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It’s up to everyone to help control the spread of invasive species

Watercraft Inspection Stewards Wesley Scriven, right, and Brian Scacheri, center, on Friday, July 8 explain Clean, Drain and Dry practices to David Finn, a seasonal resident on the Upper Saranac. Finn approached Scriven and Scacheri, who are stationed at the Second Pond boat launch in Saranac Lake for the summer, about best practices for cleaning his kayak after that day’s paddle to avoid the spread of aquatic invasive species. Scacheri said it’s preferable to wash your boat off with high-pressured hot water after being in the water, but he said a wash with soap and cold water from a garden hose works, too. It’s also important to dry your boat, and Scacheri said an easy way to do that is to leave it in the sun. (News photo — Lauren Yates)

Residents and visitors of the Adirondack Park have more tools than ever to help spread terrestrial and aquatic invasive species that are harmful to our natural communities in New York state.

The Adirondack Watershed Institute of Paul Smith’s College, for example, reminded us last week of an important new law in the state that requires all people using motorboats inside the Adirondack Park — and within 10 miles of its boundary — to prove their watercraft is free of invasive species. They do this, for every trip, by certifying that their boat is clean, drained and dry. A boat steward can issue the certificate at select boat launches, or motorboat users can issue their own (a PDF form is on the state Department of Environmental Conservation’s website). The AWI recently updated its website to include a page packed with user-friendly information about the new law. Learn more at www.adkwatershed.org.

Additionally, the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program in Keene Valley offers programs to teach residents about how they can help stop the spread of invasive species. Learn more at https://adkinvasives.com.

Next Wednesday, July 20, APIPP will host a free webinar for home owners, from 10 to 11:30 a.m., titled, “Backyard Invasives — Identification and Management of Terrestrial Invasive Species.”

“A lot of invasive species tend to grow on forest edges and roadsides, and some get planted intentionally, making people’s yards an ideal habitat,” said APPIP Terrestrial Invasive Species Coordinator Becca Bernacki. “Invasive species are plants, insects, fish and other animals that are not native to a region and cause ecological, economic or human health harm. They can reproduce quickly, outcompete native vegetation and are often spread by human activity.”

During the webinar, people will get a step-by-step outline to help control the spread of invasive species on their properties.

“First, we’ll talk about invasive species and why we should care about them,” Bernacki said. “Then we’ll get into pest management, how to develop a goal, and the basics of mechanical and chemical treatment. We’ll also cover five or six specific species to look out for.”

This program is important on a broad scale, according to Bernacki.

“APPIP is not able to address every infestation across the Park,” he said. “That’s why a pillar of what we do is empower people to be on the lookout for and manage invasive species.”

To register for the webinar, visit www.adkinvasives.com/Events/Detail/152.

Thanks to the DEC, the AWI and APIPP, we are in good hands, environmentally. Yet fighting the spread of invasive species is an ongoing battle, one that is more effective with legislation and educational tools like these.

It’s up to everyone — residents and visitors alike — to do what they can to help control the spread of invasive species in the Adirondacks.

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