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WEST POINT CHILD
DEVELOPMENT CENTER,
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for West Point CDC, click here. West Point Child Development Center Awarded IPM STAR Certification: IPM STAR rewards excellence in managing pests and pesticide hazards WEST POINT, New York – The West Point Child Development Center at the U. S. Military Academy has been recognized for its pioneering efforts to reduce the exposure of its children and staff to pesticides. The award will be presented on February 14 at West Point. “This is especially important because children are more vulnerable than adults to both pests and pesticides,” says Dr. Thomas Green, entomologist and president of the IPM Institute of North America, sponsor of the award. The 200 pre-school charges at West Point’s Child Development Center (CDC) may not be able to do 42 pushups with two minutes, but they do benefit from a top-notch IPM program along with the 4000 college-age cadets billeted at the post. Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is defined in the Academy’s pest management plan as “cultural, mechanical, physical and chemical controls” with chemical controls “used to the least extent possible.” Pest control excellence at the childcare facility has been recognized by IPM STAR certification. West Point CDC is the third such facility in the nation to receive the award, presented by the IPM Institute of North America in partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program. The Academy’s IPM program, coordinated by James Beemer, natural resources manager, deals with more than the typical ant, rodent and cockroach pests. Although West Point is less than an hour drive from New York City, snakes, bears and even poachers round out the menagerie of occasional problems. Beemer’s office includes a variety of mounted native animals and birds, most recovered after unfortunate encounters with cars on the post. Dr. Thomas Green, entomologist and IPM Institute president, conducted the day-long, on-site IPM STAR evaluation. “I was impressed with how much Beemer and his colleague William Grohoski know about all the critters that share the base,” Green relates. “They do a great job of keeping up on the latest research on animal behavior and incorporating that information in their management strategies.” “Cleanliness was excellent,” continued Green. “The facility is inspected monthly for both food service and general sanitation and maintenance. This process goes a long way towards making the facility pest proof. When pests can’t get access to food and water, they can’t survive. Keeping a facility clean, and food stored properly, is the best way to achieve excellent pest control without overuse of pesticides.” The IPM program receives excellent support from a private service provider, Alleymor Pestmasters. The company’s technicians inspect the facility monthly, identifying and recommending corrections to any “pest friendly” conditions they spot. These can include leaky faucets, door or window seals in poor condition, or stinging insect nests on or near the building. Due to the emphasis on long-term, preventative solutions, pesticide applications are few and far between. Beemer and crew also get excellent support from CDC staff. Kay Roche, CDC director, hosted Beemer for an IPM training presentation to the facility staff this year. The training covered both IPM concepts and practical tips to help prevent pest access to food, water and shelter in the childcare environment. The IPM STAR is the second honor for West Point CDC in the past year. The National Association for the Education of Young Children recently awarded the facility a five-year accreditation seal of approval, after a thorough evaluation the center’s curriculum, health and safety policies, staff qualifications, student-teacher interaction, physical environment and other factors affecting the welfare of the children. The IPM STAR initiative is being implemented throughout the Army with the support of the US Army Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Installation Management and the US Army Environmental Center. Contact: Dr. Jody L. Gangloff-Kaufmann, IPM Area Specialist, NY State IPM Program, Cornell University, 228 Thompson Hall, Farmingdale State University, Farmingdale NY 11735, (631) 420-2022, (631) 420-2766, Email Thomas Green, Ph.D., President, IPM Institute of North America, 4510 Regent St., Madison WI 53705, (608) 232-1410, Fax (608) 232-1440, Email
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