|
|
IPM
Star Home | IPM Institute Home
| Join | |
|
Wells-Ogunquit Community School District Wells, ME |
||
|
May 13, 2008 The Wells-Ogunquit Community School District has earned IPM STAR certification after passing a rigorous, 48-point inspection. The evaluation included an on-site visit to schools in the district by an IPM professional to verify compliance. The District is the 25th in the nation to earn this distinction. IPM stands for Integrated Pest Management, a common sense approach to reducing pest problems. Typically, schools can experience problems with ants, mice, cockroaches, stinging insects. Primary IPM strategies include good sanitation practices to deny pests food and water, and well-maintained buildings to keep pests out. The IPM team at Wells-Ogunquit is directed by Tom Kanaan, facilities director and IPM coordinator for the district. Tom oversees day-to-day implementation of the district's IPM policy, including services provided by Atlantic Pest Solutions, Ramsdell Landscaping. and Mainely Ticks. Mosquitoes and ticks can be a challenge in this coastal environment. Effective managements strategies are critical because these pests can cause illnesses including encephalitis and Lyme disease. IPM strategies for ticks include widening cross country running trails, removing brush that ticks jump from onto passing students and keeping trails free of leaf litter that can harbor ticks. Mosquito problems can be reduced by eliminating standing water wherever possible. The district shows many signs of a well managed organization in general. “Good overall management is key to effective pest management with a minimum of pesticide use,” according to Dr. Thomas Green, who performed the evaluation at Wells-Ogunquit. “When a school district is managed well, facilities are clean and well maintained, and staff are properly trained and motivated with low turnover. Good maintenance and sanitation practices keep pests out of school buildings and deny them the food and water they need to survive and thrive. Committed and experienced staff communicate effectively when pest problems occur, and follow through with preventive measures recommended to solve the problem permanently.” Maine has some of the most extensive regulations in the nation to protect school children and staff from pest and pesticide hazards. Applicators must be licensed by the state and must monitor and inspect for pests or conditions favorable to pests, identify the specific pest causing the problem, asses the problem to determine if it exceeds acceptable levels, and use effective and affordable non-pesticide methods where available. Exceptions are made for a limited list of pesticide types that can be applied in small amounts to inaccessible areas, or that may be needed to address a health risk, such as ticks or mosquitoes carrying viral diseases. IPM STAR Certification is presented by the IPM Institute of North America in partnership with the US Environmental Protection Agency Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program. - Prepared as part of the IPM STAR Certification process by the IPM Institute of North America for posting on its website with permission from Wells Ogunquit. |
|||
|