How to Implement IPM

Establishing an IPM program in schools and childcare centres is like climbing a ladder. It needs to be approached one step at a time, without jumping to the top of the ladder, as this creates an unstable foundation. When we implement a new system, often we only partially implement it, and when it fails we quickly revert to the old ways claiming the alternative doesn't work. But IPM does work and has been successfully introduced into hundreds of schools in the USA and a growing number of schools across Australia.

IPM takes pest control out of the realm of buying a 'ready made' solution and puts the process back in the hands of the people in the environment where pest management is needed. A fundamental shift in thinking and managerial approach is required. To ensure IPM is successfully adopted, support for the program is required at all levels in the school community, however support from management is essential if the program is to substantially get off the ground.

IPM can be effectively integrated with other managerial responsibilities such as preventative maintenance, cleaning, landscaping, education programs and staff training, which are all key elements in an IPM program.

Steps For Successful IPM

A key question that needs to be asked before any pest control occurs is: Is it a real pest problem or a perceived pest problem? If there is no real pest problem but a perceived problem, then education and monitoring data can be used to provide reassurance. If there is a real pest problem, then IPM strategies can be applied. This is especially important in environments where there are many people who have different tolerance levels to pests.

Establishing an IPM program may appear like a lot of extra work in an already busy schedule, and a costly process within an already stretched budget, but remember you don't have to start from scratch, enough information has been provided here to start immediately!

Experience has shown schools which implement IPM programs are likely to realise cost savings within a relatively short period of time. There are, of course, many educational, health and environmental benefits from establishing a safer and more eco-friendly pest management regime.

STEPS FOR SUCCESSFUL IPM

Step 1: Develop an IPM Policy
Step 2: Designate pest management roles
Step 3: Establish pest management objectives
Step 4: Inspect, identify and monitor pest problems
Step 5: Set action thresholds
Step 6: Apply IPM strategies
Step 7: Evaluate and record results

Adapted from the following publications: Pest Control in the School Environment: Adopting Integrated Pest Management8; Integrated Pest Management for Schools:
A How-to Manual 9; and, A Practical Guide to Management of Common Pests in Schools 10.

Step 1: Develop an IPM Policy

Developing an IPM Policy is an important first step in making the change from conventional pest control to an IPM program. An IPM policy should clearly state the aims and objectives of the program, the decision-making process, and guidance for the education and involvement of the school community in the IPM program.

It is not uncommon for a new approach in an organisation to be driven by a champion, which, if he or she leaves, may mean the program falls apart. The IPM policy is a useful communication tool to ensure that staff changes do not diminish the program and that contractors, parents, staff and children are aware of the IPM policy and requirements.

A Model IPM Policy includes:

› Preamble
› Policy aims and objectives
› Definitions
› Legislative requirements
› IPM procedures and strategies
› Proforma notices and action plans
› Educational opportunities
› Meeting procedures
› Record keeping requirements
› Notification of pest control procedures
› Emergency pesticide use protocol
› Pesticide use in IPM programs
› Storage of hazardous substances
› Contracting a pest manager

IPM in Action - No Pesticides for Comleroy Road Public School

"Our beautiful school nestles into the foothills of the Blue Mountains outside Sydney. We have been fortunate enough to ensure our school environment is safe and free from pesticide contamination because of our Pest Management Policy, which was finalised and implemented in 1996.

The process of establishing the Pest Management Policy began in 1993, when I attended my first Parents and Citizens Association meeting. It had come to my attention that Comleroy Road Public School was relocating to a new site and I saw this as an opportunity to ensure that from the ground up, the best possible IPM practices were implemented. I spoke with the Principal at length about my concerns and ideas prior to the meeting.

At the meeting I spoke considerably about the safety issues associated with pesticides and their use around children. I also spoke about the opportunity and obligation we had to protect our children from pesticides by finding safer alternatives. To my surprise, the audience was in total support and unanimously agreed this was an issue of importance and one which needed to be addressed further. The door was opened, and a long and sometimes difficult journey began into preventing pesticide use at our school and changing people’s perceptions of insects and what a pest problem actually constituted.The first step was to draft a Pest Management Policy, organise professional backup for it, and arm myself with alternative solutions and preventative measures to avoid chemical use. While implementing the policy over the last seven years, I have been fortunate enough to make contact with many incredible and dedicated people who are committed to protecting our children and environment from pesticide contamination. Most notably, Dr Kate Short, then Co-founder of the National Toxics Network, who shared her vast knowledge and experience with me, and encouraged and supported us whilst we established the policy.

Establishing such a policy has many minefields. For decades we have been bombarded with propaganda from chemical manufacturers that insects are dirty, dangerous, disease riddled pests that need to be exterminated and the majority of our population unfortunately believes this. Thankfully, I had total support from most of the P&C and staff with only a few sceptics who doubted the effectiveness of non-chemical methods.

When our children are being taught about the wonders of ecology and the world we live in, they also must see it living in the playground. For instance, spiders and their webs are natural, they are not dirty or messy. Those spiders catch and eat other insects, such as mosquitoes and, in turn, they are eaten by little insectivorous birds, such as the shrike-thrush or yellow-breasted robin. We must also realise that to poison the smallest of insects could impact on the food chain all the way through to us".

Diane Norris - Parent & IPM Practitioner

Step 2: Designate pest management roles

Communication between the people involved with the IPM program is the key to its success. When the respective roles of all people in the IPM program are designated, and there is good communication between occupants (students and staff), parents or guardians, pest managers and decision-makers, it will be possible to achieve the pest management objectives.

The 'pest manager' is most likely to be a contracted pest control operator who is trained and licenced, but in some circumstances could also be the school principal, a designated staff member, or a parent. If a contracted pest manager is carrying out your IPM program, it may be necessary to appoint an IPM co-ordinator to oversee the IPM program in the school or childcare centre.

The importance of education

Education is the key to people understanding the goals of the IPM program and their roles within it. The school community should be educated to understand the basic concepts of IPM, and how the principles will be applied in their workplace. People must know who to contact with questions, or how to report pest problems. It is also beneficial to incorporate aspects of the IPM program into the curricula and environmental education programs.

Step 3: Establish pest management objectives

Pest management objectives, by necessity, will differ from site to site within the school or childcare centre, and these differences need to be considered before setting action thresholds in Step 5. For example, with buildings or structures, the objective may be to minimise structural damage from termites. For ornamental gardens, the objective might be to maintain aesthetic value, while for a sporting field, it may be to maintain a specific playing surface.

Examples of general pest management objectives:
› manage pests that may occur to reduce interference with the learning and teaching environments
› eliminate injury to students, staff and other occupants
› preserve the integrity of the school buildings and structures
› provide a safe and healthy environment

Step 4: Inspect, identify and monitor pest problems

An IPM program consists of a cycle of inspecting, identifying, monitoring, evaluating and choosing appropriate IPM strategies. Routine inspection and accurate identification of pests are vital steps to ensure control strategies are effective.

Inspecting and monitoring for pests involves:
› checking areas for evidence of pests
› finding entry points and harbourage sites
› locating food and water sources
› estimating pest numbers

Step 5: Set action thresholds

An action threshold is the point at which the presence of a pest triggers an action. It is based on the tolerance levels for each pest, and includes consideration of the school•s pest management objectives (Step 3), any sensitivities to the pest or treatment strategy, injury or damage potential, which includes economic, medical or aesthetic damage. The presence of some pests does not in itself necessitate action, but when pests exceed action thresholds, a response is needed.

Step 6: Apply IPM strategies

Common organisms that can be encountered in schools and childcare centres which may require management include: mice; rats; cockroaches; silverfish; ants; flies; bees; birds; mites; wasps; spiders; termites; and borers. Site-specific pest management strategies need to be developed by the pest manager. To ensure maximum effectiveness, the timing of treatments should take into account the life cycles and seasonal variations for each organism as well as its natural enemies.

IPM treatment strategies fall into two major categories • indirect and direct and are required for both indoor and outdoor pest problems.

Indirect treatment strategies:
› design/redesign - e.g. fences with metal supports and palings off the ground to minimise the risk of termite attack;
› habitat modification - e.g. sealing cracks and crevices in kitchens and bathrooms reducing cockroach breeding areas;
› education - e.g. improved sanitation and waste recycling reduces attractiveness to many organisms.

Direct treatment strategies:
› physical/mechanical controls • e.g. traps to catch and monitor cockroaches and rodents;
› biological/microbial controls - e.g. release of lacewings to control aphids or the use of Bacillus thuringiensis, a microbe to control caterpillars;
› least-hazardous chemical controls • e.g. repellents, insect growth regulators, pheromones, botanical pesticides.

IPM strategies for common key pests are detailed in the following chapter.

Step 7: Evaluate and record results

Accurate record keeping is essential to an IPM program. Records allow the analysis of results to determine if pest management objectives are being met. Accurate records also assist in decision-making processes and ensure the IPM program is well documented when changes in staff or contractors occurs. Records of inspecting, identifying, and monitoring activities show changes in the site environment, physical changes, pest numbers and changes in any damages or loss. Importantly, records also show your successes!

A complete and accurate log should be maintained for each property and kept in a central location for easy access by the pest manager. If pesticides are used, records must be kept in accordance with requirements of the state regulatory agency. Records are best kept in the same format to allow easy access over time and graphing to show trends.

New law for keeping records of pesticide use in NSW

A new regulation under the NSW Pesticides Act 1999 called the Pesticides Amendment (Records) Regulation is now in operation.

If you use pesticides on your produce or farm, or in your business or occupation, then you must make a record of your pesticide use.

The record must contain the following:

> who applied the pesticide
> what was applied
> when, how and where it was applied
> what it was applied to
> how much was applied
> if the pesticide was applied outdoors by spray equipment, an estimate of wind speed and direction.

The law applies to users of pesticides including farmers, market gardeners, green keepers, nursery operators, landlords, pest control operators, landscape gardeners, local councils and government agencies that use pesticides.

The record must be made within 24 hours of use and kept for three years. NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) officers may check these records at any reasonable time and penalties may apply if the records have not been kept in accordance with the law. A sample record keeping form is available from the EPA.

*Regulations under the NSW Pesticide Act are also being proposed for compulsory training of everyone who uses pesticides in their business, or as part of their job and is also being considered for mandatory notification of pesticide use in some public places and sensitive environments such as schools and childcare centres. For further details in NSW call the EPA’s pollution line on 131 555 or visit www.epa.nsw.gov.au/pesticides

Choosing a pest management company is an important decision. You want the company to solve your pest problems using effective and least hazardous methods. Companies who claim they are 'environmentally friendly' or 'experts in IPM' should be able to substantiate these claims. Take your time when choosing and shop around as you would for other important decisions. Even if you discover a pest problem, in most cases it can wait a few more days while you investigate.

Before you choose:
- Ask friends, co-workers or neighbours for recommendations
- Be an educated consumer, don't rely solely on advertising or sales pitches to judge a company's performance
- Find out about the pest problem yourself, there are plenty of resources available
- Ensure the pest control company is licenced and only licenced operators carry out pest control work
- Ask if the company carries liability insurance
- Ask about the terms of service

Beware of companies that:
- Claim to use eco-friendly methods but only offer you chemical solutions
- Won't provide you with Material Safety Data Sheets, or copies of pesticide labels if you request them
- Pressure you into signing a contract for regular treatments
- Cannot or will not answer your questions about IPM