ADK Invasives

National Invasive Species Awareness Week Kicks Off!

2012-02-27T14:56:00.000-05:00

The days are getting longer and the sun's a little stronger. That means Spring is just around the corner and it's time for National Invasive Species Awareness Week (NISAW)! Starting Sunday, February 26 and ending Friday, March 2, NISAW is an action-packed week in Washington, DC complete with activities, briefings, workshops, and events. The week's events focus on strategizing solutions to address invasive species prevention, detection, monitoring, control, and management issues from local, state, tribal, regional, national, and even international scales. Although the registration for this event is now closed, keep it in mind for next year, and in the meantime, NISAW has come up with some great ways to get involved and observe NISAW on your own: http://www.nisaw.org/2012/ways_to_observe.pdf.

For more information on NISAW, take a look at their website: http://www.nisaw.org/.

The REAL Alien Invasion Places 2nd in Saranac Lake's Winter Carnival Parade

2012-02-17T10:45:00.001-05:00

Photo by Meghan Johnstone, APIPP

Team Alien Invasive Species rallied on Saturday for Saranac Lake’s Winter Carnival Gala Parade. The theme was Space Alien Invasion. We had a great group of 15 Alien Invasives and Alien Busters, AND, the judges thought so too - we came in 2nd place for the category of Civic/Volunteer group!

Many thanks to everyone who shared great ideas, support, and enthusiasm to pull this off in a short amount of time. It was a great team effort and a good time was had by all.

Aliens hailed from Saranac Lake, Paul Smith’s, Keene Valley, and New Paltz. A special thanks goes to the following partners and contributors - some near, some far!

Carol Vossler, BluSeed Studios: canvas and paint for sign and staging space at BluSeed
Tom Martin, Lance Durfey, Ben Tabor, DEC R5: boat and trailer
Dawn Ormsby, Craig Cheeseman, The Nature Conservancy: sound system, "milfoil" garland
Tom Colarusso, USDA: EAB traps, poles, and cab light; EAB/ALB tattoos
Gail Brill, Saranac Lake Green Circle: hula hoops
Eric Holmlund, Paul Smith’s College: lake steward tee-shirts
Mark Wilson, Lake Placid Shoreowners' Association: "milfoil" pants
Bret Shaw, University of Wisconsin-Madison: permission to use/edit AIS songs
Steve Perman: song editing
Joe Starinchak, USFWS: Stop Aquatic Hitchhiker signs
Annemarie Nagle, Purdue University: EAB costume
Leigh Greenwood, Susan Powell, Don’t Move Firewood, TNC’s Forest Health Program: education materials

And, of course, all of the Aliens who marched with us!

This was a great way to start getting the word out about invasives in 2012; Thank You! See below for some more fun photos from the event.

The APIPP Team

A boat launch steward and a zebra mussel lead the pack.
Photo by Meghan Johnstone, APIPP

Purple loosestrife gets chased down by an APIPP invasive species control lady.
Photo by Meghan Johnstone, APIPP

Japanese knotweed man!
Photo by Meghan Johnstone, APIPP

Photo by Meghan Johnstone, APIPP

APIPP Attends Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society (NEAPMS) Conference

2012-02-09T11:34:00.000-05:00

On January 17, APIPP's Aquatic Invasive Species Project Coordinator, Meghan Johnstone, traveled down to Newcastle, New Hampshire for the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society (NEAPMS) three-day conference. NEAPMS is an organization of professionals of various disciplines assembled to serve all purposes related to aquatic plant management. The society as a whole tracks both public and private policy as well as legislation relating to aquatic plant management and participates in local, regional, and national advocacy issues related to the topic.

The conference was a great opportunity for APIPP to connect with and learn from other groups fighting the battle against aquatic invasive species (AIS), become informed about cutting-edge management techniques and new research about AIS such as Hydrilla, and learn how to balance strategic goals with emerging threats.

Some particularly interesting presentations this year included "Evaluating the Effectiveness and Potential Interactions of Combining Triclopyr and 2,4-D for Eurasian watermilfoil Control" by John D. Madsen, "BEEP: Brazilian Elodea Eradication Project on Lake Waccabuc, NY: A case study of early detection and rapid response to an invasive aquatic plant" by Janet Anderson, "Monoecious Hydrilla Tuber Dynamics over Five Years of Management" by Justin Nawrocki, "The Aquarium Trade as a Risk for Non-native Aquatic Plant Introductions" by Gregory Bugbee, and "Boom and Bust: Biological Invasions from a Population Ecology Perspective" by Robynn K. Shannon, Ph.D.

APIPP looks forward to attending next year's NEAPMS conference in Connecticut.

To learn more about NEAPMS, visit their website at https://neapms.net/index.php.

APIPP's 2011 Annual Report Now Online

2012-02-07T15:55:00.000-05:00

The APIPP team is pleased to announce that our 2011 Annual Report is now available online at http://adkinvasives.com/documents/APIPP2011AnnualReport.pdf (PDF 2.2Mb). There are great summaries of 2011's programmatic, aquatic, and terrestrial successes; we encourage you to check it out!

Many thanks to all those who helped to make 2011 a landmark year!

Minnesota DNR Plans Roadside Checks to Stop Invasive Species

2012-01-24T10:55:00.000-05:00

There has been an exciting development in the fight against aquatic invasive species in Minnesota. Officials of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recently announced that the Department would be stepping up its efforts in 2012 to reduce the spread of destructive aquatic invasive species such as Eurasian watermilfoil and zebra mussels. New prevention measures to be implemented include:

-Conducting random roadside checks to stop the spread of species hitchhiking on boats, trailers, and other vehicles

-Purchasing 20 additional decontaminating units to be posted at rivers and lakes infested with zebra mussels; all boats would be required to use the system before leaving the boat launch

-Training 150 watercraft inspectors to be deployed around the state to interact with boaters as they launch and land their watercraft, with a focus on aquatic invasive species education

To read more about these fantastic news, visit: http://www.eotfocus.com/event/article/id/19628/.

Feral Hogs Invade Champlain Valley

2012-01-11T09:15:00.000-05:00

A feral hog photographed in September 2011.
Photo: NYSDEC

Unfortunately, the Adirondack Park has yet another destructive invasive species that is making its way in: feral hogs. Farmers of the town of Peru, NY, located on the eastern edge of the Adirondacks, and the NYSDEC are attempting to trap the animals but have killed only about a half dozen throughout the summer and fall. Scientists fear that these feral hogs could spread very quickly, damaging crops and preying upon native animals.

To read the full story, visit: http://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/19086/20120109/feral-hogs-invade-champlain-valley-adirondacks.

Learn more about feral hogs:

http://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/70843.html

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5313597.pdf

US Destroying 434K Lake Trout for 'Rock Snot' Fear

2012-01-05T11:12:00.000-05:00

A dead fish on the ground after high waters from Tropical Storm Irene flooded tanks at the White River National Fish Hatchery. AP Photo/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Ann Froschauer.

This article is a follow-up for a previous blog post in November regarding invasive algae commonly known as "rock snot" invading a Vermont fish hatchery due to flooding from Tropical Storm Irene: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-destroying-434k-lake-trout-210002791.html.

It is unfortunate that 434K lake trout have to be killed but the decision protects the Great Lakes from a potentially quite large rock snot invasion.

Fall Conference Roundup

2011-12-14T12:00:00.000-05:00

Although APIPP's field season comes to a halt in the fall, that does not mean that the outreach and learning does! APIPP has been fortunate enough to attend several conferences and meetings throughout November and December in order to stay up-to-date on invasive species issues and upcoming threats, share programmatic successes and challenges with partners, and plan for 2012.

In November, the APIPP team (Hilary Smith - APIPP Director, Brendan Quirion - Terrestrial Invasive Species Project Coordinator, and Meghan Johnstone - Aquatic Invasive Species Project Coordinator) traveled to Ithaca, NY to attend Cornell University's Invasive Species In-Service. The In-Service included great panels and discussions about a variety of topics, some of which included the aquatic invasive plant Hydrilla verticillata and rapid response issues for Cayuga Lake, climate change adaptation strategies, response teams, community outreach, and Invasive Species Prevention Zones (ISPZs). APIPP's Brendan Quirion gave presentations about the use of The Nature Conservancy's Invasive Plant Management Decision Analysis Tool (IPMDAT) to evaluate APIPP's Phragmites australis management. He also presented on our selection and inventory of the Five Ponds Wilderness Area as an ISPZ and APIPP's Terrestrial Regional Response Team.

At the end of November, APIPP's Meghan Johnstone attended the Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species (NEANS) panel meeting in Providence, Rhode Island. The meeting included informative presentations and discussions about two species of invasive shrimp now established throughout the northeast coast of the US, Chinese mitten crab management, Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) planning to prevent the spread of invasive species, updates from around the northeast region, and plans for a possible Didymospenia geminata conference in 2012. The group even managed to sneak in some fun outreach time at the Providence public skating rink.


Meg Modley (Lake Champlain Basin Program) sports a beautifully made Chinese mitten crab costume in order to spark interest and questions from fellow skaters. It definitely worked! Photo Meghan Johnstone, APIPP

December is an important time of reflection for APIPP on 2011's successes and challenges, and a valuable time to plan for 2012. In early December, Brendan Quirion gave a presentation at an invasive species regional meeting in Long Island about APIPP's 2011 Terrestrial Regional Response Team to provide guidance to partners about implementing similar early detection and rapid response (EDRR) strategies.

Additionally, Hilary Smith and Meghan Johnstone organized the Adirondack Aquatic Nuisance Species (ANS) Committee meeting at the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC). Partners who attended included the Lake George Association (LGA), NYSDEC, Paul Smith's College Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI), Lake Champlain Basin Program (LCBP), Lake Champlain Sea Grant, Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District, Adirondack Park Agency, Rainbow Lake Association, Chateaugay Lake Foundation, and East Schroon Lake Association. Individuals at the meeting discussed 2011 field season initiatives, priority invasive species for 2012, and upcoming events for next summer including an invasive animal training and possibly several special-interest one-day workshops.

The fun does not stop there! APIPP's Meghan Johnsone will also be attending the Northeast Aquatic Plant Management Society conference in New Hampshire in January 2012.

Stay tuned for more updates on APIPP activities and for a summary of the 2011 Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program field season results!

Lake Champlain Basin Water Chestnut Workgroup Shares 2011 Field Season Results and Plans for 2012

2011-12-12T16:15:00.000-05:00

Photo of water chestnut by Leslie Mehrhoff, IPANE

The Lake Champlain Basin Water Chestnut Workgroup, comprised of the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (VTDEC), New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge, Vermont Chapter of The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Quebec Ministry of Environment, and the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP), met in November in Grand Isle, VT to discuss the summer 2012 water chestnut harvesting season.

Water chestnut is a non-native invasive aquatic plant that was introduced to North America near Concord, Massachusetts in 1859. Native to Asia, this plant is a prolific reproducer; one acre of water chestnut can produce enough seeds to cover 100 acres the following year. Water chestnut forms dense surface mats which crowd out other plant species, disrupt habitat, and impede recreational enjoyment of a water body. To learn more about water chestnut, visit: http://www.lcbp.org/atlas/html/is_chestnut.htm.

The VTDEC reported a successful year overall. Water chestnut mats were not as dense as usual, which allowed for a larger area to be harvested. Mechanical harvesting gained another mile of progress south; now, the harvesters are 6.5 miles south of Benson. Only one new water chestnut site was found between Lake St. Catherine and Little Lake in a wetland marsh area. A total of nine plants were pulled from the new site. The greatest news the VTDEC had to share: almost one third of the inland water body sites that are known to be infested had fewer than 10 rosettes present this year.

The NYSDEC harvested South Lake Champlain for 45 days in 2011 and collected a total of 659 loads of water chestnut, or approximately 5,397 cubic yards of plant material. The NYSDEC also reported fewer loads of water chestnut harvested this year.

The Missisquoi National Wildlife Refuge reported that water chestnut was present in Cranberry Pool and Big Marsh Slough, but due to a dike system failure in Cranberry Pool, water levels remained quite high all summer. As a result, the water chestnut plants that were found were very weak and few nutlets were observed. No additional water chestnut sites or rosettes were found in any other areas during surveying.

The Vermont Chapter of TNC tracks 23 sites of water chestnut in South Lake Champlain. TNC reported that most populations are declining, with just a few puzzling exceptions. The South Bay of Lake Champlain had very few plants, but the Billings Marsh area experienced a population explosion this year. 1,500 pounds of water chestnut were removed from this location.

According to the Quebec Ministry of Environment, water chestnut has been controlled since 2001 in Quebec. The Quebec Ministry of Environment had great news to share: in 2001, 6.7 million rosettes were collected in the Province, and in 2011, 19,000 rosettes were collected. Only four boats were necessary to harvest the water chestnut by hand or with a rake. However, another population of water chestnut was found in Ontario, which shares an infested river with Quebec, so these new locations will have to be surveyed every year to ensure the populations do not get established.

The Water Chestnut Workgroup plans to meet in May of 2012 to discuss overall water chestnut management strategy for 2012 and beyond. The Workgroup will also schedule a mechanical harvesting meeting in NY in June 2012 to ensure that harvesting techniques and plans in NY and VT are efficient and coordinated.

Clearly, efforts to control water chestnut in the Lake Champlain Basin remain challenging, but after several years the hard work of all of those involved in the harvesting process is finally starting to pay off. Fantastic job, everyone! Keep up the great work.