Blue Ridge PRISM Quarterly Meetings

Archives and Resources

Blue Ridge PRISM Quarterly Meetings are free and open to everyone. Each meeting offers a short update on PRISM activities followed by guest speaker(s) or panel discussion on an invasive plant topic. Meetings are held during the Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall.

Find Past Events on Blue Ridge PRISM’s YouTube Channel


All About Callery Pear – April 19, 2023

Callery pear is one of the most rapidly spreading invasive plants in the eastern United States and often stems from cultivars of ornamental pears (most commonly the Bradford pear). Doug Tallamy calls the Callery pear one of the worst threats to our forests.

Dr. David Coyle (Clemson University) will take us through the history of Callery pear, how and why it got to the United States, and its current infestation status. He will talk about the applied research he’s done to demonstrate ecological impacts as well as discuss some management strategies that do (and do not) work to mitigate and manage its spread.


Winter Activities for Invasive Plant Control – January 11, 2023

Winter is a great time to tackle invasive plants! In this interactive webinar, learn about safe and effective winter control methods and find out which plants can be treated now or should be left alone for later.

Panel Members:
Laura Greenleaf – Invasive Plant Management Coordinator, James River Park System
Nicola McGoff – Director, Wild Ginger Field Services
Nicole Shuman – Agriculture & Natural Resources Agent, Virginia Cooperative Extension


Homegrown National Park with Doug Tallamy – October 18, 2022

Blue Ridge PRISM was pleased to welcome Dr. Doug Tallamy to speak at our Fall Meeting.


Simply Stiltgrass – July 20, 2022

Jake Hughes of Shenandoah National Park and Jim Hurley of Blue Ridge PRISM give and overview of Japanese stiltgrass including its identification, ecology, control measures and management strategies.


Find Past Events on Blue Ridge PRISM’s YouTube Channel