The Blue Ridge PRISM Quarterly Meeting – January 2018 The mission of the Blue Ridge PRISM is to reduce the impact of invasive species in our targeted geography. Ashton Fisher, Program Director Rod Walker, Landowner January 24, 2018 www.blueridgeprism.org PRISM = Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management

Plan for Today Introductions PRISM updates – Rod et al Update on Ailanthus research – Rachel Brooks

Introductions and Background Go around the room for introductions Where is your land – county or town? Why are you here? What are your interests?

Events of the Last 3 Months Garden Club of Virginia Dugdale Award DuPont Settlement Wavyleaf project grant win Did not win with our NFWF wavyleaf proposal VA Dept of Forestry formally signed the PRISM General Agreement and joined the Steering Committee Trainings: Fall/Winter training sessions Albemarle County Public Schools Continuing Education Program Presentations: Blue Ridge Garden Club – Lexington Meeting with the Governor – Jim Hurley and Susan Roth farm Tablings: Harvest Gathering - Clarke County Vintage Virginia Apples Harvest Festival

Upcoming Events Training sessions Presentations: April 10 and May 15 – Intro to Invasives 6:30 to 8:30 pm - Albemarle High School, Charlottesville Spring landowner information sessions Plant ID, treatment options, walk-about, equipment demo March 27 – Ivy Creek; March 29 - Blandy Presentations: Rappahannock Garden Club – March 15 Shenandoah County Master Gardeners – March 18 Seven Bends Lecture Series – March 25 – Edinburg Environment Virginia Symposium – April 3-5 – Lexington Madison Garden Club – May 17 or June 21

Upcoming Events Tabling opportunities: Association of Forest Health Professionals Annual Conference – Jan 29-30 – Staunton Hometown Habitat film presentation – Feb 11 – PVCC Woods and Wildlife Conference – Feb 24 - Culpeper Shenandoah Valley Plant Symposium – March 16 - Waynesboro Quarterly meeting – April 19 – Restoration SCBI (Front Royal) – Charlottesville – 1pm

PRISM Updates Other CWMAs in Virginia Lots of interest coming from Shenandoah County up north and Rockbridge County (Lexington) Progress on new regulations for the VA Noxious Weed Law Volunteers needed Drone project with UVA 738 people on our mailing list

Funding Sources Fundraising progress and next steps Grant proposals Thank you for your support in our end-of-year fundraising appeal! Will be seeking further funding as the year proceeds Thank you to Virginia Environmental Endowment for supporting our education and outreach programs. Grant proposals Will write a proposal in January for drone project

Next Steps Need volunteers for: Events??? Tabling and giving introductory presentations Organizing local events and training sessions Helping with noxious weed applications Wavyleaf treatment in the Park in the spring/summer Sign up for landowner information sessions March 27 – Ivy Creek; March 29 - Blandy Add your name to the mailing list if you are not already on it Rachel Brooks and her Ailanthus project is up next