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Kristopher Williams is now in his third career, as the coordinator for the Capital Region PRISM, Partnership for Regional Invasive Species.Monitoring species that don’t belong is “a never-ending job,” he says, but worthwhile. “This is the greatest threat to endangered species and our ecosystem as we know it today,” said Williams on this week's podcast.The Capital Region PRISM, hosted by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Saratoga County, serves 11 counties, including Albany, with a staff that includes an aquatics coordinator, a terrestrial coordinator, and an educator.New York State has eight PRISMs, each involved in early detection and control of invasive species.“We train citizen scientists,” said Williams. Capital Region PRISM has partnered with iMapInvasives so that volunteers, each responsible for a grid, report on invasive species they’ve seen through an app.Invasive species can cause huge economic effects. It is thought the spotted lantern fly can cost losses of $400 million in New York State, Williams said. They start their life cycle in the tree of heaven, a Colonial invasive, he said.When they leave their host tree, they feed on stone fruit, like plums and peaches, and are attracted to vineyards and hops. They excrete a sticky honeydew-like substance that makes fruit inedible because of the mold it causes.“No native pest will eat them,” says Williams.Williams, who is a gardener himself, urges gardeners to plant native, resilient species and to diversify their plantings.“I love showy plants,” says Williams but he notes, “Quite often, they come from other countries.”Individuals can make a difference for the good. Other than planting wisely in their own yards, Williams said, they can adopt a favorite park or preserve to work on identifying and removing invasive species.People, he concludes, need to become more conscious of their goods and services and actions. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.