The City of Edmonton’s The City of Edmonton’s Integrated Pest Integrated Pest

Management PolicyManagement Policy

Evolution of An Integrated Evolution of An Integrated Pest Management PolicyPest Management Policy

The City of EdmontonThe City of Edmonton

Anti-Pesticide MovementAnti-Pesticide Movement

Pesticide Exemption ProgramsPesticide Exemption Programs• Medical Alert Pesticide Program Medical Alert Pesticide Program

(MAPP)(MAPP)• Herbicide Exemption Request Herbicide Exemption Request

Program (HERP)Program (HERP)• Petition to designate parkland as Petition to designate parkland as

“herbicide free”“herbicide free”• No Spray zone of 30 metres at No Spray zone of 30 metres at

playgrounds and daycaresplaygrounds and daycares

Public NotificationPublic Notification

•Public Notice in newspapersPublic Notice in newspapers

•Send letters to Schools and Send letters to Schools and DaycaresDaycares

•Daily recorded SpraylineDaily recorded Sprayline

•Post signs at spray sitesPost signs at spray sites

Herbicide BanHerbicide Ban

• In 1994, In 1994, environmental environmental Groups pressured Groups pressured City Council to City Council to eliminate the use of eliminate the use of herbicides on city herbicides on city parkland based on parkland based on health and health and environmental environmental concerns.concerns.

July 1994, Broadleaf Weed July 1994, Broadleaf Weed Control Pilot Project Begins Control Pilot Project Begins

39 Sites:39 Sites: • No Herbicide AreasNo Herbicide Areas

• Cultural Control AreasCultural Control Areas

• Herbicide Control AreasHerbicide Control Areas

Formation of the Broadleaf Weed Formation of the Broadleaf Weed Control Advisory CommitteeControl Advisory Committee

Broadleaf Weed Control Broadleaf Weed Control Advisory CommitteeAdvisory Committee

• The purpose of the The purpose of the Broadleaf Weed Broadleaf Weed Control Advisory Control Advisory Committee was to Committee was to develop a weed develop a weed control program control program with appropriate with appropriate standards and standards and procedures for the procedures for the City of Edmonton.City of Edmonton.

Conclusion of the Pilot Conclusion of the Pilot ProjectProject• No serious Weed problems on any site No serious Weed problems on any site

during the three-year period under any of during the three-year period under any of the control strategies if:the control strategies if:

•The underlying soil on a site was The underlying soil on a site was good.good.

•The turf in the area was established The turf in the area was established and maintained carefully from the and maintained carefully from the start.start.

•The areas were generally weedfree The areas were generally weedfree at the start of the project.at the start of the project.

Broadleaf Weed Control Broadleaf Weed Control Advisory Committee Advisory Committee RecommendationsRecommendations• Endorse weed control practices and Endorse weed control practices and

their continuous improvementtheir continuous improvement

• Reduce or minimize the use of Reduce or minimize the use of herbicidesherbicides

• Facilitate naturalization as a Facilitate naturalization as a vegetation management strategyvegetation management strategy

• Weed control standards setWeed control standards set

• Citizen education and awarenessCitizen education and awareness

City of CalgaryCity of Calgary

In 1997, In 1997, Calgary Calgary adopted an adopted an IPM policy IPM policy and and Management Management planplan

The Hudson Quebec RulingThe Hudson Quebec Ruling

• June 2001 Supreme Court of Canada June 2001 Supreme Court of Canada affirmed municipalities could pass affirmed municipalities could pass bylaws that regulate and restrict bylaws that regulate and restrict pesticide use.pesticide use.

• Hudson’s bylaw bans pesticide usage Hudson’s bylaw bans pesticide usage on both on both private and publicprivate and public property property for cosmetic purposes.for cosmetic purposes.

Other Canadian Cities:Other Canadian Cities:

Pesticide Regulation StatusPesticide Regulation StatusApproved IPM PolicyApproved IPM Policy Municipal Municipal

Restricted Restricted

VancouverVancouver MontrealMontreal WinnipegWinnipeg HalifaxHalifax CalgaryCalgary TorontoToronto Regina Regina HudsonHudson WindsorWindsor ShediacShediac Guelph Guelph MonctonMoncton Leduc Leduc ThoroldThorold

Pesticide Advisory Pesticide Advisory CommitteeCommittee

PAC Consensus PAC Consensus RecommendationRecommendation

Public EducationPublic Education•The City of Edmonton should The City of Edmonton should

adopt a public education program adopt a public education program targeting residential homeowners, targeting residential homeowners, schools, consumers at point-of-schools, consumers at point-of-purchase and the mediapurchase and the media

•This will encourage citizens to This will encourage citizens to make informed choices about make informed choices about pesticide usepesticide use

City Council’s Public Hearing City Council’s Public Hearing on Pesticideson Pesticides

Community Services Community Services Department brings Department brings in experts to in experts to provide unbiased, provide unbiased, knowledge-based knowledge-based perspectives on perspectives on pesticidespesticides

Dr. RitterDr. Ritter

Results of the Public Results of the Public HearingHearing

• Council requested a City IPM policy to Council requested a City IPM policy to reduce or eliminate the City’s use of reduce or eliminate the City’s use of pesticides and requested an pesticides and requested an implementation strategy for the implementation strategy for the social marketing program social marketing program

• February - 2004 IPM policy and social February - 2004 IPM policy and social marketing program was approved marketing program was approved with funding with funding

Council Approved IPM Policy Council Approved IPM Policy C501C501

Integrated Pest Management Integrated Pest Management DefinitionDefinition

A multidisciplinary approach to the A multidisciplinary approach to the management of pests based first on management of pests based first on prevention and when needed, a prevention and when needed, a control (biological, cultural, physical control (biological, cultural, physical or mechanical intervention), saving or mechanical intervention), saving registered pesticide control as a last registered pesticide control as a last resortresort

Highlights of IPM PolicyHighlights of IPM Policy

• Commitment to providing safe and healthy urban Commitment to providing safe and healthy urban environments.environments.

• Minimize pesticide use but where required, use Minimize pesticide use but where required, use responsibly.responsibly.

• Expert identification of pests and knowledge-based Expert identification of pests and knowledge-based alternatives.alternatives.

• Preventive methods considered before least toxic Preventive methods considered before least toxic pesticides.pesticides.

• Pest monitoring and determination of action Pest monitoring and determination of action thresholds.thresholds.

• Pesticides are applied responsibly, restriction Pesticides are applied responsibly, restriction programs are available for sensitive programs are available for sensitive individuals and the public is made aware individuals and the public is made aware of all applications.of all applications.

Alternatives to Reduce Alternatives to Reduce PesticidesPesticides

A greater use of planning andA greater use of planning and

plant health care techniquesplant health care techniques

to remedy soil problems and to remedy soil problems and

other sources of plant stress. other sources of plant stress.

Achieving Pesticide Achieving Pesticide ReductionReduction

Increased cultural Increased cultural practices to offset practices to offset stress induced pest stress induced pest problems. problems.

Some Newer IPM InitiativesSome Newer IPM Initiatives

•Low Maintenance grass selectionsLow Maintenance grass selections• Improved plant health care - compost Improved plant health care - compost

trialstrials• Insect biocontrol agents that feed on Insect biocontrol agents that feed on

weeds weeds •Fungal biocontrol agent that kills Fungal biocontrol agent that kills

weeds weeds •Bacterial biocontrol of fairy ringBacterial biocontrol of fairy ring•Alternative pesticides corn gluten etc.Alternative pesticides corn gluten etc.

Native Grass SelectionsNative Grass SelectionsDr.Dr. Jim Ross, Prairie Turfgrass Research Centre, Olds College, ABJim Ross, Prairie Turfgrass Research Centre, Olds College, AB

Compost Amendments for Compost Amendments for Horticultural/Turf ApplicationsHorticultural/Turf Applications

Insect Biocontrols vs. Noxious Insect Biocontrols vs. Noxious WeedsWeeds

Dr. Alec McClay, formerly with Alberta Research CouncilDr. Alec McClay, formerly with Alberta Research Council

Microbial Bio-Controls of Turf Microbial Bio-Controls of Turf PestsPests

Dr. Karen Bailey, Agriculture Canada, Saskatoon SK.Dr. Karen Bailey, Agriculture Canada, Saskatoon SK.Dr. Prem Kharbandra, Alberta Research Council, Vegreville ABDr. Prem Kharbandra, Alberta Research Council, Vegreville AB

New “low-risk” Alternative New “low-risk” Alternative PesticidesPesticides

City of Edmonton 2,4-D Use City of Edmonton 2,4-D Use Reduction TrendReduction TrendInventory Growth Versus Area Treated

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

Year

Hec

tare

s o

f P

arkl

and

Total ParklandInventory (HA)

HectaresTreated

Shifting Public PerceptionsShifting Public Perceptions

1993 Survey Data1993 Survey DataCity's Use of Chemical Weed Control -

Opinions of Edmontonians (1993)

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

Incr

ea

se

Sta

yS

am

e

De

cre

ase

Elim

ina

te

Tre

at

on

ly if

ne

ed

ed

Mo

wm

ore

Do

n't

Kn

ow

Pe

rce

nta

ge

More Recent Survey Data

How Edmontonians Feel About the City Spraying for Broadleaf Weeds

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

PU

BLIC

PA

RK

S

Opp

osed

Neu

tral

Su

ppo

rt

SP

OR

TS

FIE

LD

S

Opp

osed

Neu

tral

Su

ppo

rt

RO

AD

WA

Y B

LV

DS

Opp

osed

Neu

tral

Su

ppo

rt

SID

EW

ALK

BLV

DS

Opp

osed

Neu

tral

Su

ppo

rt

Areas Where Pesticide is Used

Perc

en

tag

e o

f C

itiz

en

s

Sept 2002 Survey

June 2003 Survey

Confusion Over TerminologyConfusion Over Terminology

Good Growing EdmontonGood Growing Edmonton

Main MessagingMain Messaging

• The City of Edmonton is committed to The City of Edmonton is committed to reducing the amount of pesticides used reducing the amount of pesticides used on public parkland.on public parkland.

Here’s how you, too, can reduce or Here’s how you, too, can reduce or eliminate use of pesticides in your yardeliminate use of pesticides in your yard

… … all toward a healthier environmentall toward a healthier environment

MeasurementMeasurement

• Alberta Environment annual data Alberta Environment annual data analysisanalysis

• Storm Water Management Lake Storm Water Management Lake pesticide sampling studypesticide sampling study

• Annual market research to evaluate Annual market research to evaluate awareness levels and changes in awareness levels and changes in gardening practicesgardening practices

2004 Program Summary2004 Program Summary• Direct mail out, 170,000 Brochure

• Radio advertisement, 630 Ched

• Newspaper advertisement, Examiner and Journal

• Good Growing Edmonton website

Conclusion - Questions