Weber State University
OP-9: Integrated Pest Management

In 2008, Weber State University created an IPM coordinator position in the Landscaping Department to create and oversee an Integrated Pest Management program for the University.

The first step taken by the IPM coordinator was the creation of a pesticide application log to help WSU track the use and cost of pesticides each year. After employees became accustomed to this process, the IPM coordinator introduced and implemented the following four-tiered approach to Integrated Pest Management:

1- Set Action Thresholds

An action threshold is a percentage of pests to be tolerated in a particular area without taking any action to control them. The idea is that we cannot kill one hundred percent of the pests in nature so we allow a certain percentage to exist unchecked

The IPM coordinator set WSU's action thresholds as follows: ten percent for trees and shrubs, five percent for flower beds and turf, and one percent for extremely high visibility and marketing areas.

2- Monitor for pests

Not every bug or weed in a landscape needs to be controlled as many are completely harmless to plants and people. Some such as lady bugs are actually beneficial to a plant.
Through monitoring, WSU first correctly identifies a potential pest before it becomes a problem and then takes appropriate action. This decreases the amount of pesticides WSU has to use which saves money and reduces harmful environmental impacts.

To aid in this process the IPM coordinator created an IPM Landscape Monitoring Field Data Sheet and trained staff on how to use it effectively.

3- Preventive cultural practices

WSU's Landscape Department believes that the best defense is a good offense, so their primary focus is on preventing a pest from ever getting out of control. Prevention is accomplished by first trying to select varieties of plants that are best for our growing conditions and the location of the planting and then great care is taken in the planting of that plant. WSU's Landscaping Department also tries to select pest resistant cultivars. These measures, along with proper sanitation of the plant sight, (no dead leaves and excessive weeds) help to maintain healthy plants. After all a stressed plant is a vulnerable plant.

4- Control.

If a pest exceeds acceptable levels, the first control method to be used is mechanical control. This can be as simple as picking the bugs off of an infested plant, putting up insect barriers, using traps, or even vacuuming the plant.

If the infestation persists WSU then employs biological controls. These include predatory insects, naturally derived chemicals, microorganisms such as bt, or other entomopathogenic organisms.

If all these steps fail to control the outbreak, then WSU uses an application of non-restricted chemicals. Weber State does not use restricted chemical pesticides unless extraordinary circumstance dictate it. Using restricted chemicals requires the approval of the IPM coordinator and the Landscape Department manager.