SLELO Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management

08/21/2026

🌊✨ RiverKeeper Adventures at Wellesley Island! ✨🌿

We had an amazing time teaming up with Save The River yesterday for their RiverKeeper program at the beautiful Minna Anthony Common Nature Center + Friends on Wellesley Island!

Attendees dove into ways to protect the St. Lawrence River from major environmental threats such as pollution, harmful algal blooms, and aquatic invasive species. After a short but engaging presentation, we hit the water for a peaceful paddle, spotting wildlife, exploring aquatic plants, and seeing firsthand why stewardship matters. We even saw a mink! 🚣‍♀️💙

Programs like these empower community members to take meaningful action to protect the waters we all love.

📅 Final RiverKeeper training this season:
Next Thursday, August 27th, 2026
⏰ 9:30 AM – 12 PM
📍 Minna Anthony Nature Center, Wellesley Island, NY (contact the center to register or pop in)

Don’t miss your chance to get involved in this hands-on stewardship experience! 🌿💧

08/17/2026

🌿🛶 What an incredible finale to our Aquatic Invasive Species Learning Experience (AISLE)! Huge thanks to all the amazing volunteers who joined us last week for our guided paddle on the beautiful Millsite Lake in Redwood, NY. Your enthusiasm and curiosity made the day unforgettable.

We explored crystal‑clear waters filled with native treasures like Robbins pondweed (Potamogeton robbinsii), eelgrass (Vallisneria americana), and more — and we’re thrilled to share that we found only one invasive species, Eurasian watermilfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum)**. This is a great sign for the health of Millsite Lake and a testament to the stewardship of our community. 💚🌊

If you missed this paddle, there’s another chance to get out on the water! Join our partners at Save The River this Thursday, August 20th from 9AM–12PM at the Minna Anthony Nature Center on Wellesley Island, NY for their RiverKeeper training and paddle — where our Education Outreach Coordinator, Megan, will be a guest speaker. 🌎✨

Let’s keep the momentum going and continue protecting our precious waterways for generations to come. 💦💙

08/17/2026

Hands‑On Workshop at Green Lakes 🌳🔦

Help protect our forests and farms! Join us for a free SLF identification & reporting workshop at Green Lakes State Park on August 21, 5:30–7:30 PM.

You’ll learn to identify spotted lanternfly and its host tree of heaven, use iMapInvasives Survey123, and adopt public areas for early detection. SLF hasn’t reached the SLELO region yet—early action matters.

📍 Green Lakes State Park, Fayetteville, NY
🗓 August 21 | ⏰ 5:30–7:30 PM
Register: https://www.sleloinvasives.org/event/slfworkshop/

Let’s work together to keep our communities healthy! 💪🌲

08/09/2026

Learn, Paddle, Explore! 🌿🌊
Ready to put your aquatic ID skills to the test? Join us for Session 3 of the Aquatic Invasive Species Learning Experience (AISLE)—a hands‑on guided paddle packed with discovery and fun.

🗓 August 14
⏰ 10 AM–1 PM
📍 Millsite Lake, Theresa, NY

What You’ll Do:

👉Practice rake tosses to sample aquatic plants

🔗 Register & get details: https://www.sleloinvasives.org/event/aquatic-invasive-species-learning-experience/

👉Use underwater scopes to view and identify species

👉Report observations using iNaturalist and iMapInvasives mobile apps

It’s the perfect way to sharpen your survey skills, explore a beautiful lake, and contribute to regional conservation efforts.

08/06/2026

The RV is packed, the camper is hitched and you’re ready to head home after another weekend outdoors. Before hitting the road, take a moment to check your vehicle and gear for spotted lanternfly adults, nymphs and egg masses.

A quick inspection can help prevent this invasive hitchhiker from reaching a new area.

Learn what to look for: https://conta.cc/4xvDB0R

Email from SLELO PRISM Learn how to identify spotted lanternfly, report, and prevent its spread. View as Webpage The RV is packed, the camper is hitched, and you’re ready to head home after one more w

08/05/2026

Late‑Summer Blooms = Prime Detection Time 🔍💧

As the summer heat ramps up, submerged plants burst into rapid growth—and fanwort becomes easier than ever to spot. This Tier 2 invasive is still limited in the SLELO region, meaning eradication is possible with your help.

Key Fanwort Features:

🍃Floating leaves shaped like tiny ovals or diamonds

🍃White star‑shaped flowers rising just above the surface

🍃Fan‑shaped underwater foliage forming feathery clusters

🍃Dense surface mats that shade natives and slow water flow

📍 We’re seeking volunteers to monitor creeks and rivers in Oswego County, NY, especially those that flow into Eastern Lake Ontario.

Learn more: https://www.sleloinvasives.org/invasives/tiered-species-list/fanwort/

08/02/2026

Let’s Clear Guffin Bay One Tug at a Time 💪🌊

We’re gearing up for the final water chestnut pull of the season—and we need your help to finish strong! These invasive plants form dense mats that choke waterways, block recreation, and outcompete native species. Your hands-on effort truly makes a difference.

🌱 Join Save the River & SLELO PRISM
📍 Guffin Bay, Dexter, NY
🗓 Friday, August 7
⏰ 9:00 AM–12:30 PM

Grab a friend, hop in a kayak, and help restore this beautiful stretch of shoreline. Every plant pulled protects our waters.

🔗 Register & get details: https://www.sleloinvasives.org/event/waterchestnutpulls/

07/31/2026

Become a Steward of the Places You Love 💚✨

Looking for a simple, meaningful way to safeguard your favorite outdoor spaces? Take the Pledge to Protect and join a growing network of community stewards across the SLELO region.

When you take the pledge, you’ll learn how to:

🧐Identify invasive species

📣Report sightings for early detection

🍃Adopt prevention practices

💙Support healthy ecosystems right at home

Your actions matter—and together, we can protect the lands and waters that make our region special. 🌿 Visit iPledgeToProtect.org to sign up today!

07/29/2026

Spot Mid‑Summer Showstoppers 🌞🌊

Mid‑July means peak blooms for many aquatic plants across New York’s waterways—perfect timing to spot two look‑alike species with very different impacts.

🌸 Sacred lotus (pink blooms) is invasive and shouldn’t be planted or allowed to spread.
🌼 American lotus (pale‑yellow blooms) is native to North America and culturally significant, though it can still grow aggressively.

How to ID Them:

🍃 Circular leaves held high on stiff stalks

🌸Pink vs. pale‑yellow flowers with a signature seed pod

💦Water‑repellent leaves where droplets bead and roll off

🚣‍♀️ Want to learn more about aquatic invasive species? Click the link below to view priority species and learn about our Water Protectors program.
https://www.sleloinvasives.org/water/

07/20/2026

🌿💚 Thank You for Helping Protect the Oswegatchie River! 💚🌿

A huge thank you to the many volunteers and partners who joined us last Friday for our annual water chestnut removal effort on the Oswegatchie River!

Thanks to everyone's hard work and dedication, the impact was clearly visible across the entire 6-mile paddle route. We found only trace amounts of water chestnut, and together removed a total of 35 pounds of plants from the river.

This annual stewardship effort plays a critical role in protecting connected waterways. With a direct pathway from the Oswegatchie River into Black Lake, preventing the spread of this invasive species helps safeguard the health and biodiversity of the entire watershed.

We are incredibly grateful for everyone who donated their time and energy to make this year's pull another success!

🚣 There's still time to join us on the water for upcoming water chestnut pulls. Visit sleloinvasives.org/events for event details and registration.

July 22, 9 AM- 1:30 PM, Lakeview WMA South Colwell Pond, Ellisburg, NY (rain date, July 23rd)

July 22, 9:30 AM- 3 PM Lakeview WMA Mudbrook access, Ellisburg, NY

July 28, 9 AM- 3 PM, Tibbets Creek, Ogdensburg, NY

August 7, 9 AM- 12:30 PM, Guffin Bay, Dexter, NY

Join us and help protect our local waterways while enjoying time outdoors with fellow conservation-minded community members.

Save The River NYS Department of Environmental Conservation St. Lawrence County Soil and Water Conservation District