2022 was a productive year for the Long Island Invasive Species Management Area (LIISMA) staff and partners. Some of the highlights are listed below, but check out the detailed report of LIISMA’s work from 2022 here (available soon).
- The Long Island Native Plant Initiative (LINPI), host organization for LIISMA, was awarded a new PRISM contract with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), covering the period from July 1, 2022, to December 31, 2026. LIISMA is funded by the New York Environmental Protection Fund.
- Filled three new full-time job positions, as follows: Abby Bezrutczyk as the Conservation Area Manager, Melody Penny as the Early Detection and Rapid Response Manager, and Kassidy Robinson as the Education and Outreach Manager. With Bill Jacobs, LIISMA Program Manager, this brings the number of staff to four full-time persons.
- Hosted two seasonal technicians (Katherine Stirber and Melody Penny) and two temporary education and outreach staff (Jackie Briggs and Cara Fernandes), alongside three full-time staff members.
- Haley Gladitsch left to attend graduate school in Scotland.
- Conducted 64 surveying and monitoring events and 23 management events over 1,770 acres, which included 10 emerging invasive species surveys and six rake-toss surveys of high-priority waterbodies.
- Controlled seven high-priority invasive species at 22 sites.
- Survey and management efforts protected nine coastal plain ponds and six additional priority waterbodies totaling 454 acres, which collectively contain 49 rare, threatened, or endangered species and six rare community types.
- Worked with NYSDEC to monitor and manage kudzu (Pueraria montana), floating water primrose (Ludwigia peploides), phragmites (Phragmites australis), and southern pine beetle (Dendroctonus frontalis); contributed to tree lilac (Syringa reticulata) genetic research project.
- Worked with NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) to monitor southern pine beetle and water chestnut (Trapa natans), and survey Camp Hero and Amsterdam Beach State Parks for invasive species.
- Worked with NYS Department of Agriculture and Markets (NYSAGM) to monitor spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula).
- Developed three invasive species management plans, one each for the Quogue Wildlife Refuge, Henry L. Ferguson Museum on Fishers Island, and Peconic Land Trust at Broad Cove.
- Hosted 28 engagement, education, and outreach events, attended by more than 740 people.
- Hosted four LIISMA Partners Meetings and Workshops and five iMapInvasives training sessions. LIISMA’s first hybrid in-person and virtual Zoom meeting was hosted by New York City Parks at Fort Totten Park in Queens.
- Coordinated and hosted a one week-long partnered iNaturalist bioblitz, with over 1,400 observations of more than 600 species.
- Created a New York Invasive Species Awareness Week (NYISAW) promotional video in collaboration with the New York PRISM education and outreach committee.
- Completed five sub-contracts with Third House Nature Center, CCE of Nassau County, Friends of Hempstead Plains, Sisters of Saint Joseph, and Seatuck to advance education, outreach, and early detection and rapid response for a variety of invasive species.
- Developed 32 marine invasive species identification cards with the Long Island Metro Aquatic Invasive Species (LIMAIS) Task Force.
- Advanced a model for prioritizing over 700 waterbodies on Long Island for invasive species surveying and management.
LIISMA thanks all of our partners for a wonderful year, and is looking forward to a successful 2023!
