Lower Hudson Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) is hosted by the NY-NJ Trail Conference and is dedicated to protecting the Lower Hudson region's biodiversity & ecosystems with a focus on controlling the harmful impacts of invasive species. 

Happy Halloween from the Stewardship Team at the Trail Conference!
Pictured: A witch riding her broom...invasive Scotch broom...as Peat follows the scent!

This season, the Trail Conference Conservation Dogs have been working with the Invasives Strike Force (ISF) Crew on Scotch broom, an emerging invasive plant in New York State (link here for general info on species). With only a few dozen populations in the Lower Hudson Valley, the goal of this project is to completely remove this species from our region, preventing its spread and protecting our local ecosystems - particularly meadow habitats (its preferred environment). With Scotch broom’s ability to create monocultures that push out native species and produce seeds viable for up to 30 years, the ISF Crew and Conservation Dogs have made this project a priority, returning yearly to manage infestation sites within Harriman and Bear Mountain State Park, newly discovered sites (thanks to Conservation Dog Peat’s skilled snoot!) in Storm King State Park, and elsewhere in the Lower Hudson Valley. 

After the ISF crew has performed removals, Conservation Dog Peat (along with Conservation Dogs Program Coordinator Arden), returns to sites to sniff out any remaining plants accidentally left behind - which are then promptly removed. In Harriman State Park alone, there has been a nearly 60% decrease in the number of plants managed/removed (from 13,945 to 5,688), signifying this project’s continued success! 

Kudos to the ISF Crew, Terrestrial Invasive Species Project Manager Ryan, Conservation Dogs Program Coordinator Arden, and Conservation Dog Peat for their persistence and impressive results!  

Recently our team attended a training on forest restoration led by members of the Beech Leaf Disease Coalition (including our partners at Westchester Land Trust and Westchester County Parks). We learned how to install deer exclusion fences and tree tubes around priority species to prevent forests affected by beech leaf disease (BLD) from disappearing altogether. Canopy loss due to BLD, a forest pathogen thought to be caused by an invasive nematode, is opening up the forest floor, inviting invasive species to move in where deer browse on native species is high. The hope is for attendees (and video viewers) to take these skills to heavily impacted beech stands in our region and foster restorative growth, protecting the future of our forests. Lower Hudson PRISM is proud to provide funding to Westchester Land Trust for these revegetation initiatives.