Adirondack Mountain Club workers inspect the bark of an eastern hemlock tree in March 2015 near the Adirondak Loj, outside of Lake Placid, for signs of hemlock woolly adelgid, an invasive insect that’s decimating hemlock stands in other regions. (Enterprise photo — Shaun Kittle)

KEENE VALLEY — The Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program is hosting five new education events to be held January through April related to invasive species threats to habitat integrity and the economies of Adirondack communities.

The public’s help is needed to map and manage invasive species on land and in water across the region, and APIPP can sharpen people’s skills to join the effort.

The discovery in 2020 of two emerging forest pests inside of the Adirondack Blue Line, hemlock woolly adelgid and emerald ash borer, spurred swift action to understand the scope of current infestations and public and private partners deploy rapid response treatment across hundreds of acres. APIPP’s Winter Learning Series reflects these emerging conservation pressures and invites homeowners, recreationalists, local businesses, woodlot owners, forestry professionals, gardeners and those interested in citizen science to be on the lookout for, prevent the spread of and manage invasive species threatening North Country ecosystems and economic sectors.

The series explores a wide range of topics to prepare for the season ahead including controlling emerald ash borer on private lands, scouting for hemlock woolly adelgid while insects are less active, preventing the spread of invasive species when early season angling, and creating beautiful home gardens with native plants.

Partnering with the Adirondack Mountain Club, Capital Region PRISM, iMapInvasives, Lake George Land Conservancy, the Native Plant Trust, the New York State Hemlock Initiative at Cornell University, and St. Lawrence Soil and Water Conservation District, participants will hear from a broad coalition of knowledgeable partners who are committed to maintaining biodiversity and economic health in the Adirondacks.

All workshops are free and hosted online over Zoom in order to comply with COVID-19 safety guidelines. Registration is required, and all RSVP details are available on APIPP’s website at www.ADKinvasives.com/Events.