State Agencies Encourage Partners to Begin Planning Events
The State Departments of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Agriculture and Markets (AGM) have announced that New York State’s eighth annual Invasive Species Awareness Week (ISAW) will be held June 6-12. Organizations are encouraged to connect with their local Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) to begin planning events.

ISAW is an educational campaign featuring statewide events that promote an understanding of invasive species-how they get here, how to recognize them, what their negative impacts are-and empower New Yorkers to take action to protect the state’s resources from their introduction and spread. New York State is particularly vulnerable to invasive species due to its role as a center for international trade and travel. Managing invasive species is a long-term effort and requires collaboration from State agencies, stakeholder organizations, and the public.

Organizations interested in hosting an event should visit the New York Invasive Species Awareness Week website for more information. All types of programming and events are encouraged, including removal projects, science trainings, film screenings, and more. Virtual programs and outdoor activities with social distancing and other protocols to limit the spread of COVID-19 are recommended. Examples of past events include:

• Guided hikes to survey for hemlock woolly adelgid;
• Water chestnut removals at DEC-owned boat launches;
• Holding a social media campaign the week of ISAW to raise awareness;
• Invasive species educational programs for children; and
• Educational trainings to help identify and survey for invasive species, such as Spotted Lanternfly.

Interested partners should provide local PRISM coordinators with information about proposed events by Monday, May 24, to ensure events can be added to the statewide list. To learn more about ISAW, visit the New York Invasive Species Awareness Week website.

Photo of hemlock woolly adelgid provided by Cornell Cooperative Extension