Another successful New York Invasive Species Awareness Week (NYISAW) is in the books. We are grateful to all the organizations and community members who took part in this year’s campaign, which ran from June 8th to 14th. If you are new to NYISAW, this statewide annual campaign focuses on raising awareness about the ecological impacts that invasive species have on local environments.
At its core, NYISAW aims to empower you to get involved and support invasive species management within your own community. To make that happen, LIISMA collaborated with local partners to host a mix of public events across Long Island. Throughout the week, participants joined hands-on volunteer working days, took part in guided walks, and attended informative virtual webinars.
Feeling the NYISAW spirit early, the LIISMA team collaborated with the North Shore Land Alliance for a Guided Invasive Species Walk at Humes Preserve on June 2nd. The walk highlighted a number of invasive species established within the preserve, including mugwort (Artemisia vulgaris), garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), wineberry (Rubus phoenicolasius), and common ivy (Hedera helix).
The team also highlighted what a healthy sassafras tree should look like and urged attendees to be on the lookout for sassafras trees in decline, which display wilted and discolored leaves. These symptoms can indicate the presence of laurel wilt, a fungal disease transmitted by the non-native redbay ambrosia beetle (Xyleborus glabratus) that has recently been detected in the region. Additionally, the walk addressed how popular landscaping plants can become invasive once introduced into natural areas, pointing out examples like Chinese silvergrass (Miscanthus sinensis) and the katsura tree (Cercidiphyllum japonicum). To end the hike, every attendee received a boot brush and a reminder to clean their footwear before and after hiking. Practicing good trail hygiene is a simple and effective way for outdoor recreationists to minimize transporting invasive species.
NYISAW officially kicked off on June 8 at Massapequa Lake, where LIISMA and the NYSDEC partnered to lead a successful volunteer water chestnut (Trapa natans) removal event. 
Water chestnut is an aggressive aquatic invasive plant native to parts of Eurasia and Africa. It is easily identified by its floating rosettes of triangular and its hard, sharp nutshells. Once introduced into freshwaters like lakes and ponds, it can quickly outcompete native vegetation, reduce biodiversity, and form dense mats that hinder boating, fishing, and kayaking. The sharp nutshells that wash ashore can puncture footwear, posing a safety hazard to people and pets along the shoreline.
LIISMA was joined by Carlos Morantes-Ariza., the Department of Environmental Conservation’s Region 1 Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator, along with his team and a group of enthusiastic volunteers from West Babylon High School’s AP Biology class. LIISMA’s Program Manager Abby Marino provided a behind‑the‑scenes look at the day’s efforts through a Facebook Live segment. Thanks to the combined power of 35 volunteers, the group successfully removed 1,500 pounds of water chestnut from the lake. A great success and the DEC has a number of pulls scheduled for the rest of the month visit the LIISMA Events page for more info. We look forward to seeing you out there!
The NYISAW spirit continued on the north shore of Stony Brook at West Meadow Beach with a Guided Invasive Species Walk hosted by LIISMA’s partners, the Town of Brookhaven and GEI Consultants. There Luke and Lara led attendees down Trustees Road, highlighting how the invasive species round-leaved bittersweet vine (Celastrus orbiculatus) structurally compromise native eastern red cedar (Juniperus virginiana) by shading out the trees and adding massive weight to their branches over time. 
They also discussed how the dense underground rhizome (running root) networks of bamboo and Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) limit the growth of native Long Island bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) shrubs.
Participants even had a rare chance to see the only known regional population of perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium), which is currently under consideration for an eradication management plan. On a brighter note, the group also spotted blooming native eastern prickly pear cacti (Opuntia humifusa), marsh elder (Iva frutescens), and common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). The group finished the walk by enjoying the beautiful scenic views off Long Island’s north shore.
Later that day, the LIISMA team collaborated with Quogue Wildlife Refuge to host an iMapInvasive Training for those who were interested in learning how to use NY States official invasive species data collection databases. The virtual presentation highlighted LIISMA’s mission and how community members can help professionals in their region track the establishment and spread of invasive species. Using the iMapInvasive mobile app, attendees learned how to customize the mobile app for their needs when out in the field. A critical aspect of the LIISMA team’s goal is to detect and respond to emerging invasive species before they’ve become well established. Now with 29 people trained and equipped with the tools and knowledge we are one step closer to conserving a better Long Island for future generations.
Wrapping up NYISAW in the LIISMA region, our partners at the North Shore Land Alliance hosted an incredible volunteer workday at Wawapek Preserve in Cold Spring Harbor. A dedicated team of 15 volunteers took on the mission of freeing 82 trees from invasive vines. Invasive vines when left unmanaged will tightly wrap around a tree’s trunk, cutting off the flow of water and nutrients. 
This results in the slow decline and death. The massive weight of these woody vines can cause trees to topple down posing a physical danger to visitors. By relieving these pressures, it directly contributed to the long-term health of the preserve’s forest.This workday brought the Land Alliance one step closer to its goal of freeing 250 trees before the 4th of July in celebration of the United States’ 250th anniversary.
NYISAW 2026 may be over, but the work to protect the LIISMA region’s ecosystems continues every day. NYISAW perfectly showcased the power of collaboration across our region. A heartfelt thank you to every volunteer who gave their time and energy to this year’s events. LIISMA thanks our dedicated partners for their continued stewardship. See you next NYISAW!
