Jessica Setter helps protect the Adirondacks against invasive species this summer

2015 Jul 13

Jessica Setter of Ballston Lake, N.Y., is helping to guard the Adirondack Park against the spread of invasive species this summer.

Setter, a student at Paul Smith's College, is a steward for the Adirondack Watershed Institute. That Paul Smith's College-led initiative protects rivers, lakes and other waterways against invasive species and teaches boaters how to keep an eye out for problems on their own.

Invasive plants and animals such as Eurasian watermilfoil, zebra mussels and spiny waterflea pose a growing threat to area waterways and the economies of Adirondack communities. When invasive species take hold in a body of water, they can displace native species and rapidly multiply, making waterways impassible to motorboats and hurting tourism and other industries.

Setter and the 63 other watershed stewards attended a training session at Paul Smith's College in May before starting their duties. While stationed at boat launches across the Adirondacks, the stewards will conduct inspections of boats entering and leaving the water and operate boat-washing stations. They'll remove any invasive species that they find and convey the importance of clean boats, clean gear and clean waters to boaters.

The AWI is dedicated to protecting waterways and ecosystems across the six-million-acre Adirondack Park.

ABOUT PAUL SMITH'S COLLEGE

At Paul Smith's College, it's about the experience. Paul Smith's, which was founded in 1946, is the only bachelor's degree-granting institution of higher education in the Adirondacks. Our programs - in fields including hospitality, culinary arts, forestry, natural resources, entrepreneurship and the sciences - draw on industries and resources available in our own backyard while preparing students for successful careers anywhere. For more information: www.paulsmiths.edu.