CAPITAL REGION PRISM

New York Invasive Species Awareness Week June 6th - 12th
The Capital Region PRISM (Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management) would like to invite you to join and participate in the annual New York State Invasive Species Awareness Week (ISAW). ISAW is an annual educational campaign coordinated by the New York Department of Environmental Conservation.

The mission of the New York Invasive Species Awareness Week (ISAW) is to promote knowledge and understanding of invasive species and the harm they can cause, by engaging citizens in a wide range of activities across the state. Please join us and participate in an event to help protect our environment!

Check out the invasive species documentary; Uninvited: The Spread of Invasive Species, which will also be showing on our local PBS station WMHT on April 24th at 10am.

Job Announcement Watercraft Stewards: Full-time Seasonal Positions
Watercraft Stewards work independently at various boat launch locations throughout the Capital Region PRISM region. Watercraft Stewards collect survey data through interactions with the public. The Watercraft Steward Program runs from the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day, with three days of required programmatic training from May 23rd to May 25th. Counties of employment include Albany, Saratoga, Schenectady, Greene, Washington and Columbia. A list of boat launch location can be found here.

To Apply Click Here

What are Invasive Species?

Invasive species are any non-native species (plant, animal, microbe, etc.) that have the ability to cause harm to the environment, economy, and/or human health.

Pathways of Introduction and Spread

International Shipping
Vehicles-Cars, Boats, Trains, etc.
Clothing and Shoes
Pet and Wild Animal Transfer
Waterways and Storm Events

Role of the PRISM

The Capital Region Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM), is hosted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County. The PRISM is financially supported through the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation via the Environmental Protection Fund.

We are a not for profit quasi-government agency that is built on partnerships made up of representatives from state and local agencies, not for profit organizations, and citizen scientists. The Capital Region PRISM provides services in eleven counties in the New York State Capital Region: Albany, Columbia, Montgomery, Rensselaer, Schenectady, and parts of Fulton, Herkimer, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington.

Our functions include, but are not limited to:
Coordination of partner efforts
Recruiting and training citizen volunteers
Delivering education and outreach programming
Establishing early detection and monitoring networks
Implement eradication and control efforts
Provide funding for invasive species work

If you are interested in partnering with our organization, please contact us.

Report an invasive Species

iMapInvasives is an online mapping tool that provides statewide invasive species distribution information to natural resource managers, scientists, and citizens. Learn about the program and start contributing data by attending an iMap training session. To schedule a training for staff, volunteers, or the public, please contact PRISM staff.

Upcoming Events

Events Calendar

Contact a Coordinator

PRISM Coordinator: Kristopher Williams
Email: kbw44@cornell.edu
Office Phone: 518.885.8995 (ext. 2218)
Work Cell: 518.321.0189

Terrestrial Coordinator: Sam Schultz
Email: ss986@cornell.edu
Phone: 518.885.8995

Outreach Coordinator: Addison Kubik
Email: ask263@cornell.edu
Phone: 518.885.8995 ext. 2219

Aquatics Coordinator: Hannah Coppola
Email: hwe22@cornell.edu
Phone: 518.885.8995 ext. 2215

To Join our ListServ, send an email to:
cce-capitalprism-l-request@cornell.edu

Type "join" in the subject line with no quotes and do not leave a message or signature in the message box.

Join our Network!

Volunteer or Partner with the PRISM!
We welcome the participation of regional organizations, agencies, and individuals that have a common goal of stopping the spread of invasive species. To volunteer please contact a prism coordinator and will will add you to our list.

The PRISM listserv is a great way to stay connected and up to date on all things invasive species. To join the listserv, please email cce-capitalprism-l-request@cornell.edu with 'join' as the subject line (no quotes) and nothing in the body of the email, including signatures. You will receive a confirmation email when your request is processed successfully.

Photo Gallery

Become an Environmental Steward.
Check out these national campaigns to learn more about how
you can stop the spread of invasive species!

To learn more about the invasive species of New York, click on the guides below.

Cornell Cooperative Extension Saratoga County
50 West High St.
Ballston Spa, NY 12020

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation provides financial support to the Capital Region PRISM via the Environmental Protection Fund.