Back to News Releases

California Honors Four Groups for Pest Management

Contact: Charlotte Fadipe
916-445-3974 | Charlotte.Fadipe@cdpr.ca.gov
January 28, 2016 (16-1)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DPR 2015 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Innovator Award winner DPR 2015 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Innovator Award winner DPR 2015 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Innovator Award winner DPR 2015 Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Innovator Award winner

(Editors/reporters: Honorees work in Alameda, Santa Cruz, San Luis Obispo and Stanislaus Counties.)


(SACRAMENTO) – The California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR) will honor four organizations for finding a variety of ways to manage and solve pest problems while reducing the use of chemical pesticides. The annual Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Innovator Awards are the department's highest honor.

"The 2015 IPM Innovator Awards demonstrate that Californians put a lot of time and effort into pest prevention techniques that can reduce the use of pesticides," said Tom Babb, DPR Environmental Program Manager. "This year's award winners are steering change in urban and agricultural pest management while still protecting valuable crops and wildlife."

The awards will be presented at a ceremony on Thursday, Jan. 28, at 1:30 p.m., at the California Environmental Protection Agency headquarters at 1001 I Street in Sacramento. It will be webcast at https://video.calepa.ca.gov/.

DPR encourages California to tackle pests in a manner that reduces risks associated with pesticide use. The IPM approach uses monitoring, changing irrigation practices, supporting natural enemies and other non-chemical means to help prevent and treat pest problems.

The 2015 IPM Innovator Award winners are:

  • California Invasive Plant Council (Cal�IPC): For more than two decades, this Berkeley-based nonprofit has been at the forefront of helping organizations tackle invasive plants with the prudent use of pesticides. It organizes hands-on trainings on weed identification, mapping and management. The organization has produced several publications that include a series of brochures called "Don't Plant a Pest!" to help homeowners and landscaping professionals select non-invasive plants. In addition a new manual provides guidance on how to protect wildlife from herbicides during invasive plant treatment. Cal-IPC has helped numerous organizations address the threat of invasive plants by promoting a range of IPM techniques such as mulching, mowing, replanting of native species and introducing biological controls to tackle pests. Media interested in this project may also directly contact Doug Johnson, 510-843-3902 (x302), dwjohnson@cal-ipc.org
  • Four Winds Growers: This family-owned-and-operated citrus nursery is located in Watsonville, Santa Cruz County, with growing grounds in Winters and Fremont. In an effort to control pests, including the Asian Citrus Psyllid, Four Winds grows many of its trees in insect-resistant greenhouses. This has resulted in the use of less chemical pesticides and less pesticide runoff. In addition Four Winds teaches its employees about IPM and best management practices. The company promotes the use of beneficial insects and gives presentations to nurseries, professional landscapers and home gardeners on pest management. Media interested in this project may also directly contact: Don Dillon, 831-768-0683, dfdillon831@gmail.com
  • SIP Certified: Sustainability in Practice (SIP) Certified, based in Atascadero, San Luis Obispo County, is a nonprofit certification program that requires vineyards to tackle pests using a variety of tools that help to protect natural resources. For example wine grape growers manage dust, which would otherwise attract spider mites and other damaging pests. They also use pheromones to disorient mating insects. In addition SIP Certified connects growers, technical advisors, and researchers to share information on how to use predators such as owls, to reduce pesticide use. There are about 200 SIP Certified vineyards and nearly 40,000 certified acres throughout California. Media interested in this project may also directly contact Beth Vukmanic Lopez, 805-466-2288, beth@vineyardteam.org
  • Tree & Vine IPM Breakfast Group: Based in Stanislaus County, this group focuses on improving the management of diseases and insect pests using IPM practices. Led by Roger Duncan and Kathy Anderson, Farm Advisors with the University of California Cooperative Extension, they hold regular hands-on training sessions from March through June for local growers and pest control professionals. For the last 20 years they have devised ways to respond quickly to new and emerging pests like anthracnose and bacterial spot diseases of almond, branch wilt and Bot canker diseases in walnuts. They have also helped to develop methods for early detection of pests such as the spotted wing Drosophila that attacks several fruits including cherries, raspberries and blueberries. Media interested in this project may also directly contact: Roger Duncan, 209-525-6800, raduncan@ucdavis.edu

Here are more details on the IPM Innovator Awards and previous winners.


###

Find us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Watch us on Youtube