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The Spotted Lanternfly

One of the many perks of being the Executive Director of a nature center is my proximity to the front line of the battle against invasive species in our region. As our human world becomes ever-more connected, the creatures we share our planet with like sometimes like to join us for the ride. Unfortunately, when new species are introduced to our shores, they often have a devastating impact on our native flora and fauna. Such is the case with the Spotted Lanternfly, an invasive insect that arrived in Pennsylvania in 2014.

W. Brooks Paternotte took the helm of Irvine Nature Center as executive director in July 2013 and immediately began building on the strong 35-year foundation. Brooks is a Baltimore native who was a teacher, coach, advisor, dean and Head of the Middle School during his 13 years at Boys’ Latin School in Baltimore. He is also an instructor and ambassador of the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) and is a Leave No Trace Master, as well as an avid outdoorsman and a features writer for FlyLife Magazine.