IPM News and Events Roundup 06/2/23
A weekly collection of IPM news, webinars, employment, funding opportunities, and more from the Northeastern IPM Center
If you have IPM-related research, events, or other IPM news you would like to have included, please email Jerrie Haines at jlh472@cornell.edu. If you would like to subscribe to the weekly Roundup, please email northeastipm@cornell.edu. Past Roundups are archived on our website.
Connect with the Northeastern IPM Center
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Check out these up-coming training opportunities for housing and pest control professionals.
Eliminate Cockroaches from Affordable Housing with Assessment-Based Pest Management
Join StopPests in Housing on June 6th, 2023, 1:00-2:15pm Eastern to hear from Virginia Tech’s pest management expert, Dr. Dini Miller, on how assessment-based pest management works and how housing professionals can use this information to improve pest control in their buildings and developments. Dr. Miller has dedicated the greater part of her career in studying and promoting effective pest management practices. She’ll share what her years of research, and field studies in public housing have revealed and why she’s certain with effort and the right tools we can eliminate most cockroach infestations even chronic infestations in homes with sanitation issues. Join us for this informative talk for housing and pest management professionals and stick around for the last 15 minutes to listen to Dr. Miller answer your questions.
Register for the webinar here.
Questions? Email stoppests@cornell.edu
Online Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Course Coming in June, 2023
The IPM in Multifamily Housing Course is offered to help housing professionals provide safe and effective pest control in their communities.
Register for the June 2023 course here
Schedule
All Sessions will be approximately 90 minutes depending on participation. We have scheduled 2 hours for each session to allow for questions and discussions. These webinars are interactive, including polls, chats and Q&A.
June 8 Session 1: Introduction to IPM and Pesticide Use
June 15 Session 2: Cockroaches
June 22 Session 3: Rodents
June 29 Session 4: Bed Bugs
Check your time zone! All sessions will be held:
- 1:00pm - 3:00pm Eastern
- 12:00pm - 2:00pm Central
- 11:00am - 1:00pm Mountain
- 10:00am - 12:00pm Pacific
The course covers:
- the biology, behavior and health risks of the major pests of housing (bed bugs, cockroaches and rodents);
- how to effectively manage pests within a housing community with the least risk of pesticide exposure for residents and staff;
- and how to troubleshoot pest control failures.
***this course is also offered on-site, in-person. Reach out to us for more information.
Attend all 4 sessions and pass the quiz to earn your IPM in Multifamily Housing Certificate of completion! For more information about online or in-person training visit www.stoppests.org
StopPests in Housing is a program of Cornell University’s Northeastern IPM Center. We receive funding from HUD’s Office of Lead Hazard Control and Healthy Homes to provide free pest management training and technical assistance to HUD-assisted properties.
In 2022, the Northeastern IPM Center launched a series of webinars to highlight and foster diversity in IPM. We have invited presenters from historically marginalized groups to discuss topics related to their research, or to share their perspectives on overcoming barriers and succeeding in their chosen profession.
Please join us for the next webinar in our series:
Promoting LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in the IPM Field: Perspectives from IPM Professionals with:
Kim Skyrm (he/him), Chief Apiary Inspector at Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) and East Director for the Apiary Inspectors of America (AIA),
John McMullen (they/he), Postdoctoral Fellow at Indiana University Bloomington ,
Samantha Bosco (she/they), Oak Ridge Institute of Science and Education postdoctoral fellow at National Agroforestry Center (NAC),
Mary Centrella (she/her), Director of the Cornell Cooperative Extension Pesticide Safety Education Program (CCE-PSEP)
June 20, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. (Eastern)
Register at cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_lytxoycDQeWn9XgEvLBDGw
To learn more, or to view recordings of past webinars in the series, visit www.northeastipm.org/ipm-in-action/deij-in-ipm/
Research
Larger pollen loads increase risk of heat stress in foraging bumblebees (royalsocietypublishing.org)
Global declines in bumblebee populations are linked to climate change, but specific mechanisms imposing thermal stress on these species are poorly known. Here we examine the potential for heat stress in workers foraging for pollen, an essential resource for colony development. Laboratory studies have shown that pollen foraging causes increased thoracic temperatures (Tth) in bees, but this effect has not been examined in bumblebees nor in real-world foraging situations.
Global change, global trade, and the next wave of plant invasions (esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
Many non-native plants in the US have become problematic invaders of native and managed ecosystems, but a new generation of invasive species may be at our doorstep. Here, we review trends in the horticultural trade and invasion patterns of previously introduced species and show that novel species introductions from emerging horticultural trade partners are likely to rapidly increase invasion risk. At the same time, climate change and water restrictions are increasing demand for new types of species adapted to warm and dry environments. This confluence of forces could expose the US to a range of new invasive species, including many from tropical and semiarid Africa as well as the Middle East. Risk assessment strategies have proven successful elsewhere at identifying and preventing invasions, although some modifications are needed to address emerging threats. Now is the time to implement horticulture import screening measures to prevent this new wave of plant invasions.
Systemic veterinary drugs for control of the common bed bug, Cimex lectularius, in poultry farms (parasitesandvectors.biomedcentral.com)
The common bed bug, Cimex lectularius L., is a hematophagous ectoparasite that was a common pest in poultry farms through the 1960s. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and organophosphates eradicated most infestations, but concurrent with their global resurgence as human ectoparasites, infestations of bed bugs have been reappearing in poultry farms. Although the impact of bed bugs on chicken health has not been quantified, frequent biting and blood-feeding are expected to cause stress, infections and even anemia in birds. Bed bug control options are limited due to the sensitive nature of the poultry environment, limited products labeled for bed bug control and resistance of bed bug populations to a broad spectrum of active ingredients. Veterinary drugs are commonly used to control endo- and ectoparasites in animals. In this study, we evaluated the effects of two common veterinary drugs on bed bugs by treating the host with systemic antiparasitic drugs.
Pollinator Deficits, Food Consumption, and Consequences for Human Health: A Modeling Study (ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi)
Animal pollination supports agricultural production for many healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes, that provide key nutrients and protect against noncommunicable disease. Today, most crops receive suboptimal pollination because of limited abundance and diversity of pollinating insects. Animal pollinators are currently suffering owing to a host of direct and indirect anthropogenic pressures: land-use change, intensive farming techniques, harmful pesticides, nutritional stress, and climate change, among others.
Research in the News
The Center for Pollinator Research (pollinators.psu.edu)
Advancing Pollinator Health and Conservation through Research
The Center for Pollinator Research comprises a dynamic group of more than 40 independent faculty, including researchers, educators, extension specialists and outreach coordinators, spanning multiple departments and colleges.
Prevent Spotted Lanternfly From Spreading: A Checklist for Travelers (extension.psu.edu)
This invasive and destructive pest threatens Pennsylvania's agricultural commodities and trade, has a healthy appetite for our plants, and can be a significant nuisance to our quality of life and enjoyment of the outdoors. Use this checklist to help stop the invasion!
Other News
North Central IPM Center Updates
Tick webinar, tick news, tick resources,
Early season pests in the Midwest in 2023
APHIS Establishes a Quarantine for Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) in Michigan (aphis.usda.gov)
Subject: APHIS Establishes a Quarantine for Box Tree Moth (Cydalima perspectalis) in Michigan
To: State, Tribal, and Territory Agricultural Regulatory Officials
Effective immediately, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), in cooperation with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), is establishing a quarantine for the box tree moth (BTM) in all of Lenawee and Washtenaw Counties and parts of Jackson and Monroe Counties, Michigan.
Can a cockroach be cute? Meet the tawny field cockroach (blogs.cornell.edu)
The tawny field cockroach, also known as the Mediterranean spotted cockroach (species name Ectobius pallidus), is native to southern Britain, France and Western Europe. It has been introduced to other parts of the world including North America, where it was first identified on the coast of Massachusetts in 1948. Although this species is not native, it is not identified as an invasive species, because it is not known to cause harm to its new habitats or other species.
More than 90% of Calif. pot farms infected with ‘severe’ pathogen (sfgate.com)
An infectious pathogen inside California’s pot farms is attacking cannabis plants and growing invisibly for months only to spoil a crop just as a farmer is ready to harvest. Scientists believe that it’s in nearly every pot farm in the state and could be causing billions of dollars in damages to the national weed economy.
Lethal Disease Spreading Rapidly Through PA Trees: How To Spot It (patch.com)
Millions of beech trees provide shade to Pennsylvania streets, cover forests, and provide food sources for local wildlife. But an emerging threat that could be even more damaging to the ecosystem than the spotted lanternfly is killing these trees, experts say.
The lethal Beech Leaf Disease (BLD) affects both young and mature American beech trees, and can kill a mature tree in six to 10 years. Younger trees may die quicker than that.
Slightly Off the IPM Path
Merlin milestone: App now helps ID birds worldwide (news.cornell.edu)
The free Merlin Bird ID app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology just hit a major milestone: The digital field guide and ID assistant can now help users identify birds in any country – a grand total of 10,315 species. Merlin provides detailed descriptions, photos and sounds of each bird, and innovative features to help users identify what they saw. “The original idea for Merlin was all about helping you figure out, ‘What’s that bird I’m seeing?’ in a quick and simple way,” said Jessie Barry, program manager of the Macaulay Library at the Cornell Lab. “With this newest update, anyone anywhere in the world can now use Merlin to learn about the birds around them.”
Virtual Outreach: How Students Bring an Insect Zoo to an Entire State (entomologytoday.org)
The Kansas State University Insect Zoo was born from a need to meet the demands of our community. In the 1990s, Sonny Ramaswamy, Ph.D., then head of the K-State Department of Entomology, and associate professor Ralph Charlton, Ph.D., had a vision for an old limestone barn storage room at the University Gardens. Over several years, and with the help of several donors, this space was transformed into a facility capable of showcasing arthropods for visitors of all ages. From 2006 to 2017, the zoo had an average of 8,000 visitors a year and a modest admission fee to sustain operations.
Volunteers Needed
Summer is around the corner, and we need your help in saving our natural spaces. FL PRISM is calling volunteers to register for the Macrophyte Survey Program (MSP) and Trail Survey Program (TSP). Data collected by volunteers during these community science-based surveys helps us and our partner organizations monitor invasive species populations across the region as well as guide management initiatives. We let you survey on YOUR schedule. Training and tools provided at no cost. Get active, go outdoors, and help us protect the environment! (Please distribute to your networks - link to fliers below)
Ready to help protect our waters? Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/TmyVKJVc1UKjfk9D6 or email Aquatic Invasive Program Manager: aslentz@hws.edu
Ready to help protect our lands? Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/fWJu7HqNLQKsAuAZ7 or email Terrestrial Invasive Program Manager: gallo@hws.edu
Requests for Input
2023 Pesticide Use and Resistance Survey for the Northeast
NEVBD Pesticide Resistance Monitoring Program is asking those working in state- and county-level public health and vector control agencies in the Northeast region to complete the survey to direct their program. Your participation is essential to the continuing development of the pesticide resistance monitoring program. Please note: this survey is targeting professionals working in the Northeast region specifically.
Clicking on the link below will take you to the pesticide use and resistance survey, which should only take between 10-to-15 minutes to complete and will ask questions relevant to the following subjects:
2023 Pesticide Use and IR Monitoring Survey
Background on Enlist Products
In January 2022, EPA completed a comprehensive ecological risk assessment for 2,4-D choline salt (2,4-D), an active ingredient in both Enlist products, and glyphosate dimethylammonium salt (glyphosate), an active ingredient in Enlist Duo. EPA also completed a BE for both Enlist products’ potential effects on listed species and their critical habitats, as well as an evaluation of mitigations that are already included on Enlist One and Enlist Duo labels to address listed species concerns. This evaluation was completed as part of EPA’s efforts to meet its obligations under the ESA. EPA determined in its BE that the use of Enlist One and Enlist Duo are “likely to adversely affect” (LAA) some listed species, but predicted that such use will not lead to jeopardy to listed species or to the adverse modification of critical habitats.
An LAA determination means that EPA reasonably expects that at least one individual of any listed species may be exposed to a chemical at a sufficient level to have an adverse effect. This is the case even if a listed species is almost recovered to a point where it may no longer need to be listed. The likely “take,” which includes unintentional harm or death, of even one individual of a species, is enough to trigger such a determination. As a result, there are often a high number of LAA determinations. An LAA determination, however, does not necessarily mean that a pesticide is putting a species in jeopardy.
EPA initiated consultation with FWS upon completion of the BE for Enlist products. During consultation with FWS, EPA provided additional analyses to support the BiOp. The conclusions of the 2022 BE identified 112 listed species and 38 critical habitats as LAA. During consultation, EPA considered additional lines of evidence (e.g., life-history, species distribution, likelihood and magnitude of plant effects, and impacts of required runoff mitigations) resulting in a revised determination that only 22 species and five designated critical habitats remained designated as LAA.
Draft Biological Opinion
The draft BiOp released is the result of EPA’s consultation with FWS. The document contains preliminary findings from FWS that the use of Enlist products, as specified in the approved product labels, are not likely to jeopardize any listed species or adversely modify their critical habitats.
The draft BiOp describes measures to minimize potential exposure and effects to listed species and also accounts for measures that are included as part of the registration decision that are intended to ensure that Enlist products are not likely to jeopardize listed species or adversely modify critical habitats. It also includes actions EPA must take to minimize incidental take to listed species and critical habitats, such as the development of ESA educational materials, reporting of label compliance monitoring, and inclusion of label information about ecological incident reporting.
EPA is particularly interested in feedback on the feasibility of the conservation measures that are intended to further reduce movement of Enlist One and Enlist Duo off of treated fields after application.
Next Steps
After the 60-day public comment period, EPA will provide FWS with the comments for its consideration before it finalizes the BiOp. The issuance of the final BiOp is the last step in EPA’s formal consultation process with FWS. Once FWS issues its final BiOp, EPA will work with the registrants to implement it.
The draft BiOp is available for public comment in docket EPA-HQ-OPP-2021-0957.
Click here to submit a public comment to the docket
IR-4 Grower & Extension Survey
This biennial survey is the best way to tell us generally and specifically what disease, pest, and weed problems you face that you have a difficult time managing because you do not have sufficient management tools. Please fill out this Grower & Extension Survey which you may complete anonymously below! Please make sure you click on ‘Submit’ after the last question to send your completed survey. Alternatively, please download, print and complete this form before mailing it to us.
The deadline for submitting a survey for 2024/2025 research is September 1, 2023.
Webinars, Seminars, Meetings, and More
What’s Bugging You? First Friday Events (New York State IPM Program)
Fridays | 12:00 pm. – 12:30 p.m. EDT | Zoom | Free; registration required
In this monthly virtual series, we explore timely topics to help you use integrated pest management (IPM) to avoid pest problems and promote a healthy environment where you live, work, learn and play. What is IPM? It's a wholistic approach that uses different tools and practices to not only reduce pest problems, but to also address the reasons why pests are there in the first place. Each month, our speakers will share practical information about how you can use IPM.
2023 What’s Bugging You First Friday Schedule
Join us Live on the first Friday of every month from Noon to 12:30 EST on Zoom.
- June 2: Common Garden insects | Poison ivy management
- July 7: Pest of home berry plants | Spiders in the home
- August 4: Groundhog management | Bat exclusion
- September 1: Right plant, right place | Transplanting trees/shrubs
- October 6: Jumping worms | Roof gutter pests
- November 3: Winter Garden prep | Tick check reminder
- December 1: Houseplant IPM | Firewood pests
Register for upcoming events before our session on June 2, 2023.
What’s Bugging You First Friday events are in Spanish this year. Individuals interested in these events can find more information on this website: https://cals.cornell.edu/new-york-state-integrated-pest-management/outreach-education/events/whats-bugging-you-webinars/conozca-su-plaga
And can register using this form: https://cornell.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3OQDpakcGrSd3tc
NC RISCC spring 2023 webinar series. This virtual series aims to 1) introduce community members to different existing decision support tools to manage invasive species in a changing climate and 2) gather community input to inform the development of new tools. Advanced registration is required to attend the webinars. Register here.
Amy Wray (USGS)
June 2, 2023, 10 - 11 am MT
Tool overview: The final webinar will introduce a new system that is in development - an online portal that will house existing tools and datasets to aid invasive species management - from species distribution models to occurrence data and more. This centralized hub will facilitate early detection and rapid response to biological threats across the US.
Speaker bio:
Amy Wray is a Biologist and Technical Outreach Coordinator at the USGS Fort Collins Science Center, working on the National Early Detection Rapid Response Information System. She is originally from San Diego, CA, and completed her PhD in Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Amy was a postdoc and lab manager at the University of Wyoming before relocating to Colorado, and her previous research interests focused on wildlife disease and community ecology.
Sustainable Landscapes and Integrated Pest Management
Learn how to create a more sustainable, environmentally friendly landscape while reducing the impacts of pests during NYSIPM’s 2023 Annual Conference. Speakers will provide insight and instruction on incorporating sustainability and trusted IPM strategies to create landscapes that combine ecological, climate and societal considerations to achieve a more beautiful space with less work.
Event date: Thursday - June 15, 2023
State of the Science Webinar: Ecological Restoration and the Northeast Seed Network
New York Invasive Species Awareness Week (NYISAW) for our next State of the Science webinar on the topic of restoration. Our featured speakers will include James Aronson and Eve Allen of the Ecological Health Network. James Aronson is a long-time restoration practitioner with four decades of experience in the field, is a Co-Founder of the Ecological Health Network and Emeritus senior scientist at Missouri Botanical Garden. Even Allen is the Program Director of Northeast Initiatives at Ecological Health Network, where they are working to advance the science and practice of ecological restoration. We’re excited to bring together expertise on this topic, so stay tuned for details and registration in the coming weeks!
June 9 @ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Register here: https://cornell.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_pra6lyfBQwi9VpR4RNWF5w
Bilingual Pesticide Labeling National Webinar
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is hosting a public webinar on Thursday, June 15, 2023, from 5:00pm to 7:00pm EST to obtain input from the public on ways to make bilingual pesticide labeling accessible to farmworkers as required by the Pesticide Registration Improvement Act of 2022 (PRIA 5).
The majority of our nation’s two million farmworkers speak Spanish. This effort will advance environmental justice by ensuring those farmworkers have access to important health and safety information on pesticide labels in their native language. During the webinar, EPA will provide a brief overview of the PRIA 5 requirements on bilingual pesticide labeling and milestones. PRIA 5 amended the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act, requiring Spanish language translation for key health and safety sections of the end-use pesticide product labels where the translation is available in the EPA Spanish Translation Guide for Pesticide Labeling. The Spanish language translation must appear on the pesticide product container or on a link to the translation via scannable technology or other electronic methods readily accessible on the product label. These translations are required on a rolling schedule from December 2025 to December 2030 depending on the type of product and the toxicity category. PRIA 5 also requires EPA to begin to seek stakeholder input on ways to make bilingual pesticide labeling accessible to farmworkers by June 30, 2023, and to implement a plan to ensure that farmworkers have access to the bilingual pesticide labeling by December 2025.
As EPA determines the next steps in developing a plan to make bilingual pesticide labels accessible to farmworkers, the Agency is interested in feedback on the following items.
- What communication approaches, processes or strategies should the Agency consider to ensure bilingual pesticide labels are accessible to farmworkers?? What specific approaches should the Agency avoid or adopt when implementing efforts to best ensure access by farmworkers to bilingual pesticide labels?
- What technologies, mobile applications, and internet access should the Agency consider? Would web-based labels be accessible to farmworkers? How should the Agency overcome internet connectivity issues that some farmworkers may face?
- How can the Agency effectively share health and safety information on pesticide labels with farmworkers? What should on-the-ground logistics look like? Which entities (e.g., community-based organizations) should the Agency work with to provide label information to farmworkers?
- As the Agency implements actions to meet this requirement, how can EPA effectively increase farmworker access to bilingual pesticide labels (e.g., communication plans, outreach strategies)?
Attendees have two options for webinar participation – listen only or listen and speak during the webinar to provide recommendations to EPA. Speakers will have up to three minutes to provide recommendations to the Agency depending on the number of participants interested in providing remarks. Speakers must register for the event by Friday, June 9th. Attendees can register any time until the start of the webinar as a listen only participant.
Following the webinar, EPA will open a comment period for 60 days through a Federal Register Notice to obtain written input on ways to make bilingual pesticide labeling accessible to farmworkers. Further information about the public docket will be provided during the event and in future EPA announcements.
Stakeholders are encouraged to share this announcement with their networks. This webinar will be held in English with Spanish and American Sign Language interpretation services.
June 5th, 12 – 1 pm our Spring Webinar Series will culminate during NY Invasive Species Awareness Week with a presentation by Founder and Principal of Landscape Interactions Evan Abramson. Evan will be leading us through a discussion and discovery about the key role that biodiversity plays in solving the climate crisis. The team at Landscape Interactions specializes in designing landscapes and planning corridors that build biodiversity and strengthen ecological resilience to a changing climate at the ecosystems level.
Register for your virtual seat here: fingerlakesinvasives.org/2023-spring-webinar-series
NYS Invasive Species Awareness Week is June 5th to June 11th. The mission of the New York Invasive Species Awareness Week (NYISAW) is to promote knowledge and understanding of invasive species and the harm they can cause. We want to empower YOU to stop the spread of invasive species! Organizations across all of New York State are offering a variety of engaging events, such as interpretive hikes, volunteer days, webinars, movie screenings, and fun family activities! By participating in NYISAW, you can help protect your community’s natural spaces, learn about the emerging invasive species, meet your neighbors, get outdoors, and even win prizes!
See a full calendar of NYSAW events, including Finger Lakes PRISM events here: https://nyis.info/events/month/2023-06/
State of the Science: Ecological Restoration and the Northeast Seed Network
Join us during New York Invasive Species Awareness Week for a powerful pair of presentations around the topic of native plant restoration in the Northeast. Our featured speakers will include James Aronson and Eve Allen of the Ecological Health Network. James Aronson is a long-time restoration practitioner with four decades of experience in the field, is a Co-Founder of the Ecological Health Network and Emeritus senior scientist at Missouri Botanical Garden. His presentation will cover an overview of where holistic ecological restoration intersects with global efforts to remove and reduce biological invaders with a special focus on the Northeast U.S. and adjacent bioregions south and north. Eve Allen is the Program Director of Northeast Initiatives at Ecological Health Network, where they are working to advance the science and practice of ecological restoration. Eve's presentation will cover an integrative network approach that is generating solutions to commercial shortages of native seeds to create biodiverse, self-sustaining plant communities. The New York Invasive Species Research Institute is excited to bring together expertise on this topic and discuss a potential path forward to restoration challenges.
June 9, 2023, 1:00 PM in EST
Save these Dates for upcoming IR-4 Events
2023 Environmental Horticulture Workshop
The 2023 EHC Priority Setting Workshop will be held October 12-14 in Little Rock, Arkansas.
The 2023 Food Use Workshop will be held September 12 – 14 in Raleigh, NC.
2023 Industry Technology Session
The 2023 Industry Technology Session will take place virtually on Thursday, July 20.
Employment Opportunities
Greenhouse Supervisor, Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station
Cornell University
The Cornell Agricultural Experiment Station (Cornell AES) is dedicated to sustainable "science for life," in its two-core separate but related functions -- the operation of world-class research facilities throughout the state and the generation and application of research-based knowledge through the administration of federal formula grants.
The Cornell AES greenhouse operations on and around the Cornell Campus are, with 127,000 square feet, the largest non-commercial greenhouse facility in the state. The 146 compartments are primarily used as teaching and research facilities, housing 300 to 400 research projects at any given time. Plant services for all these projects are provided by the dedicated greenhouse staff, which is responsible for the setup, daily care, and maintenance.
Assistant Extension Specialist
Rutgers University
The Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics invites qualified candidates to apply for a tenure-track faculty position as an Assistant Extension Specialist (equivalent to Assistant Professor) in Farm Viability. This is a 12-month tenure track position, housed in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics. The Assistant Extension Specialist will hold a majority appointment in Rutgers Cooperative Extension and is expected to be an active member of the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics. The successful candidate is expected to develop and lead externally funded research and extension programs that support and strengthen the viability of New Jersey farms, spanning different scales, commodities, and production systems. The expected outcomes are identifying needs and providing program outreach to underserved farmers and agricultural constituencies. Programmatic emphases will include sustainable agricultural production, diversified farming systems, climate resilience, feasibility analysis, farm management and business decision-making, and the development of marketing strategies. In addition, the Specialist is expected to participate in undergraduate and/or graduate teaching and advisement of independent research projects in the field of expertise.
The SARE Fellows program provides an immersive educational experience for participants to enhance their understanding of sustainable agriculture through broad-based training and interpersonal interactions at unique agriculture operations nationwide. Participating Fellows build professional relationships, improve their teaching and technology transfer skills, and are better prepared to develop programs that meet the needs of their local agricultural communities.
Program Details
The Fellows program is a two-year commitment and participants are selected on a competitive basis. Each year, one individual from each of the four SARE regions is chosen resulting in a total of eight Fellows participating in any given year.
State-based study tours are the core of the program. The tours are three to four days long and are held every spring and fall. They occur in each region on a rotating schedule, so that each Fellow visits all four regions during their two-year program. Specific dates are chosen by the host state with input from the participants. Selected Fellows agree to participate in all four study tours over the two-year period.
After completing the program, the graduating class of Fellows facilitates a “Reading the Farm” super seminar and farm tour at the National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) annual meeting.
All travel, meal, and lodging expenses will be covered by the program. Additionally, participants receive a complete SARE library and are eligible for a $1,500 stipend after successful completion of all four study tours. Stipends must be used for program support in their own professional outreach activities, which will require a plan of work and final report.
For more information see SARE Fellows Program Eligibility and Application.
The Suffolk County Water Authority is seeking an Ecological Field Specialist to assist with the planning and implementation of ecological management and stewardship activities and projects in the Central Pine Barrens that foster biological diversity, natural resource conservation, water resource protection, and ecosystem protection and restoration, and the implementation of a scientific ecological research program.
University of Georgia
UGA-Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health-Tifton Campus
Post-Doctoral Associate
BASE ANNUAL SALARY: $53,000
GENERAL DUTIES AND REQUIREMENTS:
This Postdoctoral Research Associate position will work on mapping and modeling invasive and potentially invasive species to North America as part of a U.S. Forest Service funded project. This grant-funded position is initially funded for 19 months and could be extended if additional funding is available. The primary work will be utilizing distribution data from EDDMapS (www.eddmaps.org) and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (www.gbif.org) to model and map species distribution with variables of current and future climate, current land cover, and human population density. The position will be located in the Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health and will work closely with the Center faculty and staff.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Doctorate in a relevant discipline (e.g., invasive species, forestry, natural resource management, ecology, entomology, weed science) with expertise in data management and geospatial analysis, particularly as it relates to species modeling and distribution. Candidates will demonstrate and be committed to thriving in a highly collaborative and interdisciplinary environment and conceptualize, implement, and develop high quality/high impact interdisciplinary products.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in geospatial analysis, spatial data management, developing data visualizations and a working knowledge of coding geospatial operations (in R, Python, or other). Understand and synthesize knowledge across disciplines.
Assistant Director, Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources, Associate or Full Professor
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University Extension Assistant Director, Agriculture and Natural Resources program leader is responsible for the leadership and administration of the Ohio State University Extension's Agriculture and Natural Resources program area. The Assistant Director Agriculture and Natural Resources is responsible for the leadership of Ohio State University Extension's Agriculture and Natural Resources program area. This includes overall direction of educational programming within and across Ohio's 88 counties. The Assistant Director reports to the Director of OSU Extension and serves as a member of OSU Extension's Administrative Cabinet. Specifically, the Assistant Director provides leadership and direction for Agriculture and Natural Resources programming with emphasis on program and curriculum development; applied research; identifying potential collaboration and partnerships with universities, colleges, departments, peer agencies and industry partners; securing funding to support related activities; administrative leadership for the state Extension Agriculture and Natural Resources office; and professional development of faculty and staff.
The UMass Extension Agriculture Program has five Extension Educator positions open. If you want to use science to help Massachusetts farmers be more successful and sustainable, please apply for one or more of these opportunities to join our team! The default location for all positions is the UMass Amherst campus, with opportunities for hybrid work arrangements. Candidates who wish to be considered for more than one of the above positions need to apply for each position individually.
1 and 2. The UMass Extension Fruit Team is currently hiring one Extension Educator III (MS-level) and one Extension Educator II (BS-level). The successful candidate for the Educator III position will have expertise in tree or small fruit crop and pest management and will work with other members of the Fruit Team to provide science-based educational programming and technical assistance to commercial fruit growers in MA, and conduct applied research on relevant crop and pest management topics. Special consideration will be given to candidates with expertise in plant pathology and/or small fruit production. The Extension Educator II, which is a 24-month appointment that may be extended pending funding availability, will provide program support for the Fruit Team, assisting with educational programming, organizing grower meetings, contributing to publication of newsletters, and assisting with applied research trials. For more details please see the full position descriptions linked below.
Fruit Extension Educator III
https://careers.umass.edu/amherst/en-us/job/518181/fruit-extension-educator-iii-umass-extension
Fruit Extension Educator II
https://careers.umass.edu/amherst/en-us/job/518182/fruit-extension-educator-ii-umass-extension
3. Extension Educator III Production Agriculture
https://careers.umass.edu/amherst/en-us/job/518183/extension-educator-iii-production-agriculture
The UMass Extension Vegetable and Fruit Teams are hiring an Extension Educator III to provide cross-commodity educational programming and technical assistance for commercial vegetable and fruit growers in MA, and conduct applied research. Special consideration will be given to candidates with expertise in weed biology and management, but other cross-cutting disciplines, for example climate change and technology, will be considered. This is a 24-month appointment that may be extended pending funding availability. For more details please see the full position descriptions linked below.
4. Soil Health Extension Educator IV
https://careers.umass.edu/amherst/en-us/job/518166/extension-educator-iv-soil-health-umass-extension
The UMass Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Lab is hiring a Soil Health Educator IV who will develop and deliver recommendations to customers and educational resources relevant to soil fertility and health, with potential for some applied research projects. They will collaborate with Extension professionals across multiple teams in production agriculture, commercial horticulture, and urban agriculture. This is a MS-level position requiring significant experience, with a preference for candidates with expertise in analytical testing and practical recommendations in soil fertility and health. This is a 24-month appointment that may be extended pending funding availability. For more details please see the full position descriptions linked below.
5. Urban Agriculture Extension Educator III
UMass Extension is hiring an Urban Agriculture Educator III to join a recently hired Urban Agriculture Educator based in Newton and a soon-to-be hired Extension Faculty member at the Stockbridge School of Agriculture. The Educator will develop and deliver educational resources to support agricultural enterprises in urban areas of Massachusetts and maintain working relationships with organizations and professionals in urban agriculture and linked fields. Successful candidates will have at least a BA/BS and three years of relevant professional experience, in addition to strong multi-cultural competence and experience delivering fact-based information. This is a 24-month appointment that may be extended pending funding availability. Alternate UMass locations in Massachusetts can be discussed with the preferred candidate. For more details please see the full position descriptions linked below.
Postdoctoral Research Scientist-Horticulture/Plant Science
Penn State’s Department of Plant Science (https://plantscience.psu.edu/) is seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral Scholar to conduct research and Extension activities on Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD) within the framework of a collaborative interdisciplinary project funded by the USDA-NIFA OREI program and investigating the use of ASD for Enhancing and Advancing the Sustainability of Organic Crop Production.
Using agronomic and laboratory procedures for soil and plant analysis, the primary goal of the research will be to optimize and evaluate opportunities for integrating ASD in organic vegetable and strawberry crop systems and assess the short- and long-term impact of ASD on nutrient dynamics, soil ecology/microbiology, soilborne pests and pathogens, soil health, crop physiology and yield and quality performance.
The candidate will be supervised by Dr. Francesco Di Gioia and will be working with an interdisciplinary team of researchers with expertise in horticulture, soil microbiology, plant pathology, nematology, biogeochemistry, ecosystem science and management, and agricultural economics.
Location: Primary work location will be Penn State, University Park located at State College, in Central Pennsylvania.
Specialist - Outreach-Fixed Term
Michigan State University
The Department of Entomology at Michigan State University (MSU) invites applications for a full?time, 12 month fixed-term Academic Specialist with a 100% outreach assignment. The position start date is anticipated to be 1 July 2023. Funding is available for this position for up to three years, renewable based on program performance.
The Pesticide Safety Education Program Coordinator (PSEP) position promotes responsible decision-making and actions to protect pesticide users, public, plant and animal health, and the environment. They offer information, training, and resources for pesticide applicators and the general public. To achieve these goals, the PSEP Coordinator is expected to work closely with partners in the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), Michigan State University Extension, and industry interest groups. The PSEP Coordinator is expected to be the go-to resource within Michigan on the safe use of pesticides and to provide programing on pesticide, integrated pest management (IPM), health, safety and environmental education for the public. The audience includes growers, pest control professionals, public land managers, Master Gardeners, and others. The PSEP Coordinator is responsible for maintaining updated pesticide training manuals and materials, and they are expected to engage with relevant regulatory agencies to maintain a strong understanding of pesticide regulations. They are also expected to communicate and collaborate with PSEP Coordinators in other states through regional and national education interest groups and professional societies such as AAPSE (American Association of Pesticide Safety Educators).
A key focus area for the incoming PSEP Coordinator will be to engage with a diversity of audiences, including those that have been historically underserved. The PSEP Coordinator will be expected to be innovative and creative when developing new training programs and materials and will be encouraged to seek external funding to support these efforts. The incoming PSEP Coordinator will also be expected to facilitate technology adoption by target audiences for training and to build capacity for new technology use within MSU and partner agencies.
In addition, the PSEP Coordinator is encouraged to be a collaborative member of project teams within the Entomology and other allied departments at MSU when expertise in safe pesticide use and education is needed.
Review of applications begins June 1st, 2023
WNY PRISM Education and Outreach Assistant
The Western New York Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (WNY PRISM)
The WNY PRISM Education and Outreach Assistant will work closely with WNY PRISM staff and partners to implement and expand our education, outreach and community science programs, and will report directly to the WNY PRISM Community Science and Engagement Program Manager. Education efforts are essential to the success of the partnership and are integrated into nearly all aspects of WNY PRISM’s work. The selected candidate will help maintain the WNY PRISM social media accounts and Listserv, update and develop invasive species educational materials, prepare e-newsletters, organize and lead education events, maintain detailed records, and communicate with partners. In addition, the Education and Outreach Assistant will assist with invasive species management activities such as invasive species surveys, removal and habitat restoration projects, as needed. WNY PRISM seeks highly motivated candidates with the education and experience necessary to succeed.
WNY PRISM is a supportive and collaborative environment that will provide the opportunity to learn and work within all aspects of invasive species management. Individuals will gain valuable experience and increase their skill level in the fields of public outreach and education, program development, materials development, volunteer coordination, and invasive species management.
This is a full-time, temporary position (40 hours/week @ $17.00/hour), which starts as soon as possible and continues through September 22, 2023. The E&O Assistant will work Tuesday – Saturday, with Sunday/Monday off.
Position is open until filled and review of applications will begin immediately.
IR-4 Project Program Operations Coordinator
The IR-4 Project Program Operations Coordinator will work to ensure project objectives are met, office and meeting spaces are operated, budgets are managed and adhered to, meetings are professionally planned and executed, and support is provided to scientists to ensure on-time grant deliverables. Specific activities include but are not limited to:
- Independently manage core administrative activities (bookkeeping, human resource items, etc.);
- Provide support with student and staff hiring and onboarding;
- Track and manage resource allocation, procurement activities, and managing contracts;
- Assist with the management of project accounting, contracts, and subcontracts;
- Manage the procurement of supplies and services;
- Lead the planning and execution of logistics with the team, from contract to post-meeting surveys, professional meetings, and events;
- Overall management of project office and meeting spaces;
- Provide guidance and support with the travel needs and activities of headquarter project members, and stakeholders as needed;
- Maintain and meet project schedules and timelines;
- Generate and disseminate resources and information to stakeholders;
- Supervision of others as required;
- Must be able to travel to attend IR-4 National Meetings as required;
- Special projects.
Watercraft Inspection Steward Positions Statewide
FL PRISM recruitment for regional Watercraft Inspection Stewards is on-going. With several positions on this team still available, the Steward program affords burgeoning conservation professionals the opportunity to work outdoors on our beautiful lakeshores, help protect our regional waters, and building important interpersonal, communication, and plat ID skills. FLI/FL PRISM Stewards are paid hourly at $16.50 per hour. (Please distribute to your networks - link to flier below).
Apply today! https://www.hws.edu/offices/hr/employment/summer.aspx
NYS Parks and SUNY ESF Watercraft Steward Positions on Cayuga and Conesus Lake, Statewide. 6 positions are available at boat launch sites around the Finger Lakes, Thousand Islands, Oak Orchard, and Buffalo areas through the SUNY Research Foundation. Stewards are paid hourly at $15.65 per hour. Send a resume, cover letter, and three references in one attachment to mbroda@esd.edu, and indicate preferred work locations in cover letter.
New York State Federation of Lake Associations (NYSFOLA) are hiring an executive director. New York State Federation of Lake Associations – NYSFOLA – is a not-for-profit connecting individuals and groups dedicated to the protection and restoration of lakes across the state. Successful applicant will be responsible for developing, planning, organizing, evaluating, and directing NYSFOLA’s operations and programs, program development and policy implementation and procedures and operational reporting. Salary range: $70,000 to $85,000. Contact Tarki Heath at tarkiheath@gmail.com for more information.
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) is hiring a Regional Hemlock Coordinator. The Regional Hemlock Program Coordinator will oversee regional efforts to conserve forest and riparian habitat by protecting eastern hemlocks (Tsuga canadensis) from hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) (HWA). This position will supervise a 10-month SCA position, and potentially two seasonal staff. Position will be supervised in the Finger Lakes Region as part of the regional Environmental Field Team, and will report findings and coordinate contracted treatments through the Invasive Species Unit based in Albany, NY (ISU). Follow link for more info: https://statejobs.ny.gov/employees/vacancyDetailsView.cfm?id=130187
A postdoctoral researcher in the lab of Dr. Daniel Gruner in the Department of Entomology, University of Maryland – College Park. As part of a collaborative effort with the USDA (ARS, APHIS, and Forest Service), the incumbent will examine the efficacy and impact of a national biological control program targeting the invasive emerald ash borer. This project develops and extends novel analytical approaches leveraging data from a national geospatial database for the release and recovery of parasitoids for biological control, the US Forest Inventory and Analysis program, and other open data on land use and climate. Review of applications will begin June 15, and applications will be considered on a rolling basis until a suitable candidate is identified. Preferred start date is September 1, 2023.
Funding Opportunities
Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize Competition on Management of Invasive Species 2023
Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize Competition for Management of Invasive Species 2023
Invasive species are non-native species that cause harm to native ecosystems, human health, or the economy. They affect all habitats, terrestrial and aquatic. Well-known examples include zebra mussels, feral swine, lionfish, the fungus which causes white-nose syndrome, invasive carp, aquatic and terrestrial weeds, and pythons. One characteristic of invasive species is that they reproduce and spread rapidly, often out-competing native species. This often makes them challenging to control. Preventing new invasions is the most effective strategy. However, managers often need more tools to restrict invasive species' inadvertent movement through commerce.
For example, the introduction and subsequent rapid spread of medusahead grass have caused serious management concerns because of its swift migration, vigorous competitive nature, and low forage value. In 2020, annual grasses dominated approximately one-fifth (>19 million acres) of Great Basin rangelands. This rapid expansion was associated with a broadening topographic niche, with widespread movement into higher elevations and north-facing aspects consistent with the predicted effects of a warming climate. (The elevational ascent and spread of exotic annual grass dominance in the Great Basin, USA - Smith - 2022 - Diversity and Distributions - Wiley Online Library) This continues to be a dominant challenge in the western U.S., as indicated by the current Western Weed Action Plan, which states: "One of the most pervasive challenges/opportunities to the long-term viability of this landscape (western United States) is the spread of invasive annual grasses and regulated noxious weeds, and their role in altering natural ecosystem dynamics, including increasing wildfire frequency, intensity, and size, particularly in the Great Basin region and critical sage-grouse habitat." (https://westernweed.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/WesternWeedActionPlan.pdf)
Keeping invasive grasses out of un-infested habitats is a central tactic of the 2022 Sagebrush Conservation Design and similar strategies. However, managers often need more tools to prevent and control the spread of invasive grasses.
The movement of plants and other horticultural products also serves as a significant pathway for spreading new invasive animal species (including insects) into and within the United States. Coqui frogs and spotted lanternflies are two examples of ecologically and economically harmful species recently found in nursery products transported between current infestations and uninvaded areas. Although existing regulatory and education programs reduce some risk, these ongoing interceptions illustrate that new solutions are needed to improve the prevention of unintentional animal species moving into new habitats and regions through the horticultural trade.
To win the Theodore Roosevelt Genius Prize Competition for Management of Invasive Species, participants must submit their solution that addresses the issue through one of these high-priority focal areas:
a) Invasive Grasses: A solution that provides land managers with new methods, tools, and strategies to help prevent and reduce the spread of invasive grasses and conserve our native ecosystems. Although solutions may be species-specific, we prefer they address multiple species.
b) Horticulture Pathway: A solution that reduces or prevents inadvertent movement of invasive animal species (including insects) by targeting transmission pathways associated with plant nursery trade and other commercial horticulture activities.