How do you measure the
success of an Integrated Pest Management program?
At Aberdeen Proving Ground, the tally includes reductions in pest
complaints, pesticide use and pest management costs.
When Abdul Sheik arrived in
1988, nearly 1000 lbs. of pesticides were applied annually by 22
technicians over the installation’s 35,000 managed acres and 14.5
million square feet of building space.
Now the amount of pesticides applied been reduced by nearly 50%
with fewer pest complaints. No
pesticides have been sprayed inside the Child Development or Youth
Centers
since 1988.
Here’s an example of how
the IPM program works. Ants
were a problem at one of the
Child
Development
Center
facilities. Rather than
schedule a pesticide application, cleaning in the food service areas was
intensified and damaged door seals were replaced.
Ant sightings dropped to zero.
The holes in the doors seals no longer let ants in, or heat or
air conditioning out, saving energy too.
These accomplishments have
been recognized by IPM
STAR
certification, the nation’s most exclusive honor for excellence in
managing pests in educational facilities.
This award is only presented after a passing score on a rigorous,
on-site evaluation by an independent pest management professional.
Integrated Pest Management,
or IPM, is a common sense approach to solving pest problems.
Typical pests in schools and childcare facilities and play yards
include ants, mice, cockroaches and stinging insects.
By avoiding “pest-conducive conditions” that make pests feel
at home, many problems can be completely eliminated, permanently,
without resorting to potentially hazardous pesticides.
Mr. Sheikh is assisted by
Stan Futch who has nine years experience in managing pests at the
installation. The IPM team
also includes the Child and Youth Services program administrators, who
help ensure that staff and cleaning crews are doing their part to make
the facilities unfriendly to pests.
Maintenance staff are also key to keeping buildings in good
repair and “pest proof.” Preventive
Medicine and Environmental Health professionals are part of the team as
well, conducting periodic inspections of food service areas and other
pest-critical locations in the facilities.
IPM
STAR
Certification is presented by the IPM Institute of
North America
in partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency Pesticide
Environmental Stewardship Program. The
program is being implemented throughout the Army with support of the
Office of Assistant Chief for Installation Management and the Army
Environmental
Center.
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Prepared as part of the IPM STAR
Certification Process by the IPM
Institute of
North America
for posting on its website with permission from APG.
