June 6 – June 12 Finger Lakes PRISM to Participate in New York’s Ninth Annual Invasive Species Awareness Week

Events Are Being Hosted Across the Finger Lakes June 6-12

New York State’s ninth annual Invasive Species Awareness Week (NYISAW) will be celebrated June 6-12. NYISAW is an educational campaign featuring statewide events that encourage New Yorkers to learn about invasive species and help protect the state’s resources from the negative impacts of invasive species.

The Finger Lakes PRISM is proud to host many interactive events throughout the Finger Lakes including:

• ‘Uninvited’ Documentary Screening, Geneva, NY; Monday, June 6th @ 7pm
Kick off NYISAW with a screening of “Uninvited” the newest invasive species
documentary! Staff of the Finger Lakes PRISM will be available for a Q&A afterwards of all things
invasive species.
• Mystery Snail Removal on Melody Lake, Willet, NY; Tuesday June 7th @ 1pm
Join the Melody Lake Association, the NYSDEC Region 7 Sustainability Committee,
Cortland County Soil and Water and several of our association members to attempt to manually
remove as many of these snails as possible!
• Bioblitz at Cumming Nature Center, Naples, NY; Saturday, June 11th @ 8am
During this family-friendly community science event, you will work with scientists,
educators, and naturalists to document the biodiversity at Cumming Nature Center. Spend the
day identifying, collecting, and recording as many species of plants and animals as possible
throughout our 900-acre preserve. Along the way, you will learn fascinating facts, develop your
naturalist skills, and grow in appreciation for the diverse species that create the unique and
vibrant ecosystem that we call home!

The full schedule of events is online at http://fingerlakesinvasives.org/calendar/. To view events
happening across the state, visit https://nyis.info/nyisaw/.
For questions or more information, contact:
Matthew Gallo
Email: gallo@hws.edu

Invasive species are non-native plants, animals, or diseases that can cause harm to the
environment, the economy, or human health. They cause or contribute to degradation and loss
of habitat, wildlife, and plant species, as well as loss of recreational opportunities and
associated income, damage to crops and nursery stock, health issues in humans and livestock
and risks to public safety. Invaders can be introduced intentionally (like when non-native plants
are sold at nurseries and escape from gardens) or unintentionally (like when insects hitch rides
in wooden crates). Since New York State is a hub for international trade and travel, our state
has one of the highest rates of non-native introductions and invasive species are a constant
threat to our resources.