines that can smother trees, shrubs, and other vegetation, outcompeting native species for light and nutrients. They spread quickly and are often mistaken for native plants, making early identification key to control.

Learn More

Take Action: Play Clean Go

Whether you’re wrapping up summer hikes or prepping your gear for fall outings, now’s the time for a Play Clean Go refresh.

  • Remove mud, seeds, and debris from boots, bikes, and gear.
  • Wash watercraft and fishing equipment.
  • Look for and remove invasive species from your property. 

Thank you for being part of this growing community of protectors. The seasons may change, but your impact lasts all year long!

Take the Pledge to Protect

Did you enjoy this blog post? Take our Pledge to Protect and get monthly emails showcasing actions you can take to protect your favorite hiking trails, paddleways, forests, garden, and community from the impacts of invasive species! 

The Pledge-to-Protect is a fun, positive, inviting, engaging and rewarding way to participate in invasive species prevention and management.

 

Here’s How It Works:
 
  1. Fill out the pledge form below and select the outdoor areas you spend the most time in.
  2. Check your inbox for your confirmation email.
  3. Explore the resources in the virtual toolkits or download the PDFs.
  4. Earn a virtual badge for each pledge you take.
  5. Every month, you’ll receive a special Pledge-to-Protect email about a prevention/management activity to help you fulfill your pledge OR a highlight of an invasive species to keep an eye out for.
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Chose the pledge category that you spend the most time in or that you're most interested in learning of applicable prevention and management actions you can take while enjoying these environments.
Please select the actions that you're willing to commit to.
Taking these actions helps to protect your favorite outdoor places from the impacts of invasive species.