Tweet

Integrated Pest Management

Did you know that your gardening practices and pest control methods may be polluting our ocean, creeks, lagoons, and even San Diego Bay? Pesticides are one of the leading contributors to water pollution in San Diego County. When it rains or when you water your garden or lawn, the runoff transports pesticides or fertilizers from your yard to the storm drain system. The storm drains deliver the polluted water into creeks, lagoons, bays, and the ocean. The chemicals found in pesticides and fertilizers are harmful or lethal to organisms that live downstream.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is designed to reduce the use of toxic pesticides in our homes and workplaces. The goal of IPM is to protect public and environmental health by combining efficient, economically feasible, and environmentally sensitive pest control methods. Commonly used methods include the proper selection of plants appropriate for particular climate and soil types, use of beneficial organisms to combat invasive pests, and limited use of toxic pesticides, which can leech into soil, air, and water.

The Port of San Diego currently implements an IPM Program on Port Tidelands. This program is overseen by the Port IPM Task Force, which was developed collaboratively in 1998 by the Port and the Environmental Health Coalition. To date, the Port is proud to report that we have eliminated the need for insecticides and have reduced the use of herbicides by over 70%. This has helped reduce the amount of toxic chemicals that run off into storm drains and discharge into San Diego Bay. Some of the methods used by the Port include:

1. Continuous staff training
2. Selected use of native and pest-resistant plant species
3. Non-chemical pest management solutions
4. Proper irrigation scheduling
5. Appropriately scheduled fertilizer applications
6. Minimal use of chemical pesticides, such as spot treatment
7. Proper storage and disposal of pesticides and fertilizers
8. Mulching to prevent weed growth

Another focus of the IPM Task Force is to educate the public about the value of IPM. The Task Force has been working extensively with IPM professionals at the University of California, Cooperative Extension to provide annual training seminars geared towards gardeners, landscapers, and pesticide applicators throughout San Diego County. If you would like to find out more about our training seminars, please contact the University of California, Cooperative Extension to add your name to their mailing list.

For tips on how to control pests in your yard without harming the environment, visit UC IPM Online or Heatlhy Garden, Healthy Home.

If you have any questions or would like further information about this program, please contact Kelly Makley, Associate Environmental Specialist at (619) 686-6598.