In recent years, residential pesticide use has been cited as a significant contributor to decreased water quality in urban creeks and waterways. In fact, residents, home gardeners and pest control professionals use more than half of the pesticides that cause water quality problems in the San Francisco Bay area. According to the Clean Water Act, Section 303 (d), five water bodies in the Monterey Bay are considered “impaired” from non point source pesticides, fertilizers and other pollutants from urban activities such as lawn and garden care.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a pest management strategy that focuses on long-term prevention or suppression of pest problems through a combination of techniques such as monitoring for pest presence and establishing treatment threshold levels, using non-chemical practices to make the habitat less conducive to pest development, improving sanitation and employing mechanical and physical controls. Pesticides that pose the least possible hazard and are effective in a manner that minimizes risks to people, property and the environment are used only after careful monitoring indicates they are needed according to pre established guidelines and treatment thresholds.

To address the water quality problems associated with pesticide use Ecology Action promotes the use of IPM. We support the community in switching to an IPM approach by providing information and technical assistance.

Specifically, Ecology Action is working with residents, schools and professional landscapers with the following programs:

Green Gardener Program
This program brings high quality training to professional landscapers on how to “garden green”, helps to promote landscapers after graduating from the trainings and establishes an on-going program in the region.

Model School Program
This program provides IPM training and seminars, which include presentations on laws and regulations regarding worker safety, surface and ground water protection, and other issues. In addition there is technical training for Maintenance Directors, IPM coordinators and their Grounds and Custodial Staff in landscape and structural pest management. Ecology Action also works in depth with school districts in the Monterey Bay Area to help implement IPM and stormwater programs at school sites.

Our Water Our World
This program focuses on reducing pesticide, fertilizer and garden chemical use in residential landscapes by offering IPM solutions to home gardeners. The Our Water Our World program promotes IPM and the use of less-toxic pesticides in 11 Santa Cruz garden and hardware stores information booths and through an IPM information request  hotline at 831.426.5925 ext. 114.