Dog Intro

What We Do

As a global hub of trade and commerce, the lower Hudson Valley and northern New Jersey are particularly vulnerable to invasive species that can harm our ecosystem and even our economy.  To combat this threat, the Trail Conference launched the innovative Conservation Dogs program in 2018, the first of its kind in the Northeast. Dia and Fagen work exclusively to protect the native habitats of New York and New Jersey by sniffing out invasive species.  There is an ever-growing number of species our dogs can detect, including those targeted for eradication by the Lower Hudson Partnership for Invasive Species Management (PRISM) and species of national concern.