With spring and summer gardening underway, many people use pesticides to help control insects. . Before you apply any pesticide, please consider the effect on our watersheds.
Landscapes are part of the broader Sacramento and American River watersheds. Common pesticides that are applied in our yards get washed down the storm drains and are showing up in local creeks and rivers – many at levels toxic to aquatic life. Switching to integrated pest management (IPM) practices in your garden helps promote healthy, diverse landscapes while keeping pesticides out of our creeks and rivers.
Millions of pounds of pesticides are applied annually, yet an increasing number are losing their effectiveness as insects develop resistance to them. Reducing the need for pesticides in turn reduces pollution and helps protect our waterways.
IPM is a holistic approach to controlling insects, weeds and other pests by creating an environment that deprives pests of food and shelter they need, and promotes pest-resistant or well-adapted plant varieties like native plants.
More on IPM and river-friendly landscape practices is available at http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/QT/index.html.
Everyday actions can make a difference