Integrated Pest Management for Santa Cruz County

 

Vegetation management as an alternative non-chemical gopher control is being studied

Pesticide use and its potential impact on the environment and health and safety of Santa Cruz County citizens is an issue of great importance and increasing concern. In August 2000, Santa Cruz County’s Board of Supervisors adopted an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy for the management of pests on all county maintained facilities and properties. The goal was to eliminate the use of pesticides wherever possible and, in situations where pesticides could not be eliminated, to reduce the quantity and risk level as much as possible.

 

 
A two-year contract was awarded to UCCE Santa Cruz County to plan, develop, and implement an IPM Program. Critical to the success of the program was the hiring of a UCCE-based IPM coordinator, setting up a novel relationship between the county and local UCCE programs. An IPM Department Advisory Group made up of UCCE and county staff members and representatives of various departments and community organizations was established to assist in the implementation process and to report to the County Board of Supervisors. IPM policies in other municipalities and organizations were studied and data were collected on pesticide use, as well as possible alternatives, in the county.

Subcommittees were established to tackle the most significant barriers to implementing the goals of the policy. These included gopher control (for the local levee system and parks), control of roadside vegetation, and control of the Glassy Winged Sharpshooter (GWSS). An IPM Program Manual was prepared and distributed by UCCE and county staff and the IPM Department Advisory Group. This “hands-on” manual was designed to assist all county departments in better understanding pests and pest management in general, and in making appropriate management decisions when pest problems arise.

The UCCE county director and environmental horticulture advisor continue to work with the county through continuing research (gopher control on levees), subcommittee work (GWSS and vegetation management), meetings of the IPM Department Advisory Group, and advice for sound IPM practices specific to Santa Cruz County.
 

 
A road map to good IPM practices has been established for Santa Cruz county. Pesticide use on county property has been reduced by 87% since the beginning of the program. All pesticides identified by the State of California as causing cancer or reproductive harm (Prop 65 list) as well as pesticides listed by the EPA as known human carcinogens were eliminated. The program received an honorable mention from the California State Association of Counties in 2002.
 

Supporting Unit: Santa Cruz County
 
Steve Tjosvold, Environmental Horticulture Advisor, Laura Tourte, County Director and Farm Advisor, David Chambers, Staff Research Associate
UCCE Santa Cruz County, 1432 Freedom Blvd., Watsonville, CA 96076, Email: cesantacruz@ucdavis.edu, Phone: (831)763-8040 Fax: (831)763-8006