Jumping worms are increasingly found in urban, managed, and natural landscapes and consequently have reached the notice of many gardeners, farmers, and natural resource professionals.  In response to the many questions around the biology, impacts, and management of jumping worms, the NY Invasive Species Research Institute has been coordinating with researchers in the Northeast and Midwest to form the Jumping Worm Outreach Research and Management (JWORM) Working Group.

In this session, the JWORM Working Group will give an overview of jumping worm biology & impacts, provide an update on the most recent research findings, and articulate the research needs that the group has identified.  The presenters will then engage in an interactive discussion with participants on research needs as well as answer questions via a facilitated Q&A session.

Register HERE.

Presenters:  Dr. Annise Dobson, Postdoctoral Researcher, Yale University,  Dr. Andrea Davalos, Assistant Professor, SUNY Cortland,  Dr. Brad Herrick, Ecologist & Research Program ,  Zanager, UW Madison Arboretum,  Dr. Timothy McCay, Professor, Colgate University,   Dr. Kyle Wickings, Associate Professor, Cornell University

Understanding the needs of invasive species managers is a critical requirement to establishing programs that meet these needs. An important and unique role that the New York Invasive Species Research Institute plays is that of collecting research needs from state partners.  In 2019, we employed a new approach known as Group Concept Mapping (GCM) with the hope of 1) engaging a broader and more diverse audience in our call for research needs, 2) increasing transparency and standardization of the research needs solicitation process, and 3) introducing the opportunity for individuals to not only suggest ideas, but also give feedback as far as the importance and feasibility of these ideas.  In this session, we present the results of this process, including priorities according to importance and feasibility, emergent topics and overarching themes, as well as recommendations moving forward.

Register HERE.

Presenters:  Carrie Brown-Lima, Director, New York Invasive Species Research Institute,  Bryan Dailey, Technical Advisor, New York Invasive Species Research Institute,  Audrey Bowe, Project Coordinator, New York Invasive Species Research Institute

Join us for 2 presentations on agricultural pests and diseases.

Plum Pox Virus 20 Year Fight – Now What?
Lynn Evans- Goldner, National Policy Manager, USDA APHIS PPQ will discuss the 20 year fight against plum pox virus in the U.S.,how it was eradicated from Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New York, and next steps in the management of plum pox virus.

European Cherry Fruit Fly in Western New York
Corey Bazelet, National Science Program Coordinator – Fruit Fly Programs, USDA APHIS PPQ will discuss the European cherry fruit fly, a pest of cherry and honeysuckle that was first found in Niagara County in 2017. This presentation will also discuss the collaborative efforts to control this pest and future outlook on its management.

Join via computer; Meeting Code: 130 709 2758

oin the foremost practitioners in the conservation of rare plants in New York State and New York City as they present the methods used to monitor and conserve rare species and what the public can do to help.

As we learned during the Second Annual New York City EcoFlora Conference in 2019, The Historical Flora of New York City: Implications for Conservation Action, since 1800 an estimated 500 species of plants have disappeared from the New York City flora. These species can be found outside the City, but are no longer found in the five boroughs. Another 250 species are thought to be rare in the City, known from only one or two populations.

A Q&A session will follow the presentations.

Brian M. Boom - "Welcome and Introduction from the Host & Moderator"

Steve Young - "Keeping Track of New York’s Rare Plants: The New York Natural Heritage Program and Rare Plant Exploration"

Clara Holmes - "Documenting and Protecting the Rare Plants of New York City"

Daniel Atha - "How Do We Know What’s Rare and What’s Common?"

Automated/AI captioning will be provided at this event. For accommodation requests related to a disability, questions, comments, or more information about the accessibility of this event, please contact Charles Zimmerman at access@nybg.org or 718.817.8765.

Please register in advance.

Raising awareness of invasive species often involves hands-on experiences and in-person events. Success of these engagements are often measured by the number of events held, and number of attendees. The COVID 19 pandemic has changed the way we engage with the public and virtual experiences are becoming the new normal.  This session will showcase tools, tips and tricks that enhance invasive species education/outreach efforts and strategies in a virtual world.

Register HERE.

Presenters: 
Megan Pistolese, Education and Outreach Coordinator, SLELO PRISM, The Nature Conservancy
Emily Thiel, Education and Outreach Program Manager, WNY PRISM, Buffalo State University
Kim Kelly, CAE Membership Manager, North American Invasive Species Management Association, Owner, Kim Kelly Consulting
Kara Brockman, CAE, DES, Director, Education and Content, Association Forum

Learn about the invasive species the Hemlock Woollly Adelgid, how to identify it, where it is, and what the state is doing about it.
Please register in advance.

Join WNY PRISM to learn how to prevent, identify and manage woody invasive species including honeysuckle, common buckthorn, multiflora rose and more in the fall and winter. This webinar is appropriate for landowners and professionals alike.

DEC Pesticide Credits are available in the followingcategories: 2, 3a, 6a, 9, 10 and 25 (1 credit each). Participants must attendentire workshop to receive credits. Email thieles@buffalostate.edu ifinterested.

Join via Computer; Meeting Code: 130 716 0927

Join us for session 1 of the Catskill Science Collaborative’s Research Fellowship Program updates. Topics to be explored include: using remote sensing to monitor hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive forest pest, and safely managing interactions between people and black bears. The event is free and open to all; registration is required to access Zoom login info.  

iMapInvasives is an on-line, collaborative GIS-based invasive species database and mapping tool used in several jurisdictions across North America. In New York State, iMapInvasives is the official state invasive species database used for:​ Reporting invasive species, Recording treatment efforts and tracking success, Early detection email alerts, Mapping invasive species distributions, Data analysis in the web interface and GIS, Creating data summaries and reports. Please register in advance.

Please join us this fall for the 2020 Great Lakes Commission Annual Meeting, currently planned for November 17-19!  This meeting is currently slated to be the Commission’s first-ever remote/online Annual Meeting.  As always, our meetings offer an opportunity for Great Lakes stakeholders to convene with colleagues and learn about important Great Lakes issues.  Join us as we continue to address issues of common concern, develop shared solutions and collectively advance an agenda to protect and enhance the region’s economic prosperity and environmental health.

Registration is now open for the 2020 Great Lakes Commission Annual Meeting!
A detailed agenda is available on the meeting website.    

Attend Buffalo's Blue Economy 101 Virtual Conference for a discussion on local economic opportunities provided by sustainable water resources and the ecological approaches for reaching these goals. The conference will further present the policies and laws that protect our waterways, and how these are enforced - or at times, difficult to enforce  - and inform on how citizens can affect a healthy, water-based course of action. 
Please register in advance.

Have you ever needed to record invasive species treatment recordsand polygons in the field? NatureServe hasdeveloped a comprehensive iMapInvasives data collection tool within esri's Survey123 mobile app as an advancedalternative to the iMapInvasives Mobile App. With the iMapInvasivesSurvey123 Form, you can report invasive species Presence, Not-detected,and Treatment records as points, lines, and polygons using yourmobile device's GPS, even when outside of connectivity range. This tool doesnot require ArcGIS experience and is ideal for intermediate and advanced datacollection. The iMap Survey123 Form is available to anyone with an iMap account(create a freeaccount here), and records are automatically uploaded to the iMapInvasivesdatabase every hour. Please register in advance.

Sometimes invasive species organizations can be as invasive as the species that they are trying to protect us from and educate us about. This presentation will give an overview of the major national organizations and what their individual focus is. It will highlight their scope, membership and the taxa that they concentrate on.

Presented by: Chuck Bargeron, Director of the University of Georgia, Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health and President-Elect of the North American Invasive Species Management Association.

Please register in advance.

Aquatic invasive species pose a serious threat to WNY’s waterways and economy, making their prevention and early detection essential. Join Finger Lakes PRISM’s Hydrilla Project Manager, Kathryn Monacelli to learn about some of WNY’s most pressing concerns including water chestnut, Hydrilla and starry stonewort. During this webinar, you’ll learn how to identify these species, understand their impacts and manage infestations.

DEC Pesticide Credits are available in the followingcategories: 5a, 9 and 10 (1 credit each). Participants must attend entireworkshop to receive credits. Email thieles@buffalostate.edu if interested.

Join via Computer; Meeting Code: 130 481 0529

This webinar will review the research steps required to implement biological control programmes for invasive plants in Canada with specific focus on new biological control agents for Phragmites, Knotweeds and Garlic mustard. Presented by Dr. Rob Bourchier with Agriculture and AgriFood Canada-Lethbridge Research Centre.
Please register in advance.