1. 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
PRISM = Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management

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

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Upcoming Events Tabling opportunities:
Association of Forest Health Professionals Annual Conference – Jan – 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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