SLELO Prism

Pictured are Department of Environmental Conservation crew, water chestnut assault team of the Oswego Soil and Water Conservation District, the SLELO ED team, and volunteers.

The St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (SLELO-PRISM) is one of eight partnerships in the State of New York. The SLELO PRISM encompasses five counties to include: St. Lawrence, Jefferson, Oneida, Lewis and Oswego counties outside of the Adirondack Park.

Located along the eastern shore of Lake Ontario, the SLELO PRISM is host to an abundance of important habitats. Among these habitats are Great Lakes Alvars, numerous freshwater rivers, wetlands and fens, managed wildlife areas, forested lands including Tug Hill, and a world-class fishery.

Partners of our PRISM have developed a Strategic Plan that includes seven goals. Achieving these goals will help to prevent the negative impacts invasive species have on our local ecosystems preserving the integrity of native flora and fauna that inhabit these areas. Our partners are dedicated to a collaborative approach towards invasive species prevention and management.

By focusing on seven goals, partners of the SLELO PRISM are positioned to achieve success in the prevention of new species introductions, eradicating, containing or suppressing existing populations and to restore native habitats. These seven goals include:

  • PREVENTION – Prevent the introduction of new invasive species into the SLELO region.
  • EARLY DETECTION & RAPID RESPONSE – Detect new and recent invaders and eliminate all individuals within a specific area when possible.
  • COOPERATION – Share resources, including funding, personnel, equipment, information, and expertise.
  • INFORMATION MANAGEMENT – Collect, utilize, and share information regarding surveys, infestations, control methods, monitoring, and research.
  • CONTROL– Control via Suppression – which is to reduce the density but not necessarily the total area of established species. Containment – reducing the spread of established infestations.  Eradication – which is to eliminate existing populations when feasible.
  • ECOLOGICAL RESTORATION – Develop and implement effective restoration methods for natural areas that have been degraded by invasive species.
  • EDUCATION / OUTREACH – Increase public awareness and understanding of invasive species ecological, economic and cultural issues.
SLELO Adopt a Trap Project volunteers at a trap deployment demo. Source: Rob Williams.

The SLELO partnership consist of dedicated professionals representing organizations, agencies and not-for-profit organizations that work in the spirit of cooperation to make a difference. We encourage new partnerships that will help grow and sustain our programming. Today our partners include:

  • The Nature Conservancy (host organization)
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • NYS Dept. Environmental Conservation.
  • NYS Office of Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation
  • NYS Department of Transportation
  • NYS Sea Grant
  • Ducks Unlimited
  • Soil & Water Conservation Districts
  • Fort Drum Military Installation
  • Tug Hill Tomorrow Land Trust
  • Tug Hill Commission
  • Save The River Organization
  • Audubon – Central NY Chapter
  • Thousand Islands Land Trust
  • CNY Regional Planning & Development Board
  • New York Power Authority
  • United States Coast Guard Auxiliary

For more information, contact Rob Williams, PRISM Coordinator:

rwilliams@tnc.org

Phone: 315.387.3600 extension 7725.

Website

www.sleloinvasives.org