Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an established strategy, proven to be the safest and most effective pest management approach. IPM relies on a combination of common-sense and scientific principles. IPM programs use current, comprehensive information on the habits of pests and their interaction with the environment. Pests are generally managed by the most economical means and always with the least possible risk to people, property, and the environment. IPM saves an average of $0.01 per sq ft of school space (Salt Lake School District).
Integrated pest management in schools
Pests in schools often include certain insects, vertebrates, and weeds. IPM uses a combination of techniques including proactive pest avoidance strategies such as pest-proofing buildings, maintaining healthy landscapes, reducing pest habitat inside and outside, and the direct application of pest control practices when an infestation is identified.
IPM programs usually have a strong educational base. The entire school community is educated about pests and the hazards they pose and the reasons for infestation. As community awareness increases, individuals understand how they can reduce pest problems and report pest encounters to the facility management team.
The school community gets to see how improving hygiene standards and excluding pests from buildings can dramatically improve conditions in the learning environment. IPM uses simple and effective principles that everyone can understand and use in the school as well as in the home.
Pest control practices begin when inspection or monitoring results indicate a need for control according to established thresholds. Management programs focus on remediation of conditions conducive for pests, and control of the target pests while preserving beneficial organisms and safeguarding our environment. Appropriate management tools are selected and applied in a manner that minimizes risks to humans, non-target organisms and the environment.
Benefits
- IPM reduces pest problems.
- IPM reduces pesticide use.
- IPM maximizes the benefits of the campus landscape and reduces plant and tree losses.
- IPM generates a healthier campus life for students, faculty, and staff. This can lead to improved academic achievement and reduced absenteeism.
- Schools using IPM report fewer athletic field injuries and pest-related asthma symptoms.
- IPM is cost effective.
Landscape and grounds IPM is important for the development of healthy trees and green spaces, which are in-turn supportive of healthy communities and are positively correlated with psychological, physical, cognitive and improved attention capacity in our children.
In multiple well-documented studies, pest complaints and pesticide use in schools and other public buildings have been reduced by 71 to 93% through IPM, with no long-term increase in costs