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Capital Region PRISM

Name: Capital Region PRISM
Address: 50 W High Street, Ballston Spa, NY, 12020, US
Telephone: (518) 885-8995

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Capital Region PRISM

We take action and collaborate on education, prevention, detection and management of invasive species

Capital Region PRISM, short for Capital Region Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management, was formed to help prevent or minimize the harm caused by invasive species on New York's environment, economy and the health and well-being of the State's citizens. PRISMs are intended to coordinate invasive species management functions including coordinating partner efforts, recruiting and trainin

g citizen volunteers, identifying and delivering education and outreach, establishing early detection monitoring networks and implementing direct eradication and control efforts.

09/03/2026

The dog days of summer may be over but they’re just beginning for invasive species management!

Last week the Capital Region PRISM was joined by the Conservation Dogs Program from the New York-New Jersey Trail Conference ! The Conservation Dogs Program pairs highly trained detection dogs with expert handlers to detect invasive species, survey protected wildlife, and monitor ecological change. Arden Blumenthal, the Program Coordinator, and her conservation dog Lettie met the crew up at Daketown State Forest in central Saratoga County to help us detect low levels of the invasive species shrubby bush clover (Lespedeza bicolor) at a site under active management.

The detection dogs help by sniffing out the scent of an invasive species (each species needs to be trained individually), and then guiding their handler to the plant, which can then be managed. This can be especially useful at sites like ours where the invasive is persisting at very low levels and can be nearly impossible to find with the eye alone.

The dogs can do more than just find invasive species though! They’re also been used to find rare and imperiled wildlife like turtles and plants, and they can even detect ecological indicators like s**t to monitor wildlife populations.

If you want to learn about these amazing dogs, their hard-working handlers, or the Conservation Dogs Program in general then visit https://www.nynjtc.org/conservation-dogs/

Photos by Addison Kubik

08/19/2026

Date: Monday, August 24th, 2026
Time: 6:00PM – 7:30PM
Location: Saratoga Springs Public Library (Dutcher Community Room)

Join Alexa Howanksy, Aquatic Program Manager for the Capital Region PRISM, for a talk on the threats impacting our waterways and what can be done about them. Topics covered will include an introduction to invasive species and their characteristics, common aquatic invaders in Saratoga and how to identify them, new/emerging invasive species, and a basic overview of management strategies.

No registration is required!

For more details visit: https://sspl.libcal.com/event/16610095

06/17/2026

Porcelain berry (Ampelopsis glandulosa) is a perennial, deciduous vine that can grow up to 20 feet long and can look very similar to our native grapes. Leaves are alternate, simple, variably shaped (from heart shaped to deeply lobed) with toothed edges, and shiny undersides with hairs only along the veins. The vine produces small greenish-yellow flowers that develop into hard berries in various shades of white, yellow, lilac, teal or green that mature to a bright blue. The pith is a distinct white color.

Porcelain berry prefers areas of full sun to partial shade and it grows in moist, rich soils found along streambanks and forest edges. It favors disturbance and takes advantage of flood damage or bank erosion.

Porcelain berry grows quickly and forms thick mats that outcompete native vegetation for light, water, nutrients and space. Once established, it will climb and shade out young shrubs and seedlings on the forest floor. Seeds are distributed by birds, small mammals and water. A high seed germination rate accompanied by its propagation through root fragments makes this vine species of particular concern and difficult to manage.

Herbicide treatment is the most effective control method for porcelain berry and should include either cut-stump or foliar spray treatments in the fall. Vines can also be manually removed to prevent seed dispersal, but care must be taken to pull out the entire root system to prevent resprouting. Follow up treatments in subsequent years is necessary.

If you see any porcelain berry while you’re at any of your favorite places, be sure to report it to NY iMapInvasives !

Photo Credit:
Slide 1: Leslie J Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org / Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University, Bugwood.org
Slides 2 and 3: Nancy Loewenstein, Auburn University, Bugwood.org / Frank Hassler, Good Oak Ecological Services

06/10/2026

New York Invasive Species Awareness Week is here! Tune into our Facebook Live on Saturday, June 13th at 12:30pm for a breakdown on Beech Leaf Disease and how to survey for it in your favorite natural areas!

In the meantime, you can check out what our PRISM partners are doing this week as well! Visit their pages and tune in to their Facebook lives.

Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management ( -Network) is a state-wide collaborative approach to invasive species management, prevention, outreach, and restoration in collaboration with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation . The PRISM network includes Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program Capital Region PRISM Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership Finger Lakes PRISM Lower Hudson PRISM Long Island Invasive Species Management Area (LIISMA) SLELO Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management WNY PRISM . Visit rebrand.ly/NYIS_PRISMs to connect with your local PRISM.

06/04/2026

New York Invasive Species Awareness Week is June 8-14! Events are happening across the state and locally here in the Capital Region. Find an activity near you and help spread awareness (not invasive species) at nyis.info!

Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management ( -Network) is a state-wide collaborative approach to invasive species management, prevention, outreach, and restoration in collaboration with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation . The PRISM network includes Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program Capital Region PRISM Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership Finger Lakes PRISM Lower Hudson PRISM Long Island Invasive Species Management Area (LIISMA) SLELO Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management WNY PRISM . Visit rebrand.ly/NYIS_PRISMs to connect with your local PRISM.

05/22/2026

Happy Memorial Day Weekend!

Memorial Day Weekend means that our Watercraft Inspection Stewards have started for the season!

Our stewards are placed at public boat launches throughout the region and spend their days educating boaters and recreationalists on the steps they can take to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS) into and out of their favorite water bodies.

Before heading out to the water, be sure to follow the 6 steps of Clean, Drain, Dry.

1. Check your boating and fishing equipment for invasive species.
2. Clean any visible mud, plants, fish, or animals before transporting equipment.
3. Drain all water holding compartments including ballast tanks, live wells, and bilge areas.
4. Dry boats, trailers, and all equipment before use in another waterbody.
5. Disinfect anything that came into contact with water if it cannot be dried before reuse.
6. Visit your local boat steward!

To learn more about Clean, Drain, Dry visit https://on.ny.gov/4uX4c5s

05/19/2026

A popular ornamental, Japanese tree lilac (Syringa reticulata) is native to eastern Asia and frequently found in yards or urban areas. It escapes cultivation, invading and dominating natural areas such as riparian corridors and floodplains. It is known to form monocultures that can shade out native understory plants and compete with native tree species. It also produces a large seed bank that can threaten biodiversity and ecological sustainability.

Japanese tree lilac is quite larger than its shrubby relatives, growing from 15 to 40 feet tall and about 20 feet wide, with an oval, rounded canopy. The species may be single or multi-stemmed, thus categorizing it as a small tree or large shrub. Its leaves are simple, opposite facing, pointed, and oval to heart-shaped with smooth margins, and slightly downy undersides. Reddish brown, peeling bark is observed on younger branches, turning closer to gray in the plant’s maturity. The bark is mostly smooth with raised blisters and lenticels.

Small saplings can be hand-pulled or dug out. Larger trees can be more difficult to manage, but you can try using a shovel, spade, truck, or tractor. You can use systemic herbicides such as glyphosate or triclopyr on larger lilac trees by applying them to the cut stem, basal bark, or with a hack and sq**rt method. Always follow the herbicide label and federal, state, and local regulations when selecting and applying herbicide.

Alternate-leaved dogwood (Swida alternifolia) is a strong alternative. Both have similar degrees of plant hardiness and feature clusters of white flowers. Alternate-leaved dogwood also has striking fall foliage.

And remember, if you spot any invasive Japanese tree lilac while you’re at any of your favorite natural areas, be sure to submit a report to NY iMapInvasives!

Photo credit
Slide 1: Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org / James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, bugwood.org
Slide 2: Steve Katovich, Bugwood.org / Dow Gardens, Bugwood.org / T. David Sydnor, Ohio State University, Bugwood.org

05/12/2026

Native to China, wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius) was introduced in 1890 as root stock for cultivated raspberries. The qualities that made it a durable, reliable fruit producer in the garden are precisely what make it such a tenacious invasive. The species is now found in at least 21 states.

Wineberry closely resembles many native raspberry species with leaves that are alternate, light green, deeply divided into three leaflets, and toothed along the margins. The terminal leaflet is the largest and the underside of all leaves are a pale white color. Wineberry has five petaled white flowers that occur in the spring. Bright red, edible berries follow in the summer. It is differentiated from other raspberry species by the fine red hairs that grow densely on its stems (and flowers) causing a reddish hue to the plant.

Differences from native species: Our native black raspberries have a bluish waxy coating on their stems and their fruits turn purple/black when they’re ripe. American red raspberries have glandular hairs, but aren’t covered in red hairs (like wineberry), and their flowers can have some hairs but aren’t densely hairy. Native blackberries have no red hairs on the stem and have green undersides to their leaves and tend to have 5-7 leaflets.

Small infestations can be managed by digging or pulling. Pulling by hand is an effective method of control for seedlings and small plants. For larger plants, disturbance of the root will encourage re-sprouting. Gloves should be worn to prevent injury from the plants numerous spines. Larger infestations can be treated via foliar spray or cut stump using a glyphosate or triclopyr based herbicide.

If you see any wineberry while you’re at any of your favorite places, be sure to report it to NY iMapInvasives!

Photo Credit:
Slide 1: Richard Gardner, Bugwood.org / Leslie J Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org
Slide 2: Andrew Nelson, Rice Creek Field Station, SUNY Oswego, NYFA / Brian Tarpinian, CC License, inaturalist.org

04/24/2026

🌳Happy Arbor Day! 🌳

To celebrate the day, Kris Williams, Coordinator of the Capital Region PRISM, is here to give you tips on tree planting and care for forest restoration and ecosystem resiliency.

While Planting:
1. Ideally, plant bare root stock the same day you receive it. If that can’t happen, keep them in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
2. Dig a hole as deep and wider than the seedlings root system. If you need to trim the root system to accommodate rocky soils, DO NOT TIME MORE THAN 25% of the root system.
3. Refill the hole while holding the seedling upright, ensuring the roots don’t fold up on themselves and keeping the root collar at the soil line.
4. Firmly pack the soil around the seedling, and water until soil is moist.

Protecting Seedlings:
1. Use a barrier (landscape fabric, mulch, leaf litter) of some kind to prevent competing vegetation (native and non-native) from interfering with the tree’s growth.
2. Avoid the mulch volcano! Mulch packed against the trunk can encourage fungal growth.
3. Utilize a tree tube to prevent deer from damaging the tree and limiting it’s ability to grow.

Post-Planting Maintenance:
1. Remove debris from inside of tree tubes.
2. Remove competing vegetation with 1-2 feet of the tree until tree has established.
3. Make sure tubes are still attached to stakes and at least flush with the ground.
4. Remove the tube when the seedlings trunk is more than 2 inches wide at 6 inches from the ground.

Now let’s get out there, touch some grass, and plant some trees!

04/21/2026

Stay on marked and/or designated trails to keep invasive species populations localized for easier management and prevent introduction to new areas. Staying on trails ensures that even if there are invasive species in your boots they won't invade deeper into uninfested areas.

👉Learn all the ways you can prevent the spread of invasive species by visiting https://playcleango.org/take-action/

are supported by Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management ( )- a statewide collaborative approach to invasive species management, prevention, outreach, and restoration in coordination with the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation . The PRISM network includes Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program SLELO Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management Capital Region PRISM Long Island Invasive Species Management Area (LIISMA) Lower Hudson PRISM Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership WNY PRISM . Visit https://rebrand.ly/NYISinfo to connect with your local PRISM.

Address

50 W High Street
Ballston Spa, NY
12020

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

(518) 885-8995

Website

http://www.capitalregionprism.org/

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