Global trade and increased connectivity are swiftly breaking down geographical barriers, unintentionally enabling the movement of species across borders and leading to the spread of invasive species. Biological invasions, particularly in aquatic ecosystems, pose serious threats to the health, structure, integrity, and function of ecosystems worldwide. 

In 2016, the Connecticut River became a focal point for the discovery of a genetically distinct strain of hydrilla, recognized as the "world's worst aquatic weed." A two-year survey spanning from Agawam, MA, to a few miles north of the Long Island Sound, aimed to quantify the distribution and abundance of this new intruder. Concerns arose about the potential spread of this species beyond the Connecticut River, due to recreational activity, posing a risk to native plant communities in previously uninvaded water bodies.

This program is free of charge, and no reservations are required. This program is at the Floren Family Environmental Center at Innis Arden Cottage, Greenwich Point Park, Old Greenwich, CT. No beach pass is needed to enter Greenwich Point Park from November to April.