Invasive Species Awareness & Conservation Efforts on SUNY Potsdam Campus (2022)

Invasive species are a global issue, yet many people are unaware of what they look like or how to distinguish them from native species. Our research gauged this level of awareness among college students at SUNY Potsdam by looking at how a student’s major/minor and interest in conservation influences their knowledge on common invasive species in New York. We conducted an online survey administered through social media and campus emails. We hypothesized that environmental sciences/studies and wilderness major/minors, who also have a strong interest in environmental conservation, will have the greatest awareness of and be better able to identify these invasives. We focused on four invasive species that are abundant in our region: 1) Purple Loosestrife; 2) Emerald Ash Borer; 3) Spotted Lantern Fly; 4) Wild Parsnip. Our results will help indicate how SUNY Potsdam can increase and expand its environmental education and outreach