2006 Annual Report

Dan Forcella from the Davis Unified School District checks for cockroaches.

School pests get no recess when UC IPM teams up with DPR School IPM Program

UC IPM has collaborated with the California Department of Pesticide Regulation’s (DPR) School IPM educational program on several projects over the last year.  We have completed the last of four interactive train-the-trainer DVDs for school employees, conducted presentations at DPR’s training programs, and contributed to DPR’s new IPM calendar for schools.

The first of the interactive train-the-trainer DVDs, an ant module, was released and demonstrated in Oroville in 2005.  A survey of participants in that workshop showed that 33 percent of those who answered the survey had used the program to train employees in their districts, and 75 percent used other materials such as UC IPM’s pest notes, Quick Tips, and suggested hands-on activities to supplement their training. 

More than half stated that they had changed ant management practices at their school as a result of the presentation. The ant presentation has been demonstrated in seven additional workshops, and modules on weeds, cockroaches, and integrated pest management have now been distributed.  Since 2005, staff from 294 of the state’s 991 districts has received these training materials. DPR plans to continue to use them in their training programs in the future.

UC IPM also contributed to a new Focus on Prevention, 2006-2007 calendar produced by DPR.  Designed to help school pest management staff implement IPM techniques, the calendar highlights particularly troublesome school pests each month and provides tips for prevention and management.

Yellow jacket.

10 New Quick Tips from UC IPM

UC IPM released 10 new Quick Tips for consumers detailing environmentally friendly strategies for managing home and garden pests in 2006.  Topics ranged from weeds in lawns to gophers and yellowjackets. UC master gardeners and county Cooperative Extension offices distribute these guides at farmers’ markets, landscape shows, plant clinics, county fairs, and other community events.  UC IPM distributed nearly 150,000 Quick Tips (in both English and Spanish) during the year.

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