New York Invasive Species Awareness Week 2025

Monday, June 9 – Sunday, June 15, 2025

WNY PRISM is celebrating New York Invasive Species Awareness Week (NYISAW) with several events and opportunities to learn about invasive species and steps all of us can take to protect our local aquatic and terrestrial resources. Check out what we have planned so far below – we hope you can join us! For questions about any of the events, please email wnyprism@buffalostate.edu or call (716) 878-4708.

NYISAW is an annual event that promotes opportunities for community members to learn about invasive species, how they threaten our environment, economy, and health, and ways to manage these species through education, prevention and removal.

Saturday, June 7

Walk and Talk

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Lytle Nature Preserve

Leading up to NYISAW, WNY PRISM, in partnership with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Niagara County, will be hosting our first Walk and Talk of the summer! This is a great opportunity to get out and enjoy nature while learning about invasive species that we spot along the way!

Register here: WNY PRISM Walk and Talks

Monday, June 9

Invasive Plant Species ID and iMapInvasives Training

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM; Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve

Help kickoff NYISAW by learning steps that you can take to help protect our lands! This training hosted by WNY PRISM in partnership with Reinstein Woods Nature Preserve and the Friends of Reinstein Woods will cover how to identify some of western New York’s common and priority invasive plant species and how to report your observations. Registration is required by Thursday, June 5, 2025.

Register here: Invasive Plant Species ID and iMapInvasives Training

Wednesday, June 11

NYISAW Webinar: Navigating the Certified Weed Free Products Program

1:00 PM – 2:00 PM

As part of the NYISAW Webinar Series, WNY PRISM is hosting Christie Trifone Millhouse and Jodi Hougan of the North American Invasive Species Management Association (NAISMA), who will present on NAISMA’s Certified Weed Free Products Program, which aims to prevent the spread of invasive plant species via the movement of industry products including forage, hay, mulch, gravel, and compost. This program provides assurances to customers, such as land managers and property owners, that noxious plant species will not spread through these priority pathways. NAISMA upholds standards and guidelines, promotes stakeholder communication, and provides inspector certification training to ensure consistent participation across all jurisdictions. This session will review program participation requirements, certification standards and implementation expectations. Registration is required.

Register here: Navigating the Certified Weed Free Products Program

Thursday, June 12

Terrestrial Management Workshop: Invasive Trees & Shrubs

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM; Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge

Learn how to manage some common invasive tree and shrub species that may be present on your property! This workshop will cover Best Management Practices, including manual, mechanical and chemical methods with a focus on specific treatment techniques, management planning and prioritization, and native alternatives to plant after invasive species removal. There will also be an opportunity to see equipment used for management during the outdoor portion.

This workshop will offer the following NYS pesticide credits: 2 credits in categories 2 and 3a and 1.5 credits in category 6a. To receive credits, you must register at least 24 hours before the workshop, show up at least 15 minutes early (by 9:45 AM) to sign in, bring your applicators license and attend the entire workshop.

Saturday, June 14

Letchworth Stewardship Day

9:00 AM – 11:30 AM; Letchworth State Park

Help protect our lands from invasive species! Join WNY PRISM and the Friends of Letchworth State Park for our 8th Annual Letchworth Stewardship Day where we we’ll work together to remove slender false brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum), an invasive grass, from the park. Registration is required.

Register here: WNY PRISM Volunteer Workdays

Sunday, June 15

Meet a Boat Steward!

7 AM – 5:30 PM; Various locations (see below)

Visit one of your local boat launches to meet one of WNY PRISM’s Boat Stewards! Learn about what they do and how you can help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species through practices like Clean Drain Dry.

- Amherst Veterans Canal Park (Buffalo)
- Black Rock Canal (Buffalo)
- Ohio Street (Buffalo)
- Sturgeon Point (Town of Evans)
- Botanical Gardens Park (North Tonawanda)
- Gratwick-Riverside Park (North Tonawanda)
- West Canal Park and Marina (North Tonawanda)
- Griffon Park (Niagara Falls)
- Olcott Harbor (Olcott)
- Hanover Town Launch (Irving)
- Onoville Marina (Steamburg)
- Cuba Lake (Cuba)

To see the full line-up of events across the state, including the statewide webinar series, check out the 2025 NYISAW Statewide Website and Calendar.