Dear Partners,

APIPP is delighted to have our new communications coordinator, Shaun Kittle, on board. Read more about Shaun below. Below you will also find links to the recording of the April Spring Partner Meeting and registration information for Wednesday’s Best Management Practices for Roadside Invasives webinar.

With the warm weather, boating and fishing season are well underway. Don’t forget to Clean, Drain and Dry your boat and gear. Aquatic invasive plants are also emerging from their winter slumber. This is the right time of year to scout for curly-leaf pondweed. New curly-leaf pondweed plants form under the ice, making this one of the first plants to emerge in the spring. If you spot this plant, take a photo report your findings to brian.greene@tnc.org or to iMapInvasives.

Meet Shaun Kittle, APIPP’s New Invasive Species Communications Coordinator

APIPP is pleased to announce that Shaun Kittle started today as APIPP’s new invasive species communications coordinator. Shaun brings his training in journalism and ecology from SUNY Plattsburgh, and a decade of experience working in communications for several Adirondack nonprofits, to the role. He is eager to start engaging community members and APIPP partners in efforts to prevent, monitor, and manage invasive species.

For Shaun, this position is a perfect opportunity to combine his love of the Adirondacks with his writing and photography skills to help protect the lands and waters of this region. When not working, Shaun can be found exploring the Adirondacks with his family, playing drums and writing music for his band, and transforming his old house into a modern marvel. Welcome, Shaun!

Shaun can be reached at shaun.kittle@tnc.org.

May 11: Best Management Practices for Roadside Invasives—Zoom Webinar 10:00am

Join APIPP to learn roadside-specific invasive plant identification skills, spread prevention techniques, and best management practices. This program is primarily designed for highway right-of-way professionals, including maintenance and operations staff from state, county, and local governments. This webinar offers 1.5 NYS pesticide credits in categories 3a, 6a, 9, and 10. The webinar will be recorded. However, to receive pesticide credits, live participation in the webinar and successful completion of an online quiz are required. To register, click here.

APIPP Spring Partner Meeting Recording Available

More than 40 Adirondack PRISM partners came together virtually on April 28 for APIPP’s Spring Partner Meeting. The full recording can be found here.

Our featured speaker was former APIPP manager, Brendan Quirion. Brendan shared recent research findings about the serious impacts of forest pests and pathogens on forest-based carbon sequestration. Brendan’s slides can be found here. To read the full paper, “Insect and Disease Disturbances Correlate With Reduced Carbon Sequestration in Forests of the Contiguous United States,” click here.

Karen Strong, who is facilitating the Adirondack PRISM strategic planning process, reviewed the Strategic Plan Outline and participants joined small group discussions to talk about how partners can contribute to advancing the Adirondack PRISM mission in the years ahead. Thanks to everyone who joined the April meeting and to everyone who has participated in the strategic planning process.

Enjoy the warm weather!

Tammara