Ithaca conservationists warn of invasive species in Finger Lakes

James Hamilton first became active in protecting the environment more than 20 years ago, when possible lead contamination from a shooting range in the Town of Ithaca was causing concern about the water quality of Six Mile Creek.

Since then, Hamilton's interest in protecting the environmental health of the Finger Lakes has both increased and evolved. Now focused on the prevalence of invasive species, the longtime member of the Town of Ithaca's Conservation Board was among a handful of conservationists who gathered last Thursday night at East Shore Park to educate the public about recognizing and eradicating the non-native species threatening the region's land and waterways.

"You look in any direction around here and you’ll find some kind of invasive species problem," said Hamilton.

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To illustrate the problem, Hamilton and other participants brought examples of harmful, non-native plants – including garlic mustard, pale swallowwort, multiflora rose and wild parsnip – from their own backyards to help educate the public about recognizing and reporting destructive invasives.

The Town of Ithaca, Cayuga Lake Watershed, and the Finger Lakes Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) also provided books and pamphlets to help citizens recognize damaging non-native plants, insects, invertebrates and fish.

"The key is early detection and rapid response," said Lindsay Dombroskie, a landscape ecologist and associate member of the conservation board. "If it's in one location in New York and we eradicate it, then it doesn't have the chance to spread to huge areas."

A landscape ecologist, Dombroskie said the human-altered landscapes of the eastern United States are particularly vulnerable to damaging invasive species. She noted that pale swallowwort, a shade-tolerant blooming vine with oval or heart-shaped leaves that thrives in disturbed environments, has "completely carpeted the understory of our state parks to the point where no other understories species can compete."

"After a certain point, you can't do eradication, you’re just doing control," said Dombroskie. "You’re trying to limit the damage, but the damage is there to stay wherever that species has become established."

In her own backyard, Dombroskie has found jumping worms, which can destroy the duff layer of soil by turning it into a granule, easily erodible substance. The duff layer of soil is a fundamental part of the ecosystem where tree seeds are established and is essential for forest regeneration.

"Something as minuscule as a worm can have a cascading effect," said Dombroskie.

Conservationists have seen measurable success in invasive species containment and eradication. One example is the containment of hydrilla, a hardy, fast-growing aquatic plant first found in the Cayuga Lake watershed in August 2011 by a Floating Classroom volunteer. Hydrilla infestations are considered a serious ecological threat that can lead to depleted oxygen levels, fish kills and clogged waterways. Hydrilla can also contribute to harmful algae blooms (HABs).

While herbicide treatments were used to stop the spread of hydrilla in Cayuga Lake, it's an ongoing effort dependent on public awareness. All boaters should clean their watercraft thoroughly, while interested volunteers can receive training from Cayuga Lake Watershed Network on how to recognize and report hydrilla.

"Community-based monitoring to catch new infestations is the most important thing to keep it from spreading up and down the shoreline," said Liz Kreitinger, Steward/Executive Director of the Cayuga Lake Watershed Network.

Stopping the spread of invasive terrestrial species is also dependent on community efforts.

"The key to preventing the spread of invasive species is clean your shoes to make sure you are not transmitting seeds from one place to another," said Elise Edwards, ecologist and associate member of the conservation board.

The Town of Ithaca's Conversation Board has been working with the town's parks manager and public works department to not just contain or remove invasive species, but to replace them with native species.

The East Hill and South Hill rec ways are the biggest and most visible invasive species eradication projects undertaken by the town, noted Michael Smith, Town of Ithaca senior planner. Both popular trails were thick with a variety of destructive invasive plants, with honeysuckle being the biggest problem.

Following the removal of the invasive plants, crews gradually replanted with native plants, trees and shrubs. Maples, oaks and shrubs were planted to start repopulating the area with a variety of native species.

"Nature is not natural anymore. You have to garden it," said Hamilton. "If not, you will end up with a toxic wasteland."

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