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View in browser Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (LH PRISM) is hosted by the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference and is dedicated to protecting the Lower Hudson region's biodiversity and ecosystems with a focus on controlling the harmful impacts of invasive species.
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Stewardship Newsletter | March
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In this Newsletter:
• Volunteer Dog Survey Program
• Lingering Tree Surveys
• New Staff Member
• Become a Volunteer Stewardship Educational Content Creator
• Upcoming Events
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Volunteer Dog Surveyor Program
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AWOOOO! Calling All Dog Lovers: Join Our NEW Volunteer Dog Surveyor Program! Do you love exploring the outdoors with your dog? Ever wondered if your pup’s nose could help protect the places you love? The New York-New Jersey Trail Conference is thrilled to introduce a new volunteer program that focuses on ways for dogs and dog owners to get involved in conservation work- no prior experience needed! This program is open to anyone with a curious, sniff-loving dog. You’ll learn how to introduce your pup to the scent of an invasive plant species and contribute to real conservation efforts—all while following leash laws and enjoying time on the trail. Training is self-paced after attending a few start-up workshops and can be completed thereafter from home, with support along the way. Once you and your dog are ready, you’ll hit the trails to start surveying! Want to be part of this exciting new initiative? Click the button below to fill out our short interest survey! For updates, visit nynjtc.org/conservation-dogs or follow us on Instagram @nynjtc_conservationdogs. Our pack is growing, and we can’t wait for you and your dog to be part of it!
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Invasive Species Survey and Monitoring Update For a few years now, our trusted survey volunteers have not only been searching for and reporting on new and emerging invasive species, but also on native trees that are showing signs of resistance to invasive forest pests like hemlock woolly adelgid and beech leaf disease. This year, we are expanding our forest pest monitoring and “lingering tree” searches by officially joining forces with the Nature Conservancy’s Trees in Peril Project, NYS’s Forest Health Research Lab, and Managing Ash Program to conduct hemlock, beech and ash surveying and monitoring. We will also be partnering with the American Chestnut Foundation to conduct native plant surveys for nut-bearing wild American Chestnut, or those showing resistance to chestnut blight. These additional surveying opportunities and partnerships will help ramp up our volunteer efforts to contribute to resistance breeding programs that provide hope for future forest habitat restoration work. While some of these efforts will be wrapped into our typical survey trainings that begin in May, we want to get a sense for who is interested in doing some extra focused work on lingering tree identification in 2025. This will likely consist of using some additional apps and slightly different survey procedures from our standard trail surveyor program. If you are interested in learning more, please fill out this quick interest form by clicking the button below!
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We are excited to introduce a new staff member for the season! Elinor Stapylton is joining our Stewardship staff as a leave replacement for the Education and Outreach Coordinator position with Lower Hudson PRISM. Elinor with be with us through August 2025 when Krysti Sabins, our full-time E&O Coordinator, will return to our team. Elinor has a M.S. in biomimicry from Arizona State University and B.A. degrees in biology and environmental urban studies from Bard College in upstate New York where she is from. Elinor also holds a teaching certificate in sustainable construction methods from Earthship Biotecture in Taos, New Mexico. Elinor’s work focuses on low-cost and accessible solutions for living in reciprocity with nature. Her research spans from conservation biology, plant-based ecological wastewater treatment systems, decentralized electricity generating microbial fuel cells, native agro-ecology practices, passive heating and cooling designs, and sustainable construction methods for building natural disaster-resilient homes. Please welcome Elinor to our team!
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Help educate the public on topics including responsible recreation, native plant factoids, pollinator-friendly gardening, invasive species identification and prevention, and more! We are looking for contributions to our social media education and outreach efforts. If you have an interest in fact-based research and writing we would love to hear from you + bonus points for photo/video content! This volunteer commitment requires one contribution per month of either text or multimedia content. For more information, please fill out the below form. We look forward to working with you!
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Climate Change, Tree Migration, and the Future of
Northeastern Forests with Dr. Angelica PattersonFriday, Mar 14, 2025 at 7pm ET
Register for in-person at Cary's Lovejoy Auditorium or virtual live streamBy locking carbon in their wood, the trees that make up Northeastern forests are allies in the fight against climate change. Warming temperatures are leading to shifts in the tree species that make up these forests, as some slowly migrate northward in search of cooler conditions. Dr. Patterson will discuss her research on how different tree species are responding to warming temperatures, which are most tolerant, the role of other stressors, and what this means for future carbon storage.
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The American Chestnut Foundation: Chestnut Chat Series, How American Chestnut Hybrids Interact with Their EnvironmentFriday, Mar 28, 2025, from 11:30AM – 1:00PM (EPT),
join us for the next LIVE Chestnut Chat.Special guests Dr. Camila Filgueiras, Assistant Professor of Biology at UNC Asheville, and Dr. Jonathan Horton, Professor and Chair of Biology at UNC Asheville, will discuss their research into the ecological interactions between American chestnut hybrids and their environment, with a focus on insect communities and soil biodiversity. Whether you’re a scientist, grower, or simply passionate about conservation, this discussion will explore how hybridization can shape the future of forest restoration.
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CCE Westchester Certified Tree Steward Training 2025Tuesday, Apr 22 - Friday, May 2, 2025
CCE of Westchester County, Elmsford, NYThe Certified Tree Steward Program is a comprehensive workshop dealing with arboriculture. Through both classroom learning and outdoor exercises, the participants will learn all about tree biology, identification, pruning, planting, rigging and much more. Personal protection as well as tree protection will be emphasized.
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