Dear Partners,

Happy Winter! I hope you are getting out to enjoy the snow. Ordering plants and seeds for gardening season is just around the corner though, so make sure to attend our pollinator and native plant webinar on March 15 for planting tips. Winter is also a great time to spot the woolly masses of the hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) so be sure to sign up as a Forest Pest Hunter and attend one of the two upcoming field trips. Lastly, if you missed the fascinating Climate Change and Invasive Species webinar on February 15, the recording is now available.  

Pollinators, Plants, and Pests Webinar, March 15, 10:00am

APIPP’s winter webinar series continues in March with a program that brings together the importance of native plants to people and pollinators, information on why invasive species threaten the region’s ecosystems, and how landowners can avoid purchasing invasive species and instead opt to plant native species. Akwesasne Mohawk Nation member Sateiokwen Bucktooth, consultant for the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribe and owner of Snipe Clan Botanicals, will speak about the importance of native species to Native culture and medicine. Paul Smith’s College VIC Program Coordinator, Martha Van der Voort, will talk about the important relationships between native plants and pollinators, and about how invasive species can harm those relationships. The program will close with ADK Pollinator Project Chairperson, Lisa Salamon, giving an overview about how to avoid buying invasive species from garden centers and how to choose native species for landscaping and gardening. Be sure to register for this informative and engaging webinar.

HWA Field Trips, Webinar Recording, and Survey Sign-up Map

The Forest Pest Hunters 2023 HWA survey season is underway until April 9. We have two more field trips lined up so you can practice your skills in the field.

• March 4, Black Kettle Trail, Willsboro

Co-sponsored with Champlain Area Trails

• March 11, Hearthstone Point Campground, Lake George

Co-sponsored with the Adirondack Mountain Club and Lake George Land Conservancy

If you missed the January HWA webinar, but want to survey for HWA this year, check out these resources below.

1. A recording of January 24 webinar is online here 
2. Visit the ADK Trail Adoption Map to choose what sites to survey through April 9, 2023
3. Visit our website to download and print the HWA Hunting Protocol
4. For winter recreation safety in the Adirondacks, explore ADK's Know Before You Go video series

Climate Change and Invasive Species Webinar Recording

On February 15, ecologist and science journalist Curt Stager and APIPP Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator Brian Greene provided a compelling overview of how climate change in the Adirondacks could accelerate the movement of invasive species to the region. You can watch the recording of the webinar here. Many thanks to Curt and Brian for sharing their knowledge with us.

Regards,

Tammara