FL-PRISM Steering Committee Agenda
Wednesday, Dec 9, 2015
9:00am-12:0am, Onanda Park, Canandaigua, NY
In attendance: Bruce Gilman (FLCC), Emily Staychock (Yates Co. CCE), Hilary Mosher (FLI), Carri Marschner (CCE), Terry
Gronwell, (HLWTF), Dorothy Gronwell (HLWTF), Web Pearsall (DEC), Lisa Cleckner (FLI), Don Cook (FLRWA), Miranda
Reid (LCPD), Chris Anderson-(NYS DOT Landscape Environmental), Rich Steele- (Construction NYS DOT)
Meeting Facilitator: Hilary R. Mosher
Meeting objective: Review RFP for next round of subcontract awards, strategic plan, work plan, and NYS DEC AIS funding
AGENDA- Steering Committee
1
Topic
Welcome, introductions, review of meeting objectives, and updates from Chair
Introductions were made with the inclusion of two new SC members. Meeting started at 9:10.
 Research conference update- this year’s conference had a strong aquatic focus with programs on
nutrient loading and invasive species. The poster session had 20 posters with a broad focus ranging
from goats used to manage invasive species to community outreach
 NEANS Panel Meeting- attended the panel meeting in Albany where many interesting items were
discussed. The VT DEC is also battling starry stonewort and Hilary connected with Ann Bove who is
interested in working together on determining the best management practices for control. Hilary
connect with Sandy Kepner and others on the panel
 GL Panel on ANS- education working group- Hilary is working on helping edit the Great Lakes Basin
brochure and will be putting together language for starry stonewort and the PRISMs as a model for
cooperative engagement
 Giant hogweed new infestation in Wayne Co. – there is a huge patch of GH recently reported to NYS
DEC. Hilary will be on a funding call on Thursday, Dec 10 to determine if there is GLRI funds to
support removal and restoration of sites in Wayne and Monroe County. The Finger Lakes region has
the most GH of all the PRISM regions and there is no capacity for the PRISM to take over this
program currently. There is funding from NYS DEC to support the GH strike team that is controlling
GH in the region
 EAB Taskforce updates. The Monroe County and CNY EAB taskforces have been meeting every few
months and discussing how to engage the community and other stakeholders. There is a question
regarding who should take the lead on the CNY EAB taskforce that is currently run by CCE Onondaga
Co. and financially supported through Cornell. Hilary will miss the meeting for the CNY task force
scheduled for Thursday, December 10, 2015 due to a conference call taking place to discuss giant
hogweed control and funding
 HWA in the Finger Lakes. Ontario Co held a conference in Naples and had ~50 people in attendance.
HWA Institute and HWA- Carri M. gave an update to the HWA management strategy for the FL
region/ Laricobius n. is ~$8/bug. Biocontrols are the better solution than using insecticides, but until
the biocontrols get established, it is best to treat our large trees now. Not many tools in the box to
control the HWA. Try to get everyone together to prioritize the trees- genetic diversity and water
quality issues. Can’t save them all. Work together with the region to prioritize which stands are
most important. Protect a great resource with limited. In Reynolds gully near Livingston Co. and in
Letchworth Park in Livingston Co. – Bruce can bring students to look into Livingston Co. to do
survey. Shows up in the bottom of the gully. A lot of gullys- more often seen at the bottom of the
gully- SE side of Hemlock Lake- nature conservancy property- accessible. Emily is now the Director
of the Master Forest Owners for the Yates Co. Landcover mapping
1|Page

2
CNY water chestnut taskforce meeting- this meeting was led by FLLOWPA to bring together
interested stakeholders to discuss funding needs. Chris Anderson (NYS DOT) discussed the potential
to use a biodigester for the materials- Lisa suggested to look into this for CNYRPB- looking at aquatic
plants- Anne Saltman- for materials Conference to Landscape Professionals- Hilary presented to a group at the Rochester Riverside
Convention Center where there were nearly 50 people in attendance.
 Benthic Matting Conference Call and resource- Cathy McGlynn will convene a group to discuss
benthic matting uses an pros and cons. Hilary to send notes to the group once this call takes place
Announcements and updates
Fast-paced roundtable of activities and updates from SC members
Emily- Keuka Lake Association had a volunteer steward program last year and they are looking to do the
same next year. Getting into winter- focus on HWA in the Yates Co. hosting a woods walk on January 23rd in
Keuka SP. As FLI- coordinating the WCS program for the FL next summer- can give 5, $6000 awards for LAeither have a FLI-trained, staffed wcs or they can subcontract for the funds who will be hired by the local LA,
or $$ can be awarded for E&O, drafting the RFP currently- will talk to individual LA, using a standard
template,
Lisa- Canandaigua Lake wcs- 2 launches inspected 14,000 boats, huge effort that went in to this program,
continue into next summer, watershed council is paying the Wcs, FLI is managing, Conesus and Canandaigua
Lakes are the 2 heaviest-used launces.- 15 access points on CL, not going after a decontamination stationSP has applied for funding so they don’t want to have competition with SP, working with HVLA looking at
role of N in HABs, NYS SEA Grant GLSB work on Cayuga Lake- benthic algae- Seneca Lake also has benthic
algae, spirogyra, cladophora, etc 5 mo. Survey, water column work, indirect connection to nutrients,
stimulates growth. Bacterial source tracking- where is the fecal coliform coming from? Lake Huron- studying
this story for a long time. Nearshore area is very important to study- need to know baseline story- Yates Co.,
updating a ramp and dock systems, The town of Middlesex is planning to refurbish one of their docks;
they’ve got a signoff on it, and it might be going through. Bruce is surprised, given the proximity to a
swimming beach.
Terry and Dorothy- conference call with new TMDL mgr- he is still coming up to speed and schedule is TBD,
went to NALMS- dominated by professional lake managers, nothing has changed, 99%- recommending alum
for nutrient reduction, more than one consultants- deal with external load first, but it would need 50 years
to see changes in waterbodies,
Miranda- this Friday is watershed council meeting- LA will present on the wcs program, year-end numbers,
etc. $50,000 member item grant for wcs program and a boat wash station at their launch, LA is the grantee,
will receive this money, looking into a similar model to what the ADKs did, updating the invasive species
prevention and response plan, added an update from 3 years ago, public outreach plan, blue green algae
bloom was correlated with wind events rather than stream and rain events, look at what species and what
time of yearDon- rebirth of a shoreline garden, NALMS- sponsored by the NYS FOLA, algae and P loading, lots on
invasive species, Darrin Freshwater Institute- Lake George, Jefferson Project- coordinating loading whether
the bottom of the lake …. Coming up with what is going on VP of IBM has a place on Lake George, model
that the Finger Lakes can pick up on… bathymetric maps, RPI, 5 post-docs and a number of faculty for the
institute, done surveys- 92% approval ratingBruce- tomorrow field botany will turn in their voucher specimens- there might be mile-a-minute vine, NY
Flora Association show it is downstate, more info TBD. CLA purchased a new water quality probecollaboration brought together by the blue-green algae in CL, cooperative project with Nelson … green light
for next three summers- climate change will strengthen the thermal stratification- longer bouts of anoxia in
more shallow lakes, Honeoye Lake, Lars Rudstam- Oneida Lake, Cornell U., Shaffner will look at changes in
phytoplankton due to climate change,
Web- epilimnetic tows for phytoplankton, DFO- Canadian sea lamprey spawning in the damn outside of
Owasco Lake in Auburn, GLFC Sea Lamprey
2|Page
3
4
Chris- ditching and culverts being rehabbed, phragmites- saved $ in the long-run- turn a liability into an
asset where feasible, maintain for a beneficial purpose, there might be a incentive,
Rich- construction environmental concern- petroleum in right away- invasive species, etc., 4 IS regularlyloosestrife, GH, phragmites, JK, DOT takes a special emphasis on GH- assist in transportation mindset- to
deal with IS, more of an active role, keep in loop, 6 county region, see something say something, Bruce
would consider adding pale swallowwort be added to your priority spp.
Cari- to send out electronic updates from the region
Old Business
 Minutes
 RFP for next round of subcontract awards for the FL-PRISM- a review of the RFP award ensued and edits
are attached to this email. Hilary removed the language regarding Hydrilla surveys as this will be a
specific subcontract award to a team to survey for Hydrilla and starry stonewort this next summer.
 Strategic Plan- PLEASE SEND COMMENTS!
 Review of FL-PRISM 2015 Work Plan – Hilary sent this out as an email attachment, FYI
New Business

NYS DEC AIS Grant Opportunity for WCS—Conesus Lake will not be putting in for the AIS WCS- nothing
is able to be matching- LA is matchable- and staff time is matchable- already have decontamination
funds- focus on regional. A lively discussion of the opportunity ensued and what is able to be submitted,
who can apply, what are the restrictions. One area discussed would be the decontamination stations
and using car wash stations as a decontamination station. We can and should put in a proposal to use
existing infrastructure to wash boats. More information will be made after the conference call that will
be facilitiated by Hilary on Monday, December 14 at 2pm
 Review of FL-PRISM 2016 Work Plan- tabled
OTHERAdjourn
5
6
7
8
–
Next MEETING DATE/TIME: January 20, 9am, Finger Lakes Institute, Geneva, NY
Action ItemsStatus Update: Action Items
Provide edits on the draft RFP
Provide edits and comments on the strategic plan.
Tabled Items
3|Page