Dominican University of California
OP-9: Integrated Pest Management

Dominican’s facilities department follows the 4-tiered Integrated Pest Management System. Action thresholds are set depending on the type of pest and its location. Student safety is a determining factor; if student safety is an issue, then control will be an issue. Trees are also prioritized in the landscape, so if pests are attacking trees, control may be employed. Pests are monitored and identified to ensure accurate and appropriate decisions are made. Focus is on prevention, keeping the plants very healthy, since healthy plants tend to be less susceptible to pests. In the case of infestation, many plants will be replaced with something that would resist the pest, rather than implementing pest control. To keep weeds out, lawns are aerated, and mulch is used as a preventative throughout the grounds. With deer, one of the major pests, their behavior is studied and then strategies are put in place to discourage that behavior. If pest control is required, it is targeted and specific, and no broadcast spraying is done. Organic horticulture oil is used for pests on trees, a systemic insecticide is used for a specific pest and spot spraying of herbicides is done on pathways. Scotch broom is removed by hand, and then some specific, targeted spraying of herbicides may be done on thistles that come up.