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ALBANY – The New York State Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) and the New York State Museum will present weekly lectures in April focusing on recent biodiversity research and conservation initiatives in New York State.

All lectures are free and will be held on Wednesdays at noon in the Museum Theater. Lecture topics and dates are:

April 5 – “Edge of the Range: Natural History of the Blanding's Turtle in Northern New York.” Dr. Glenn Johnson, associate professor of biology at SUNY Potsdam who has been studying this New York State Threatened Species for the last five years, will share his findings and discuss the status and ecology of this newly discovered population. The Blanding's turtle is associated with shrub/scrub wetlands and reaches the edge of its Great Lakes distribution in the St. Lawrence River Valley in northern New York. April 12 -- “Fire Ecology in Native Pine Barren Systems in New York.” Stephanie Gifford, director of ecological management for the Eastern Chapter of TNC, will talk about the role of fire in the ecology of the Albany Pine Bush, Long Island Pine Barrens and northern Shawangunks With help from private and public partners, The Nature Conservancy has been working to study and determine how to manage fire-dependent pine barren systems in the state. April 19 – “Ecological Background of Lyme Disease in the Albany Pine Bush.” Dr. George Robinson of the University at Albany and Dr. Roland Kays, the State Museum’s curator of mammals, will present research findings on Lyme disease in the Albany Pine Bush and compare their results with studies from other regions in the eastern U.S. April 26 – “The Swallow-worts: Increasingly Problematic Invasive Exotic Vines in NY State.” Dr. Antonio (Toni) DiTommaso, associate professor of weed science at Cornell University, will present an overview of research on the biology and ecology of pale and black

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swallow-wort and discuss how these perennial non-native vines threaten the diversity and

stability of several natural ecosystems in New York State.

The New York State Legislature created the Biodiversity Research Institute in 1993 to help meet the challenges associated with preserving the state’s biodiversity. The BRI serves as a comprehensive source of information, which is used to advise both public and private agencies on matters relating to the status of New York’s biological resources. Housed within the New York State Museum, the BRI is funded through the Environmental Protection Fund. The BRI includes several collaborators, including the State Museum, the New York Natural Heritage Program, Audubon New York, the state Department of Environmental Conservation, New York, Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and The Nature Conservancy. Further information is available at: http://www.nysm.nysed.gov/bri/ or by calling (518) 474-6531.

The New York State Museum is a cultural program of the New York State Department of Education. Founded in 1836, the Museum has the longest continuously operating state natural history research and collection survey in the U.S. Located on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free. Further information can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the museum website at www.nysm.nysed.gov.

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