SLO County Combats Pesticide Runoff

Landscape or maintenance gardeners typically mow lawns, clean up yards and occasionally apply pesticides. Some may not know that they need a permit to use pesticides, officials said. It is essential for landscapers to know the proper application methods for pesticides because improperly applied pesticides result in polluted runoff entering area creeks (seen here), which can be toxic.

The San Luis Obispo County Agricultural Commissioner has received a $61,000 state grant intended to reduce pesticide runoff into creeks. The money will be used to launch a program in this Central California County to educate landscape gardeners about practices that minimize pesticide use called Integrated Pest Management.

Starting this fall, a series of bilingual workshops will be held at gardening retailers that will include training on proper pest identification, alternatives to pesticides and information about less-toxic pesticides.

A 2007 county survey showed that 82 percent of gardeners violated pesticide laws. In 2008, 45 percent of pesticide fines in the county were issued to gardeners.

County officials estimate that hundreds of such gardeners operate in the county, but only 35 are currently licensed. This reflects a statewide trend, said Mary-Ann Warmerdam, director of the state's Department of Pesticide Regulation, which administered the grant.

Source: sanluisobispo.com/news.