Keene Valley, NY (July 10, 2015) - New York State’s second annual  Invasive Species Awareness Week (ISAW) will be taking place this year from July 12^th-18^th. The Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) and its partners have organized a lineup of invasive species related events to be held during ISAW for all ages and interests. Some of the week’s events include a gardening/landscaping with native plants workshop, an aquatic invasive plant identification and monitoring training, educational canoe paddles, and an invasive plant management training for landowners. Different events across the Park are being offered each day of ISAW to promote regional participation.

In addition to special trainings and workshops, there will also be reoccurring daily events in which to participate. Informational displays will be located at both the Lake George Visitor’s Center and the Paul Smith’s VIC.  Participants are also encouraged to visit boat launch stewards and take advantage of free voluntary boat wash stations made available under this year’s new Adirondack Aquatic Invasive Species Spread Prevention Pilot Program. Hamilton County residents are invited to participate in the “Stop the Spread” poster contest run by the Hamilton County Soil and Water Conservation District.

The goal of New York State’s Invasive Species Awareness Week is to promote knowledge and understanding of invasive species and encourage participants to take action in preventing their spread. Invasive species are non-native species that can cause significant ecological, economic, or societal harm and that rapidly displace native species through competition and suppression. With a lack of native predators, high reproduction and growth rates, and a tolerance for a wide range of environmental conditions, invasives are able to thrive and expand their territories, thereby outcompeting native species.

Invasive species can unknowingly be introduced or spread through everyday activities such as planting an ornamental invasive in a garden or by transporting unwashed watercraft from one waterbody to the next. The various events held by APIPP during ISAW will demonstrate how everyone can take action to better protect the Adirondacks and New York State.

All ISAW events are open to the public and free unless otherwise noted. 

APIPP is a partnership program among governmental and nongovernmental organizations that is housed by the Adirondack Chapter of The Nature Conservancy in Keene Valley.