Integrated Pesticide Management. Chemical Trespass/Herbicide, 1995

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IPM IN A RESTRICTIVE FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT The Eugene Parks and Recreation Department has earned recognition for the development and implementation of workable urban integrated pest management methods for public grounds maintenance. It is less well known that our IPM methods and programs have been developed without benefit of special or sup - plemental funding, within our regular operational and budgetary frameworks. Significant progress was made, in fact, during a period paralleled by a 16% reduction in department staff and very restrictive budget guidelines. That conversion to IPM continued steadily under such conditions may not, by it- self, conclusively demonstrate that this methodology costs less, but surely indicates at least stability in operating costs and the feasibility of adopt- ing IPM in a restricted financial environment. Skeptics should understand that integrated pest management had its beginnings, and continues to be used in agriculture, as a cost - control strategy. Recognition of the environmental advantages came decades later. The logical question becomes, "How is it done ? ". This is an appropriate and reasonable question, for documented examples of attempted public agency IPM efforts that resulted in significantly increased costs or dramatically low- ered maintenance service levels or both are known and spoken of within the grounds maintenance industry. It appears as easy to fail as to succeed, per- haps even easier, and such failures serve only the interest of those who wish to discredit the IPM concept and retain chemical- intensive maintenance prac- tices. In the remainder of this article, then, we will attempt to answer this question and share with the reader the essential steps and elements that have enabled our program to be successful in the hope that other agencies and communities will be able to share in that success.