By Bill Jacobs, Program Manager
The LIISMA team continues to survey and manage priority conservation areas and waterbodies. We have prioritized hundreds of waterbodies with the Long Island-Metro Aquatic Invasive Species Task Force (LIM-AIS) and have begun to survey the highest priority sites. We have conducted terrestrial invasive species (IS) surveys as well.
To date in 2021, the LIIMSA team has conducted more than 45 surveying and monitoring events over 990 acres. Most of this work occurs at priority conservation areas (e.g., ISPZs) and priority waterbodies (e.g., coastal plain ponds). This includes:
- Phragmites (and other invasive species) surveys at Calverton Ponds, Headwaters of the Peconic, and Long Pond Greenbelt.
- Invasive species surveys and monitoring at Three Mile Harbor, West Meadow Beach, Montauk County Park (Montauk IS Management Complex), Cedar Point County Park (ISPZ), Quogue Wildlife Refuge (Pine Barrens IS Management Complex), and West Sayville National Wildlife Refuge (aka Sayville Grassland).
- Aquatic invasive species surveys at Sears Bellow County Park, Calverton Ponds, Peconic River County Park, and Oyster Pond in Montauk.
Whenever possible and as needed, we turn these surveys into actions. We have requested permissions and applied for permits to manually control several new, small stands of phragmites found this season at coastal plain ponds, before the phragmites spreads. Where phragmites occurs in standing water, we will cut it below the water level, depriving the plants of oxygen and killing them. We are working with partners to manually control other small stands of phragmites occurring on the shores.
The LIISMA team has participated in water chestnut pulls with NYSDEC and partners at sites in Nassau County. We are assisting NYSAGM and other partners with surveys of spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula). LIISMA has not found any yet in Nassau and Suffolk counties, but we are on the alert.
We are monitoring and gathering information about invasive viburnums, including tea viburnum (Viburnum setigerum) and linden viburnum (V. dilatatum). Invasive viburnums seem to be popping up everywhere, including at sites where they seem to be competing with native viburnums.
Another species we are helping to survey and manage at priority conservation areas is glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus). Populations of glossy buckthorn appear to have exploded over the past 20 years and are outcompeting with everything in their path. Other species we are working on include rock sea lavender (Limonium binervosum), swallowwort (Vincetoxicum spp.), small carpetgrass (Arthraxon hispidus), and southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis).
Next, we are heading to the Carmans River to survey for watercress (Nasturtium officinale), reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea), and any other priority invasive species we observe. Last but not least, we have approved subcontractor proposals for six invasive species projects. More information will be coming in our next e-newsletter.
