AGENDA #5d

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:      Response to a Petition Regarding Integrated Pest Management

 

DATE:            November 21, 2005

 

 

PURPOSE

 

The purpose of this report is to respond to a Council petition (Attachment 1) received on October 3, 2005 from Ms. Julie Vann requesting adoption of an Integrated Pest Management Plan with provisions to eliminate the use of herbicides on Town owned properties.

 

BACKGROUND

 

On July 7, 1999, the Council adopted a Least Toxic Integrated Pest Management Policy as a component of the Town’s Administrative Policies and Procedures Manual (Attachment 2).  This plan was developed in consultation with members of the Sierra Club and the Agricultural Resources Center with the stated goal to “minimize the use of conventional chemical pesticides on Town owned properties”.

 

DISCUSSION

 

A key component of the Town’s Least Toxic Integrated Pest Management Plan is the designation of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinator responsible for keeping a comprehensive record of all pesticide use on Town owned properties and assuring that all pesticide applications are deemed necessary and are done in a manner consistent with the policy’s goals and objectives.  Attachment 3, the Town’s FY 2004-05 Integrated Pest Management/Pesticide Report provides information compiled by the Integrated Pest Management Coordinator on pesticide use in the most recent fiscal year.  Key points from this report, along with related background information, include:

 

  1. The herbicide “Round-up” accounts for the majority of pesticide applications made by Town staff. This product is widely used throughout the landscape maintenance industry and is designated as an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) type IV (least toxic category) pesticide.  Application of “Round-up” is the most effective method of controlling difficult to eradicate native weed species (such as poison ivy) and is very useful in controlling infestations of exotic invasive species such as wisteria, kudzu and Japanese stilt grass. “Round-up” also provides the Town with a method to control various weeds along fence lines and in other locations where hand pulling weeds is not feasible.

 

  1. Pest control in the Strowd Rose Garden is done by contract with Witherspoon Roses.  This contract is funded by the Strowd estate and includes preventive pesticide applications consistent with the horticultural needs of hybrid roses in the Chapel Hill area.  A requirement of the contract is that Witherspoon Roses post signs indicating that pesticides have been applied to the roses for at least 24 hours after their application to alert individuals with concerns about residual pesticide contact.

 

  1. Pest control on the Bermuda grass playing fields at Homestead Park and Meadowmont Park is done by contract with TruGreen Chemlawn.  This contract includes very limited applications of selective herbicides to control broadleaf weeds and sedges from competing with the Bermuda grass turf.  Unmanaged competition from these weeds would likely decrease the durability of the fields.  These selective herbicides are not used elsewhere in Town parks.

 

  1. Pest control in Town-owned buildings relies significantly less on pesticide applications then it did prior to adoption of the Town’s Least Toxic Integrated Pest Management Policy.  In the last fiscal year, pest control in all Fire Stations and Public Housing units was accomplished exclusively by the use of baiting systems specific to the target pests.  In other Town facilities, applications of pyrethroids, a plant based pesticide, were applied on a limited basis in response to specifically identified pest infestations.

 

We believe that the Town’s Least Toxic Pest Management Policy is effective in minimizing the use of pesticides on Town owned properties.  The Town’s Landscape Maintenance staff makes every effort to avoid pesticide applications in areas that are heavily used, especially playgrounds, by utilizing mechanical methods of weed control in these areas instead of pesticide applications.  Where pesticide applications are utilized, we believe that the combination of proper pesticide selection and application, as required by the policy, and the notification requirements for pesticide applications in the Strowd Rose Garden, provide assurance that the public is protected from toxic pesticide contact.

 

ATTACHMENTS

 

  1. Petition from Ms. Julie Vann dated October 3, 2005 (p. 3).
  2. Town’s Least Toxic Integrated Pest Management Policy (p. 4).
  3. Town’s FY 2004-05 IPM/Pesticide Report (p. 8).