Posts Tagged ‘Adirondack invasive species’

Wednesday, March 1, 2023

Invasives update: The good, the bad and the promising

Despite an omnipresent threat of invasive species entering or spreading in the Adirondack Park, around three-quarters of Adirondack waterways remain free of aquatic invasive species.

Conservationists battling the spread of invasive species in the park like to cite that fact as a sign of the park’s still-pristine nature and as a clarion call to continue their work.

The Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program, a small team that coordinates efforts to fight invasives in the park, this week released its annual report. The report highlights the growing threat of forest pests like hemlock wooly adelgid on Lake George and the looming threat of round goby and hydrilla, which have yet to break through the park’s borders.

APIPP reported five new waterbodies found to contain invasive species within its area: Lake Roxanne and Tracy Brook in Clinton County, the St. Regis River and a connected wetland in Franklin County, and Park Lake in Hamilton County.

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Monday, October 10, 2022

Invasive Species at Our Door: Adirondack Invasive Species Summit set for Oct. 19

BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE—A summit to address two invasive species that are a threat to the Adirondacks will include a discussion on new research that shows a link between hydrilla and the death of eagles in the Southeastern United States. The Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program will host a free symposium, “Invasive Species at our Door: Adirondack Invasive Species Summit,” from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 19 at Adirondack Experience, the Museum on Blue Mountain Lake. The event will cover two species that could dramatically impact Adirondack forests and freshwater ecosystems: hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA), a forest pest, and hydrilla, an aquatic invasive plant.

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Sunday, August 14, 2022

Remember to Use Local Firewood When Camping

Firewood

Many people like to take firewood from their homes before traveling to a campsite. Invasive pests like the emerald ash borer or Asian long-horned beetle often hitch a ride to new areas in untreated wood. As a result, transport of untreated wood across the state has caused outbreaks of these damaging pests.

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Tuesday, July 12, 2022

Free virtual webinar “Backyard Invasives” set for July 20

ADIRONDACKS – Anyone can help prevent the spread of invasive species, even without leaving their yard. That’s the gist of the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program’s free webinar “Backyard
Invasives—Identification and Management of Terrestrial Invasive Species,” which will run from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, July 20.

“A lot of invasive species tend to grow on forest edges and roadsides, and some get planted intentionally, making people’s yards an ideal habitat,” said APPIP Terrestrial Invasive Species Coordinator Becca Bernacki.

Invasive species are plants, insects, fish and other animals that are not native to a region and cause ecological, economic or human health harm. They can reproduce quickly, outcompete native vegetation and are often spread by human activity.

Yards not only provide a welcoming habitat for invasives, they’re also heavily traveled upon, which increases the opportunity for plants and seeds to be unintentionally relocated. Mowing and landscaping are two ways unwanted plants can be spread. And while it isn’t easy to control the spread of invasive species, understanding how to identify and manage them are things anyone can do.

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Sunday, February 13, 2022

Join the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Winter Mapping Challenge

hwa invasive mappingDid you know that winter is the best time to check for hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA)? We need your help monitoring this invasive species, particularly along the “leading edge” of the distribution that runs across the state.

Now through March 12, NY iMapInvasives and the NYS Hemlock Initiative are hosting NY’s first statewide Winter Mapping Challenge. Join the challenge to help monitor this invasive species and compete to win a prize!

To participate: Get outside, find some hemlock trees, check for white “fuzz balls” on the undersides of twigs, and report your findings to NY iMapInvasives – earning the coveted champion title could be that easy! The top reporter of presence and not-detected records for HWA from February 12 through March 12 will win the challenge.

Visit iMap’s website to learn more about the challenge and connect with HWA mapping efforts in your area.

Photo submitted to iMapInvasives by Observer #22202

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Monday, February 7, 2022

Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program unveils annual report, announces upcoming workshops

APIPP annual reportThe Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) unveiled its 2021 Annual Report showcasing major advances in reducing the threats invasive species pose to the Adirondack region. Last year, more than 30 organizations and 100 volunteers shared their ideas, time, and resources to advance the mission of APIPP. Through an interdisciplinary and highly collaborative approach, APIPP examines invasive species impacts, evaluates resources, and takes action to protect natural resources in the Adirondacks.

“For well over two decades, the APIPP team has worked tirelessly to protect the Adirondacks from the negative impacts of invasive species. Last year we brought new partnerships and scientific innovation to bear in the fight against terrestrial and aquatic invasive species. We are grateful to our expansive network of partners and to our community volunteers for working alongside us to safeguard our unique Adirondack lands and waters,” said Tammara Van Ryn, APIPP Program Manager.

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Monday, October 11, 2021

Report Invasive Jumping Worms

wormsAttention, fall gardeners! While earthworms are usually a welcome sight in your garden, not all earthworms are alike. Jumping worms, sometimes known as “crazy worms,” are an invasive species native to Asia that are being found increasingly in many parts of New York State.

Jumping worms primarily stay in the top layer of soil, leaching nutrients and turning topsoil into a texture similar to coffee grounds. This makes it difficult for many plants to grow, including garden plants, trees, and lawns. You can tell the difference between a jumping worm and a less destructive European earthworm by examining the worm’s collar (clitellum). Jumping worms have a collar that is milky-white, relatively close to the head and flush with their bodies.

Here’s how you can help prevent the spread of jumping worms:

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Tuesday, June 29, 2021

On the Hunt for Invasive Species

Adult Asian longhorned beetle in a poolNew #OnesToWatch Map Helps Protect our Lands and Waters

Making sure the lands and waters you love to hunt and fish stay healthy is one of the best ways we can support wildlife. Invasive species are plants and animals that not only harm our forests and waterways, they can harm New York’s fish and wildlife. Hunters, anglers, and wildlife watchers like you can be a first line of defense, and there’s an easy way for you to know what to look for: DEC’s #OnesToWatch interactive map!

The #OnesToWatch map makes sure you know what invasive species we are looking for in your area, how you can identify them, and makes it easier for you to quickly report them to us. Click on your region of the map to see the species DEC is tracking in your neck of the woods. Then follow the link for each species to find more detailed information, including info on how to easily report sightings. Your reports can help protect the places you know and love for generations to come!

For more information on DEC’s #OnesToWatch campaign and the successes we’ve had as a result of people like you getting involved, visit our find and report page.

Photo: Adult Asian longhorned beetle in a pool/DEC photo


Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Bugs on the brain

Bugs that eat Hemlock woolly adelgidI’ve had bugs on the brain the last couple of weeks.

That’s because the New York State Hemlock Initiative invited me out to the Huyck Preserve in Rensselaerville to see the release of a predator fly that eats the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid — a forest pest that has afflicted the Lake George area of the Adirondacks. I went. About a week later, the Adirondack Park Invasive Plan Program held its annual partner meeting and guess what was a major highlight? Hemlock woolly adelgid. Check out adirondackexplorer.org for our coverage.

Of course, it was snowing when I went out to see these predator bugs released, so we missed the excitement of unscrewing a jar lid and sending them off. I confess that upon seeing these HWA predators in a jar, I was a bit underwhelmed by their size. They look more like fruit flies, hardly what one thinks when you hear the word “predator.” In my imagination, I whipped them up to look more like the size of house flies. I thought they’d be swarming in jars, thick and dense, so when they were let out, “release the flies!” would be a good thing to yell.

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Thursday, February 25, 2021

Prevent the spread of invasives: upcoming webinars

Hemlock woolly adelgidUpcoming Learning Opportunities

Each of the following presentations will take place online.

Take Action Against Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (Part 2) (Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program) – Wednesday, March 3 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. – Participants will learn how to adopt a trailhead, carry out self-guided HWA field surveys, and collect environmental data using iMapInvasives, a free, easy-to-use, mobile mapping tool. Register in advance online. Part 1 of this webinar will occur on 2/25 from 3-4:30 pm.

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Thursday, October 8, 2020

DEC forms partnership to bolster invasives efforts

by

Hemlock with HWA egg masses_Connecticut Agricultural Experiment StationAgreement Targets Invasive Species Research, Control, and Mitigation

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has announced new partnerships with the New York Invasive Species Research Institute (NYISRI) and Cornell University to develop and support projects and research to help limit the spread of invasive species.

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Sunday, October 4, 2020

Boat stewards report successful season and other invasives updates

The boating season may have unofficially ended Labor Day weekend, but New York State’s Watercraft Inspection Steward program continues at select locations. To date, this year’s boat stewards have inspected more than 330,000 boats, talked with hundreds of thousands of water recreationists, and intercepted more than 18,000 aquatic plant and animal hitchhikers (including one very important finding of the infamous invasive plant hydrilla!).

When you’re enjoying the water this fall, please continue to support our stewards’ good work and protect NY’s waters by remembering to clean, drain, and dry your watercraft.

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Saturday, October 3, 2020

DEC reminds campers to follow firewood rules

emerald ash borer photo courtesy DECThe New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) marked the beginning of fall camping season by reminding New Yorkers and visitors to prevent the spread of damaging invasive species by following state firewood requirements when obtaining wood for campfires.

In recognition of October as National Firewood Awareness Month, DEC is releasing new PSA across the state to help raise awareness about firewood movement and its role in spreading invasive species.

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Monday, September 14, 2020

Fighting a hemlock invasion

Hemlock woolly adelgidScientists have found a large swath of trees with hemlock woolly adelgid in the Lake George watershed, including a 1.5-mile stretch along the eastern shoreline. This is in addition to some that was found in August on Glen Island.

This is considered especially troubling for the Lake George region because hemlocks are so prevalent there, and they play a key role in the ecosystem, providing habitat for trout and other wildlife.

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Sunday, August 23, 2020

Forest invaders

emerald ash borer photo courtesy DECExplorer policy reporter Gwendolyn Craig has reported plenty of news on invasive species this month — most of it unfortunate.

First came word of the long-expected confirmation of the emerald ash borer in the Adirondacks. That tree killer had long spread throughout the Midwest and East, and in recent years was chewing a circle around the park. Ash isn’t the most abundant species in our high country, but it has cultural and economic significance as well as an ecological role. Gwen will explore all of that in a magazine piece later this year.

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