Palo Alto's Integrated Pest Management Program 2008 Annual Report
This 2008 update summarizes the year's successes and challenges, reports on the City’s 2008 pesticide use data, discusses program accomplishments and progress on the 2007 report recommendations, and makes new program improvement recommendations. 2008 highlights include the following which are discussed in depth further in this report:
The City’s total pesticide active ingredient use, Tier 1 active ingredient use, and use of ecotoxic products decreased significantly. The primary drivers for these decreases were the golf course’s overall reduction in fungicide use and its continuing use of two new Tier 2 fungicides first piloted in 2007.
Staff held an excellent gopher and ground squirrel IPM training in December of 2008 which emphasized the advantages of trapping over pesticide use. This may result in increased trapping and less rodenticide use in 2009.
The City’s contractor, Pestec, identified a method of rerouting bees that are entering and exiting their hives away from people when human/bee interface is likely. The device protects bees and humans when a potential for interaction is likely.
