The 2019 Watercraft Inspection educational webinar series developed by New York Sea Grant and featuring coastal science and AIS specialists begins on January 17. Credit: NYSG.

Early February 2019 Update: You can stream each of the Webinars in the series below.

NY Sea Grant Watercraft Inspection Webinar Series Starts January 17

Contact:

Mary Austerman, New York Sea Grant Coastal Community Development Specialist, P: 315-331-8415 x121, E: mp357@cornell.edu

Kara Lynn Dunn, Publicist, P: 315-465-7578, E: karalynn@gisco.net


Newark, NY, December 13, 2018 - Newark, N.Y.  The 2019 edition of the Watercraft Inspection Program Leader educational webinar series developed by New York Sea Grant and featuring coastal science and AIS specialists begins on January 17 and will connect participants from multiple states.
 
Four sessions in the webinar series will address issues associated with recreational boating as a key pathway in the spread of aquatic invasive species (AIS), making watercraft inspection a critical contributor to limiting the spread of AIS among the more than 7,000 lakes, ponds and rivers in New York state and waters elsewhere.

Participants can join any or all of the one-hour-long, free-access webinars available from 10 am to 11 am. Register and contact New York Sea Grant for more information at 315-331-8415, www.nyseagrant.org/watercraftinspection.

“Watercraft inspection and the associated steward programs are critical components in protecting aquatic ecosystems and water quality. This webinar series brings program leaders together in an educational forum to learn from respected experts and to share their own valuable experiences,” said Mary Austerman, Community Development Specialist with New York Sea Grant and author of the New York State Watercraft Inspection Steward Program Handbook.

The 2019 New York Sea Grant Watercraft Inspection Program Leader Webinar Series schedule is as follows:

• Thursday, January 17: "Applying Behavioral Psychology to Stop AIS: Learn the fundamentals of creating behavior change through simple and proven methods of applied behavioral psychology."
  Presenter: Ken Donnelly, president, Beyond Attitude Consulting.
  
  
  
  
• Thursday, January 24: "NY Watercraft Inspection Steward Program Application 2018 Data Overview: Methods, Statistics, Analysis: Learn the latest information about a real-time data collection tool launched in New York State in 2017 to track and analyze AIS trends to aid prevention, education and response statewide."
  Presenters: Cathy McGlynn, Ph.D., Aquatic Invasive Species Coordinator, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation; and John Marino, GIS Applications Developer, and Forest Swaciak, Intern, New York Natural Heritage Program iMapInvasives Project Team.
  
  
  
  
• Thursday, January 31: "Assessing the Risk of Future Aquatic Invasive Species Establishment in a Changing World: Using projected changes to temperatures and precipitation patterns in Pennsylvania as new and complex challenges to those working in aquatic invasive species management, learn a process for assessing the risk of new AIS establishment under these climate scenarios and species that have already become threats."
  Presenter: Sara Stahlman, Extension Leader, Pennsylvania Sea Grant.
  
  
  
  
• Thursday, February 7: "Dealing with the Public: Handling Harassment and Other Issues: Learn how training, awareness, and strong support from management serve as critical tools to keep watershed stewards safe throughout the boating season."
  Presenter: Sue O’Reilly, Data Manager, Adirondack Watershed Institute at Paul Smith’s College.
  
  

More Info: Watercraft Inspection Series

This continuing webinar series offers watercraft inspection program leaders and those interested in developing a program the opportunity to learn about exciting, recent advances in aquatic invasive science.

Watercraft inspection is an effective mechanism for public education  about ecologically harmful aquatic invasive species. The standardizing of data collection by watercraft inspection programs across New York is enhancing the efficiency and efficacy of aquatic invasive species reporting, and encourages citizen stewardship of valuable water resources statewide.

This is the fourth watercraft inspection program development seminar series developed by New York Sea Grant. The New York Sea Grant Watercraft Inspection Webinar Series since 2015 is online at www.nyseagrant.org/watercraftinspection.

More Info: New York Sea Grant

New York Sea Grant (NYSG), a cooperative program of Cornell University and the State University of New York (SUNY), is one of 33 university-based programs under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Sea Grant College Program.

Since 1971, NYSG has represented a statewide network of integrated research, education and extension services promoting coastal community economic vitality, environmental sustainability and citizen awareness and understanding about the State’s marine and Great Lakes resources.

Through NYSG’s efforts, the combined talents of university scientists and extension specialists help develop and transfer science-based information to many coastal user groups—businesses and industries, federal, state and local government decision-makers and agency managers, educators, the media and the interested public.

The program maintains Great Lakes offices at Cornell University, SUNY Buffalo, SUNY Oswego and the Wayne County Cooperative Extension office in Newark. In the State's marine waters, NYSG has offices at Stony Brook University in Long Island, Brooklyn College and Cornell Cooperative Extension in NYC and Kingston in the Hudson Valley.

For updates on Sea Grant activities: www.nyseagrant.org has RSS, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube links. NYSG offers a free e-list sign up via www.nyseagrant.org/nycoastlines for its flagship publication, NY Coastlines/Currents, which is published quarterly. Our program also produces an occasional e-newsletter,"NOAA Sea Grant's Social Media Review," via its blog, www.nyseagrant.org/blog.