ST. LAWRENCE EASTERN LAKE ONTARIO PARTNERSHIP FOR REGIONAL INVASIVE SPECIES MANAGEMENT
Below is a library of blogs featuring simple actions you can take to protect your favorite hiking trails, paddle-ways, forests, garden, and community.
Get Pledge to Protect blogs sent straight to your inbox by taking the Pledge to Protect today!
Winter forests hold a quiet magic, and at the heart of that beauty stands the eastern hemlock—an essential tree now facing a growing threat. This blog explores why hemlocks matter, what’s at risk if we lose them, and how you can take action this winter to help protect these irreplaceable trees.
Winter is the perfect season to spot invasive species that threaten our forests, lands and trails.. Many invasives stand out in the cold months with lingering leaves, persistent berries, and distinctive bark, making identification easier. From common buckthorn and colorful porcelain berry to forest pests like hemlock woolly adelgid, this guide highlights what to look for and how you can help protect native ecosystems.
SLELO PRISM holds our annual Virtual Hike Challenge (VHC). The challenge, happening November through March, pairs winter hiking with simple instructions to help keep an eye out for hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA). HWA is an invasive forest pest that is confirmed to be present in Oswego County and is spreading along the Eastern Lake Ontario shoreline.
Cozy Campfires Start with Smart Firewood Choices. Help protect New York’s forests this fall—learn how to choose firewood responsibly.
The forests of the Northeastern United States and Canada are facing a silent but serious threat—Beech Leaf Disease (BLD). You can help by learning to recognize and report BLD.
Summer may be winding down, but your Pledge-To-Protect actions—like checking for invasives, sharing knowledge, and inspiring others—can still make a big impact on the lands and waters you love.
Enjoying the water this summer? Don’t let aquatic invasive species hitch a ride and protect our lakes from these hidden threats.
Imagine dipping your paddle into a quiet cove, the morning sun glinting off the water as you glide toward a patch of floating plants. Around you, a team of volunteers
Learn how climate-smart gardening can help stop invasive species, protect native plants, and build a resilient landscape in the SLELO region.
April is Earth month! Learn easy and fun ways to take action to protect your favorite outdoor spaces from invasive species.
March is maple syrup month, and who doesn’t enjoy some delicious maple syrup on some nice fluffy pancakes. Check out this Protector’s blog to learn of invasive pests that threaten maple syrup production.
Winter is a great time to think about spring and gardening. Winter sowing is efficient and cost-effective way to introduce native plants in your yard. Get tips on how to use winter sowing as a restoration method.
Take action to protect vital ecosystems by becoming one of our volunteers. Join early detection surveys, removal efforts, restoration plantings, and more!
Get tips to help you stop the spread of invasive species this holiday season!
October is one of the most beautiful times of year to get outside in New York and a very popular time to go camping! Learn how you can help stop the spread of invasive insects just by sourcing local firewood for your next camping trip.
With the beautiful hues of fall beginning to sweep across our green spaces, autumn is fast approaching. This season marks a critical time for invasive species management. Whether you’re doing
As summer draws to a close, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the wonderful memories made in our favorite outdoor spaces and to take action to protect them for
Summer is ramping up, allowing for ample opportunities to beat the heat and keep your outdoor spaces safe.
Spring is coming! There are many ways you can help prevent the spread of invasive species while you enjoy your favorite springtime activities. Tips for Birding The excitement of returning
Take a date with nature this February! Spending time outdoors encourages stewardship and offers many fun opportunities to engage with your community and spend time with loved ones!
Looking for an impactful New Year’s resolution? Join our volunteer network and take action to protect vital ecosystems in your region!
Winter is here and there are many fun activities that you can enjoy this season like snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ice fishing, and much more! While you’re spending time outdoors this winter there are some simple actions you can take to protect your favorite hiking trails, forests, and waterways from invasive species.
This fall and winter keep an eye out for bittersweet and porcelain berry which are easily identified by their distinctive berries that appear this time of year. These invasive woody vines grow over understory vegetation and strangle trees. Check out this Protector’s blog to learn to recognize these invasive plants and steps you can take now to get a head start on controlling them before the next growing season.
Specialized relationships between plants and insects are vital to the lifecycle of many pollinators. Invasive plants can easily overtake pollinator habitats. You can help by planting pollinator host plants and by removing invasive plants on your property. Learn more in this Protector’s Blog!
Attention travelers, spotted lanternfly (SLF) can easily hitchhike on your vehicles. Be sure to check the grill and wheel wells of your vehicle for SLF adults and eggs while doing end of season traveling.
While you’re enjoying the outdoors in your own backyard or on your favorite trail, keep an eye out for noxious invasive plants that could really hinder your outdoor experience!
Did you know that you can spread invasive species by boating, taking a hike, gardening, moving firewood, and many other activities you may enjoy? Learn about invasive species introduction pathways and actions you can take to prevent their spread.
Help stop the spread of aquatic invasive species by visiting a watercraft inspection steward this summer!
Vernal pools provide essential habitats for the lifecycle of amphibians and provide important food sources for wildlife. Invasive plants can lower ground table water levels making conditions too dry for vernal pools to develop altering these sensitive habitats and making them unsuitable for dependant wildlife.
Learn of invasive species educational resources and activites you can enjoy with your family or students!
The spotted lanternfly and spongy moth are two invasive insects that lay eggs on trees and other flat surfaces. Fall and winter are ideal times to check your trees and backyard for egg masses that could be from these pests. Removing egg masses helps to suppress new populations of these invasive species that would otherwise hatch in the spring.
Spotted lanternfly lay their eggs in the fall. Keep an eye out for adults until cold weather and for egg masses now through the winter. Learn what to look for and what to do if you find SLF in this Protector’s blog.
Beech leaf disease (BLD) is the newest threat to beech trees and is spreading rapidly across the Northeastern United States and Canada. You can help by learning to recognize and report BLD.
Specialized relationships exist between plants, animals, pollinators, and other insects. Invasive species threaten native plants and wildlife by altering the natural habitats on which native species depend.
Removing water chestnut by hand is a fun and effective way to suppress their populations. Check out this blog to learn how to organize a hand-pull on your own waterfront property!
Explore nature while you’re hitting the trails this summer with some really neat mobile apps that aid invasive species community science.
Join guided hikes, paddles, webinars and other events happening across the state for New York’s Invasive Species Awareness Week from June 6th-12th!
Many invasive plants were once considered desirable ornamentals that were intentionally introduced to our gardens and landscapes only to escape into natural environments. Learn of native alternatives to common invasive garden plants.
Spring is finally here and invasive species are starting to emerge. Keep an eye out for these common backyard terrestrial and dockside invasives.
Spring is nearly here! Get a jump start on your yard work by planning to control those pesky invasive plants you’ve been wanting to get rid of in your yard.
Learn of two opportunities for you to get involved in invasive species initiatives. iMapInvasives is hosting a mapping challenge for hemlock woolly adelgid observations. National Invasive Species Awareness Week offers webinars and engagements begining at the end of Feburary through March 4th,.
Calling all ice fishermen and women! Keep an eye out for invasive fish while enjoying icefishing this season.
Tree health can be impacted by many factors, including invasive species. You can help by monitoring tree health in your community.
With HWA spreading across New York state and along the east coast, having a hemlock conservation plan in place, before your hemlocks are infested with this invasive pest, will allow you to put your resources towards the protection of the hemlocks you value the most.
Winter is a great time to start planning for your garden. Learn what plants are native to your zipcode with a native plant finder tool, and view native plant lists to help get you started. Choosing to grow native plants helps to stop the spread of invasive plants and supports pollinators!
Hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) is an invasive pest that threatens the health of our forests by killing hemlock trees. Learn how you can help protect hemlock trees from HWA.
Fall and winter are ideal seasons to control invasive shrubs. During these seasons, plants switch from drawing nutrients to their leaves and start drawing nutrients to their roots as part
About Monarch Butterflies In September and October, monarch butterflies will be laying their eggs on native milkweed using a combination of chemical and visual cues that have evolved over time.
Description The long-horned beetle, ALB (Anoplophora glabripennis), is a wood-boring invasive insect native to China and Korea. It was first seen in the US in the mid-1990s, possibly introduced on
To showcase our Pledge to Protect outreach initiative we’ve placed billboards throughout the SLELO region.