Invasive Species Awareness Week at the VIC
12 July - 18 July 2015

Adirondack Wetlands: Heron Marsh at the Paul Smiths VIC

New York State is organizing its Second Annual Invasive Species Awareness Week from 12 to 18 July 2015. The mission of the New York Invasive Species Awareness Week (ISAW) is to promote knowledge and understanding of invasive species in order to help stop their spread. Activities during the week are designed to engage citizens in a wide range of activities across the state and encourage them to take action. Invasive plants and animals threaten the state's lakes, ponds, rivers, and forests – resources that underwrite the economy of many communities through recreation, tourism, forestry, and numerous other uses.

During this week, join us at the VIC for our interpretive walks and discussions about the spread of invasive species around the Adirondacks.  Our daily naturalist walks will feature different topics and be co-led by folks from the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program and the Adirondack Watershed Institute.  

• The Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) is one of eight regional partnerships across New York State. Its mission is to protect the Adirondack region from the negative impacts of invasive species. Invasive species are one of the top threats to the quality and health of Adirondack lands and waters and the livelihoods of the communities they support. APIPP’s role is to serve as a clearinghouse of information, a coordinator of action, and a communicator of needs. 
• The Adirondack Watershed Institute (AWI) is a program of Paul Smith's College that conducts work broadly focused on conserving and protecting natural resources in the Adirondack region. AWI offers a range of services to the public, including invasive species management, water quality monitoring, recreational use studies, ecological studies, and educational programs and publications. AWI provides a large numbers of jobs and research experiences to undergraduate students.