PESP Achievements in IPM

As part of their annual PESP Strategies, the EPA's Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program members report indicates that they are getting a great deal of solid compliance on their Integrated Pest Management programs. Examples given were New York City's Board of Education's total use of bendiocarb and cyfluthrin (the only insecticidal concentrates they use) were down over 33 percent from the prior year. Their use in classrooms and student areas is still being avoided. The Central Maine Power Company's crews used only one pint of active ingredient per acre in their tree care program, and only on those tree species capable of growing into the conductors or block access to the right-of-way. The Chicago Park Division of Conservatories have created a database of pesticide usage going back to 1996 which will serve as a basis for tracking annual pesticide use. They have also introduced biological enemies of the citrus mealybug, Leptomastix dactylopii and Cryptolaemus montrozourii, thus ending their use of chemical treatment for the pest. The University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences has developed an IPM/Pesticide risk assessment tool for schools that identifies areas of risk as well ad where IPM could be improved. They are implementing IPM pilot schools across Georgia. For more information go to: www.epa.gov/oppbppd/PESP.