Hamilton County Soil & Water Conservation District and Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program have announced two upcoming webinars focused on Aquatic Invasive Species.
Know Your Knotweed: Identification, Impacts, and Management is set for Thursday, July 30th, from 10 am to noon. Invasive Knotweeds are a family of large, perennial, invasive shrubs that can devastate rivers, wetlands, woodlands, and stream-side habitats. Known to push through asphalt, concrete, and even metal, these powerful plants can send out 30 foot long roots that displace native vegetation, increase erosion, break down food webs, and damage infrastructure.
Challenging – if not sometimes impossible – to remove from the landscape once established, this webinar will guide participants through the best practices to prevent the spread of Knotweed. Learn how to identify all species of invasive Knotweed, understand methods to directly manage and maintain populations occurring on your property, and get involved teaching others how to keep Knotweed from growing out of control. Click here to register.
Managing Milfoil: A Panel on Divers, BioControl, ProcellaCOR, & Prevention is set for Wednesday, August 5th, from 9:30 to 11:30 am. A panel of Adirondack experts will dive into multiple methods to manage (and prevent the spread of) invasive Eurasian Watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum). By exploring real-life case studies, participants will hear about the pros, cons, and logistical challenges presented by four management methods protecting lake habitats for fish, people, and local economies from these invasive aquatic plants.
From SCUBA divers hand-harvesting milfoil under the surface, introducing insects to prey on plants, applying low-dose chemical controls, and ensuring recreational users always “Clean, Drain, Dry” their gear, this event is aimed at supporting Lake Managers, Lake Alliances, and stewardship groups understand what tools are available to help them Love their Lake. Click here to register.
Invasives are truly scary phonomena often initially driven by our international economy’s shipping. Think of the brown boa constrictors taking over the Everglades, just as one example.