New York Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) teamed up with West Field Production Co. to produce “Uninvited: The Spread of Invasive Species”. It tells the story of invasive species in NY and how DEC and its partners are tackling them. The film looks at a number of species we are battling in Maine, plus a host of others heading our way. Watch the one-hour film below.

As the film notes, invasive species management is an individual responsibility. Informed and engaged landowners and community volunteers can make all the difference in the early detection and control of invasive pests and plants.

One of the biggest ways you can help stop invasive species is by educating friends, family, and neighbors about the small choices they can make that have a big impact, such as:

Using local firewood
Cleaning, draining, and drying your watercraft and gear
Brushing mud and debris off your boots, gear, and pets

Contact Somerset County SWCD, read and subscribe to our Yankee Woodlot Stewardship Blog or visit Maine DACF for more information.

Notes from NY DEC: Uninvited was filmed in 2018. Invasive species move fast; since the time of filming there have been some updates to the information provided in the film.

Spotted lanternfly (SLF) Since filming, spotted lanternfly has been found in Rockland and Orange counties, New York City, and Ithaca, NY. The NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets treated the Ithaca infestation in the fall of 2020. However, SLF was found again in Ithaca in September 2021.

Hemlock wooly adelgid Since filming, hemlock woolly adelgid was discovered in the Lake George region of the Adirondack Park. DEC and partners are using a combination of chemical and biological control methods to attempt to slow its spread, and conserve hemlocks statewide. Learn more on NYS DEC’s webpage: https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/7250.html

Giant hogweed As of 2020, more than half of New York’s known giant hogweed sites and more than a third of New York’s known kudzu sites have no plants due to control efforts by DEC and partner agencies. Learn more on DEC’s webpage: https://www.dec.ny.gov/animals/39809.....