Volunteers Community Partners

Prevent

Whether boating, birding, biking, or hiking – please take care to avoid carrying any “hitchhiking” plants or animals with you. Here are some quick tips to help prevent the spread!

 

Aquatic Invasive Plants

IMG_0064•  Use native plants in ornamental ponds and water gardens.
•  Check and remove all clinging plants from watercraft, gear, and equipment after each use.
•  Avoid boating, paddling, or swimming through dense plant beds.
•  Never release aquaria plants into the wild.

 

Aquatic Invasive AnimalsStopAquaticHH4Web_1

•  Clean, drain, and dry all boating, angling, and recreational gear before moving between waterways.
•  Never transport uncertified baitfish between waters.
•  Always dispose of unwanted bait in the trash, not the ground.
•  Never release unwanted species from home aquariums.
•  Never release live seafood into the wild.

Terrestrial Invasive Plants

Eva Sztechmiler OCSWCD inventory 1

• Landscape with native plants.
•  Read labels when planting seed mixes; they may include invasive plants.
•  Remove invasive plants from your property.
•  Never compost terrestrial invasive plants.
•  Clean boots and clothes after hiking.
•  Clean tread and tires of vehicles, gear, and equipment.
•  Avoid picking roadside wildflowers, which may transport seeds.
•  Know your source: use weed-free seed, mulch, topsoil, and fill.

 

Terrestrial Invasive Animals

Emerald ash borer trap. Photo by Bill, New England Photos

Emerald ash borer trap. Photo by Bill, New England Photos

•  Use firewood local to the area you are visiting.
•  Clean gear and outdoor recreation equipment after each use.
•  Buy and plant only native nursery trees.
•  Be on the lookout for signs and symptoms of pest damage on trees.
•  Never release unwanted pets into the wild.

 

National Invasive Species Prevention Campaigns

SAH logo    DMF logoHP logo

PCG logo   Habitattitude logo

NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Aquatic invasive species prevention information