Dear Partners,

Hello, I hope you are enjoying getting out on the water or in the woods. You can give back to the habitats you enjoy by volunteering to be a Lake Protector, Forest Pest Hunter, managing roadside invasive species, or by joining the SLELO PRISM for a water chestnut pull on July 15 on the Oswegatchie River in Heuvelton. July 15 is also the date for the Lake Protector training in Lake Luzerne . We hope to see you at one of our upcoming events (learn more below)!

Below you can also find links to two positions recently posted by DEC: a forest restoration/tree planting assistant and an invasive species outreach coordinator.

Lake Protector and Aquatic Invasive Species Monitoring Training: July 15, 9:30am – 12:30pm, Lake Luzerne , NY

Help protect your local lake by looking for aquatic invasive species! This is an easy and fun way to give back to the lakes you love. APIPP Lake Protectors have surveyed hundreds of lakes throughout the Adirondacks. We encourage all volunteers to attend a training to learn how to identify invasive species and report observations. Please join us at one of the following trainings.

• July 15: Wayside Beach, Lake Luzerne, 9:30am – 12:30pm (in partnership with the Capital Region PRISM and Lake Luzerne Association). Register here.

• August 8: Long Lake Public Library, Long Lake, 1:00pm – 3:30pm (in partnership with the Long Lake Association). Register here.
   

To learn more about volunteering as a Lake Protector and to sign up for a lake to survey, visit APIPP’s website here.

SLELO PRISM Oswegatchie River Water Chestnut Removal Day: July 15, 10:00am – 4:00pm

SLELO PRISM is hosting a water chestnut removal day on the Oswegatchie River between Eel Weir State Park and the east end of the Village of Heuvelton. The event is Saturday, July 15, beginning at 10:00am. It is rain or shine unless lightning is in the forecast, in which case the event will be moved to the following day, July 16. The Village of Heuvelton Fire Department is donating lunch for this event (burgers, hot dogs, fries). Please register for the event and lunch here.

Best Management Practices for Roadside Invasive Species: Webinar, July 20, 10:00am, Zoom

Join APIPP for this special program designed for highway department personnel and pesticide applicators. In this workshop you will learn roadside-specific invasive plant identification skills, spread prevention techniques, and best management practices for common invasive species that grow along our roadsides. This webinar offers 1.5 NYS pesticide credits in categories 3a, 6a, 9, and 10. Live participation in the webinar and successful completion of an online quiz are required to receive credits. The webinar will also be recorded for highway staff to watch on a rainy day. (Pesticide credits are not awarded for watching the recorded version.) Register here.

Mark Your Calendar for 1o:00am August 2: Beech Leaf Disease Forest Pest Hunter Training Webinar

Join APIPP to learn about beech leaf disease (BLD) and how you can help survey for it in the Adirondack region as a Forest Pest Hunter. BLD was first detected in Ohio in 2012 and in NY in 2018. In 2022, DEC confirmed the presence of BLD in over 30 counties in NY including Herkimer County, the first infestation in the Adirondack PRISM. 

Little is known about BLD, and researchers are still trying to determine its cause and how it spreads. DEC Forest Health Specialist Maria MoskaLee will shed some light on BLD with a discussion on BLD history, identification and lookalikes, and research. APIPP Terrestrial Invasive Species Coordinator Becca Bernacki will cover basic survey techniques, how to sign up for a trail to survey, and how to use iMapInvasives to report the presence of BLD. Register here.

DEC Announces Forest Restoration and Invasive Species Outreach Job Openings

DEC is recruiting for two positions that touch on invasive species and forest health. Both positions are being hired through the SUNY Research Foundation. Check out these links for more information.

• Resiliency Planting Program Assistant, Application Deadline July 20. This person will lead DEC’s resiliency planting efforts to meet the goals outlined in NY’s Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act and will implement afforestation and reforestation programs— including projects related to restoring areas impacted by invasive species.
• Invasive Species Outreach and Education Assistant. Application Deadline July 28. This person will be part of a DEC team that provides outreach and education support on topics involving invasive species as well as related issues such as forest health, sustainable forestry, open space conservation, and outdoor recreation.

Regards,

Tammara