What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm

Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership

Home
United States
Arkville, NY
Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership

The Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP), hosted by the Catskill Center CRISP is hosted by the Catskill Center.

Our mission is to promote education, prevention, early detection and control of invasive species to limit their impact on the ecosystems and economies of the Catskills. We are one of eight Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISM) in New York State. For more information about the Catskill Center and the work that the organization does throughout the Catskill region in stewardship, collaboration and inspiration, please visit www.catskillcenter.org

09/01/2026

🌿 Beauty can be deceiving.

Those delicate sprays of white flowers popping up along Catskills roadsides, streambanks, and other disturbed areas may look beautiful—but they could belong to invasive Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica).

Japanese knotweed flowers in late summer, making this a great time to learn how to spot it.

Look for:
• Clusters of small, creamy-white flowers
• Broad, heart- or shovel-shaped leaves
• Hollow, bamboo-like stems
• Dense patches that can quickly take over an area

Originally introduced as an ornamental plant, Japanese knotweed can form dense stands that crowd out native vegetation and reduce habitat diversity. It’s also notoriously difficult to manage because even small pieces of its underground stems can potentially start new plants.

🌱 If you spot Japanese knotweed, don’t pull or cut it without a management plan—you could unintentionally help it spread.

Visit our website to learn more about Japanese knotweed and best management practices: https://www.catskillinvasives.com/knotweed

📍Take photos and report your observation to iMapInvasives to help track its distribution across New York.

Sometimes even the prettiest plants can cause big problems for our native ecosystems.

08/31/2026

🌿 How do we stop mile-a-minute from living up to its name?

Join the Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP) for a special research field trip exploring how researchers are working to find the most effective ways to manage mile-a-minute (Persicaria perfoliata), a fast-growing invasive plant spreading throughout the Catskill region.

📅 Wednesday, September 9
⏰ 11:00 AM–12:00 PM
📍 Napanoch, NY

Catskill Science Collaborative Research Fellow Kass Cerny and mentor Bryan Brown, Ph.D., from Cornell Integrated Pest Management are partnering with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection to study six different mile-a-minute treatment methods.

During the field trip, we’ll visit the research site, explore results from the first year of the study, and learn more about how CRISP and our partners are working to understand and control this invasive plant before it spreads further throughout the Catskills.

🔗 Space is limited! Register: https://givebutter.com/Research-Field-Trip-Establishing-Best-Management-Practices-for-Mile-a-Minute

This project is supported by the Catskill Science Collaborative Research Fellowship Program and funded in part by the New York State Environmental Protection Fund through a grant administered by the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation Invasive Species Grant Program

08/26/2026

🐟 Round Goby or Native Sculpin? Know the Difference!

Round gobies are often mistaken for native sculpins because both are small, bottom-dwelling fish with broad heads and mottled coloring. Fortunately, there's an easy way to tell them apart.

🔍 Look at the pelvic fins:
• Round goby: The pelvic fins are fused together, forming a suction cup that helps the fish cling to rocks.
• Native sculpin: The pelvic fins are separate.

Knowing the difference helps protect native species while ensuring invasive fish are reported accurately. If you think you've found a round goby, take clear photos and report your observation through iMapInvasives.

Early detection is one of the best tools we have for protecting the Catskills' waterways. 💙

For more information, visit:https://dec.ny.gov/nature/animals-fish-plants/round-goby

Photo Credit
1-Eric Engbretson, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bugwood.org
2- Friends of the Rouge.https://therouge.org/creature-feature-round-goby/
3 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slimy_sculpin

08/24/2026

🐟 Invasive Species Spotlight: Round Goby
Round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) are invasive, bottom-dwelling fish native to Europe and western Asia. They are now established throughout the Great Lakes and the Hudson River, where they compete with native fish for food and habitat.

Although round gobies have not become established throughout the Catskills, preventing their spread and detecting new populations early are key to protecting our waterways.

🎣 If you’re fishing or boating, you can help:

• Never use round gobies as bait.
• Never release unused bait into the water.
• Clean, drain, and dry your boat and fishing gear before visiting another waterbody.
• If you think you’ve found a round goby, take photos and report your observation through iMapInvasives.

Small actions can make a big difference in keeping invasive species out of Catskills lakes, rivers, and streams. 💧

Learn more about round gobies and how you can help:
catskillinvasives.com/round-goby

08/18/2026

🌳 Have you noticed beech trees with curled, darkened leaves in the Catskills?

It could be Beech Leaf Disease (BLD), an emerging forest disease that is affecting American beech trees throughout New York and much of the Northeast.

One of the earliest signs is dark green bands between the leaf veins, giving the leaves a striped appearance. As the disease progresses, leaves become thickened, curled, and leathery, and trees may develop thinning canopies. Over time, repeated infections can weaken and even kill beech trees.

American beech trees play an important role in Catskill forests, providing food and habitat for wildlife and helping maintain healthy forest ecosystems.

If you think you've found a tree with Beech Leaf Disease, take clear photos of the leaves and report your observation through the New York iMapInvasives app or website. Even if you don't find Beech Leaf Disease, reporting where you looked but did not detect it is also valuable. Both detections and non-detections help scientists and land managers better understand where the disease is spreading—and where forests remain healthy.

Learn more about Beech Leaf Disease and how to identify it:
https://dec.ny.gov/nature/forests-trees/forest-health/beech-leaf-disease

Together, we can help monitor the health of the Catskills' forests. 💚

08/17/2026

🌳 Protect the Trees: Historical Lineage of Invasive Species

Help protect the next generation of Catskill forests.

Join the Catskill Center’s Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP) for a hands-on volunteer event where you'll work in an off-trail area installing protective tree tubes around native saplings planted earlier this season.

You'll learn proper tool use and safety techniques from the CRISP team, then wrap up the day with a discussion exploring the historical pathways that introduced invasive species to the Catskills and how those decisions continue to shape our forests today.

📅 Tuesday, August 25
🕘 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Ashokan Rail Trail, Shokan, NY

Click hereto register today: https://givebutter.com/protect-the-trees-Historical-Lineage-of-Invasive-Species

08/13/2026

🌲 Why do we plant fast-growing native trees after removing invasive species?

When invasive plants are removed, they leave behind open space. If that space is left empty for too long, invasive species can quickly return.

That's why we often plant fast-growing native trees, like White Pine, to help jumpstart the recovery process. These trees establish quickly, provide shade, stabilize the soil, and create conditions that make it harder for many invasive plants to regain a foothold.

By giving native species a head start, we're helping restore healthy forests that can better support wildlife, improve habitat, and become more resilient over time.

Restoration isn't just about removing invasive plants. It's also about helping native ecosystems recover. 🌿💚

Check out our volunteer opportunities to help these native trees thrive through the link in our bio or visit:https://www.catskillinvasives.com/events

08/12/2026

Thank you to everyone who attended, presented, and helped make the Catskills Invasive Species Early Career Development & Networking Event such a success!

We were thrilled to welcome nearly 50 students, early-career professionals, and partners for a day of learning, networking, and career development. Thank you to all of our speakers, panelists, workshop leaders, tabling organizations, and volunteers for sharing your expertise, career advice, and encouragement with the next generation of conservation professionals.

From engaging presentations and a career panel to networking activities, resume reviews, and mock interviews, the day was filled with valuable connections and practical advice for anyone interested in a career in invasive species management and natural resource conservation.

We're grateful to everyone who helped make this event possible and look forward to continuing to support the next generation of conservation leaders.

Interested in internships and career opportunities in invasive species management? Visit CRISP's Internship Opportunities page to learn more:https://www.catskillinvasives.com/internship-opportunities-in-the-catskills

08/10/2026

🔴 Spotted Lanternfly Update: Fourth Instars Are Here

Spotted lanternflies have reached their fourth nymph stage, the final stage before becoming adults. These bright red, black, and white nymphs are much easier to spot than the younger black-and-white stages.

If you see spotted lanternflies in the Catskills, please report them through NYiMapInvasives. Your observations help CRISP track new infestations and respond more effectively to protect forests, farms, and local communities.

Spotted lanternflies spread easily by hitchhiking on vehicles, outdoor gear, and other items, so checking your belongings before traveling can help slow their spread.

How you can help:
• Report sightings through iMapInvasives.
• Check your vehicle, outdoor gear, and other belongings before traveling.
• If you find spotted lanternflies on your property, remove them when it's safe to do so.

Learn more about spotted lanternfly identification, impacts, and reporting:
https://www.catskillinvasives.com/spottedlanternfly

Together, we can help slow the spread of this invasive insect. 💚

Photo Credit 1- USDA-APHIS

08/05/2026

🌳 Protect the Trees: Invasive Species Through the Seasons 🌿

Healthy forests need healthy young trees and you can help.

Join the Catskill Center’s Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership (CRISP) for a hands-on volunteer event where you'll help install protective tree tubes around native saplings planted earlier this season to reduce deer browsing, while learning proper tool use and safety techniques from the CRISP team. After the volunteer work, we'll explore how invasive species change throughout the seasons and learn how to identify them at different stages of growth.

Whether you're new to invasive species management or looking to build your identification skills, this is a great opportunity to make a lasting impact on local forests while learning alongside CRISP staff.

📅 Friday, August 14
🕘 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM
📍 Ashokan Rail Trail, Shokan, NY

Register today : https://givebutter.com/Protect-the-Trees-Invasive-Species-Through-the-Seasons

Address

43355 State Highway 28
Arkville, NY
12406

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+18455862611

Website

http://www.catskillinvasives.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organization

Send a message to Catskill Regional Invasive Species Partnership:

Want your organization to be the top-listed Government Service in Arkville?