Parks Pest Management and Pesticide Use

Pests include weeds, insects, animals and pathogens that cause damage or harm. Pests are managed for many reasons including; to prevent harm to patrons, improve safety and accessibility, control invasive species, protect the forest and tree canopy of West Hartford, maintain infrastructure and to comply with local, state and federal laws.

Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is an approach to solving pest problems by applying science-based knowledge about pests to prevent them from harming plants, landscapes, buildings or people while minimizing risks to people and the environment.

There are four key components of IPM:

1. Mechanical and physical control: this strategy uses tactics to remove or block a pest, like a mouse trap or mulch that smothers weeds.
2. Cultural control: these methods include choosing pest-resistant plant cultivars, improving soils, and fertilizing to support healthy plants.
3. Biological control: these strategies protect, conserve and introduce natural enemies – like predators and parasites—to keep pest populations in balance and prevent significant damage.
4. Chemical control: this strategy includes conventional and organic products to reduce damaging pest populations. Effective products are applied using techniques that minimize harm to people, non-target organisms, and the environment.

IPM programs combine a variety of management practices for greater effectiveness, including:

•  Monitor plant health for early detection of pests.
•  Assess pest population levels to determine damage potential and treatment thresholds.
• Identify, conserve, introduce and protect biological control organisms.
• Optimize timing of control measures based on season, pest life cycle, and environmental conditions.
•  Select pesticides (organic or conventional) with low human risk that: are short-lived in the environment, are proven to effectively control the specific pest or pathogen, pose little threat to natural enemies and non-target species and are rotated with pesticides of different resistance classes.
• Choose equipment, nozzle and application techniques to optimize control, reduce pesticide quantity and minimize drift to prevent off-target effects.
• Review and evaluate treatment efficacy; modify as needed.

A pesticide is a substance used to kill, repel, or control pests.

There are many different types of pesticides including;

• Herbicides which control weeds,
• Insecticides which control insects,
• Fungicides which prevent the growth of molds and mildew,
• Disinfectants which prevent the spread of bacteria
• Rodenticides which are compounds used for controlling mice and rats

Pesticides are used in the context of an integrated program of controls (Integrated Pest Management). When pests cannot be controlled by alternative methods, chemical pesticides may be needed for park land and facilities.

West Hartford provides information about planned pesticide applications to public areas on our website at least 48 hours prior to treatment (with the exception of emergency applications).

The most common alternative pest management strategy is physical removal, which includes string trimming, mowing, pruning and even digging out pest-prone plants. Minimum risk organic or listed pesticides may also be used.

All playgrounds, lawn areas in local parks, and community gardens in West Hartford are maintained without the use of pesticides.

Pesticides are only used in pesticide-free parks or playgrounds when there is an immediate threat to human health, such as stinging insects.

West Hartford follows an integrated pest management program on all athletic fields. Skinned infields and warning tracks are managed primarily via mechanical means as resources allow. Turfgrass is managed using aeration, improved turfgrass cultivars, and a nutrient management program to produce healthy turfgrass. When pests exceed thresholds and could affect player safety, pesticides are an option for management.

Risk is managed through training, staff certification requirements, providing required personal protective equipment, regular equipment maintenance and training in proper equipment operation.

Ground staff are expected to comply with all town, and Environmental Protection Agency notification, posting, label, and safety requirements when applying pesticides on parkland. Ground staff who apply pesticides are directed to always wear required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). The PPE is specified on the pesticide label for safe use during applications.

Labeled products specify the re-entry interval on the pesticide label and safety data sheets. For public spaces, applicators select products that have a re-entry interval that allows entry when the application area has dried from a liquid application or when dust has settled from a granular application.

Signs required by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection for turf and ornamental applications stay on site for 24 hours following an application. Even though signs stay up longer, people can enter the treated area when dry or dust has settled according to the label requirement.