Integrated Pest Management Plan


Revised: ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­2 November 2011

STERNBERG MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY

FORT HAYS STATE UNIVERSITY

 

Integrated Pest Management Plan

Curtis J. Schmidt
Zoological Collections Manager
Sternberg Museum of Natural History
Fort Hays State University
3000 Sternberg Drive
Hays, KS  67601
(785) 628-5504  cjschmidt@fhsu.edu

INTRODUCTION
Pests are populations of living organism (animal, plant, fungus, or microorganism) that are detrimental to humans and other facilities or objects that serve human purposes. In the museum setting, a pest is considered anything that threatens the welfare and sustainability of museum resources, including biological specimens, exhibition and display items, and facilities.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a preventative, long-term, low toxicity means of controlling pests. IPM attempts to establish a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biological, cultural, physical and chemical tools in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks. Although IPM was developed first for the agricultural industry, many museums, archives, and libraries are finding IPM principles relevant to the protection of their holdings.

Advantages to IPM

  • Decreased use of chemical application will reduce risks to the health of staff members
  • Decreased use of chemical application will reduce risks to the health of public
  • Decreased use of chemical application will reduce the risk of deterioration and disfigurement of holdings
  • Decreased use of chemical application may result in financial savings
  • Environmental improvements made to the facility to implement an IPM program will enhance the long-term stability of the holdings over and above protection against pests
  • IPM ultimately allows the institution to have greater control over and knowledge of pest activity in their facility
  • IPM is the pest management technique of choice for major institutions

GENERAL POLICY
Fort Hays State University’s Sternberg Museum of Natural History (FHSM) adheres to the principles and practices of IPM to prevent or control pests, as appropriate, in the museum environment. This is in direct support of the FHSM Mission Statement regarding the preservation of scientific specimens, education materials, and exhibit items. FHSM has adopted this IPM plan for the buildings and grounds FHSM manages. The plan outlines procedures to be followed to protect the health and safety of staff and visitors from pest and pesticide hazards.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
Insects, spiders, rodents, and fungi directly and indirectly pose a threat, through biological degradation, to museum collections. The IPM program at FHSM focuses on correcting conditions that encourage pests by reducing available food, water, and harborage that they need to thrive. Practices such as sanitation, monitoring, education, and excluding pests through structural repairs are implemented to control pests to reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides in the museum. The IPM at FHSM is designed to manage and prevent loss or damage to structures, educational and research collections, and other property by pests and to provide a more healthful and safe environment for both visitors and staff.

IPM COORDINATOR
The Zoological Collections Manager or designee shall be FHSM’s IPM Coordinator and be responsible to implement the IPM plan and to coordinate pest management-related communications between FHSM, FHSM-affiliated facilities (i.e. Ecology Lab), other Fort Hays State University affiliates, service providers and staff. The IPM plan will be stored in the office of the IPM Coordinator.

IPM COMMITTEE
FHSM will maintain an IPM or other safety-related committee with responsibility for annual review of the IPM program and for assisting the IPM Coordinator in resolving pest-related issues. The committee will address IPM issues as needed and at least annually. The IPM committee should minimally consist of the IPM Coordinator, the museum Director, and head of building and/or grounds maintenance.

PARAMETERS FOR PREVENTION
Parameters for prevention include monitoring to determine biological activity, maintenance of the building structure, treatment actions necessary to modify conditions that permit pest access and survival, and actions taken once an infestation is discovered.

  1. MONITORING: The IPM Coordinator monitors pest activity within the specimen-containing areas of the building by routine, systematic surveys of collections, communicating with curatorial staff responsible for certain collections, and assessing these collections using sticky traps. Communication and the use of sticky traps provide a baseline of information for each collection. Sticky traps are periodically examined and data are recorded. The scheduling and frequency of monitoring are based upon initial findings and adjusted as necessary to each situation. New baseline readings should take place as new materials are brought into each collection, as these materials can create variables that may support new insect populations. All survey information and sticky trap data are recorded and stored in a pest logbook maintained by the IPM Coordinator, providing a record of all monitoring efforts and pest activity.

A proper sticky trap program should include:

  •  Numbering and dating of each individual trap
  • Placing of traps in critical areas, around perimeter walls, near doors, etc.
  • Recording data on appropriate form: trap number, date placed, date inspected, and insects found
  • Retaining forms in a useable manner and basing future resources upon results
  • Replacing traps at appropriate intervals
  • COMMUNICATING PEST PROBLEMS: All staff should be aware of the threat to the collection posed by pests. All staff are relied upon for communicating pest sightings in specimen-containing spaces by directly informing the IPM Coordinator or completing a pest-sighting form. These forms are compiled in the pest logbook.
  • MAINTENANCE: The building structure is a physical barrier to outside life. All pests require food, water, and shelter, and as the museum environment is capable of providing all three, it is necessary to reduce pest access into the museum from the outdoors. To accomplish this, all gaps in the physical structure should be closed in an appropriate manner. In addition, management of landscape surrounding the exterior of the building will help reduce adjacent insect populations.
  • NEW ACQUISITIONS: Anything brought into the museum should be thoroughly inspected and, when possible, quarantined in a freezer for a minimum of one week to prevent possible pest contamination. All collections freezers and the walk-in freezer maintain temperatures that are adequate to dispatch any unwanted pests.
  • GOOD HOUSEKEEPING: Pests require only small amounts of food and water, therefore, both must be restricted as much as reasonably possible. Dust and clutter should be reduced as it provides harborage and obstructs monitoring. Unneeded materials should be promptly discarded. Food use should be limited in the collections areas. All staff must understand the importance of responsible food use within the museum.
  • RESEARCH AND SAMPLING EQUIPMENT: All Scientific Research and Sampling Equipment used for field studies are to be stored on the FHSU campus at the Animal Ecology Lab or other outside storage facility. Such equipment is strictly prohibited inside FHSM. If research or education activities require the use of such equipment inside FHSM, the protocol for new acquisitions (number 4 above) must be followed.

PARAMETERS FOR HANDLING ACTIVE PEST PROBLEMS

  1. ISOLATING THE OBJECT(S): When an active pest problem is possible, all priority is given to isolating the object(s) to prevent possible infestation of additional material and to prevent further damage. Small objects should be quarantined in a collections freezer for a minimum of one week. Large objects should be quarantined in the walk-in freezer for at least one week. All findings should be recorded in the pest log book.
  2. EXTENT OF INFESTATION: Based upon the habits of the known pest, the region immediately surrounding the infested object should be carefully inspected to determine if additional infestation is present. All findings should be recorded in the pest log book. If no evidence of spread of infestation is found, the area should be monitored with sticky traps and checked appropriately. If evidence of additional infestation is found, objects should be isolated as above, areas thoroughly cleaned, and examination continued.
  3. DETERMINE SOURCE OF INFESTATION: If the source is from infested material brought in from the outside, it may be necessary to reevaluate and modify policies and procedures that have permitted the occurrence. If the problem is one of facilities structure, appropriate modifications and/or repairs should be made.
  4. TREATING THE PROBLEM OF INFESTED COLLECTION MATERIAL: The following steps should be followed:
  • Identify the pest and the stage in its development that is found on the materials.
  • Identify the media of the infested material
  • Based on the understanding of the biology of the pest, its life stage when found, and the material of the object, answer the following questions: Can the infested material be disinfested through removing the pest? Is it possible that eggs are present? What is the safest, least damaging and most effective approach to treatment?

Treatment options range from simple cleaning, to freezing, to the application of pesticides or fumigation. Decisions concerning whether or not pesticides should be applied in a given situation will be based on a review of all available options. Efforts will be made to avoid the use of pesticides by adequate pest proofing of facilities, good sanitation practices, selection of pest-resistant plant materials, and appropriate horticultural practices. When it is determined that a pesticide must be used in order to meet pest management objectives, the least-hazardous material, adequate for the job, will be chosen. All pesticide storage, transportation, and application will be conducted in accordance with the requirement of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 United States Code136 et seq.), Environmental Protection Agency regulations in 40 CFR, Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, FHSM policies and procedures, and local ordinances.  No person shall apply, store, or dispose of any pesticide on FHSM-managed property without an appropriate pesticide applicator license. All pesticide applicators will be trained in the principles and practices of IPM and the use of pesticides approved for use by FHSM. All applicators must comply with the IPM policy and follow appropriate regulations and label precautions when using pesticides in or around FHSM facilities.

POSTING AND NOTIFICATION OF PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS
The IPM Coordinator shall be responsible to annually notify staff of the procedures for requesting notification of planned and emergency applications of pesticides in facility buildings and on facility grounds.

When pesticide applications are scheduled in FHSM-affiliated buildings or on grounds, FHSM Service Providers and staff shall provide notification in accordance with law, including:

  1. Posting a pest control information sign with the date, time and location of the application and the product applied in an appropriate area and including contact information for additional details
  2. Providing this information to all individuals working in the building.
  3. Providing this information to all who have requested notification of individual applications of pesticides.

Where pests pose an immediate threat to the health and safety of staff or visitors, FHSM may authorize an emergency pesticide application and shall notify by telephone anyone who has requested such notification.  Disinfectants, anti-microbials and self-contained or gel-type pesticide baits applied in inaccessible areas are exempt from posting, notification and the 7-hour reentry requirement.

RECORD KEEPING & PUBLIC ACCESS TO INFORMATION
FHSM will maintain records of all pest control treatments for at least 10 years. Information regarding pest management activities will be made available to the public at FHSM’s administrative office. Requests to be notified of pesticide applications may also be made to this office. All staff, both paid and volunteer, will be informed of their option to receive notification of all pesticide applications at hiring and annually thereafter.

TRAINING
All FHSM staff will be provided with training on FHSM’s IPM policy at hire and during annual update training. Training will include the rationale for the IPM policy and program and specific elements including use of the pest-sighting log and prohibition on pesticide applications by non-certified individuals. Additionally, designated staff including the IPM Coordinator, IPM Site Coordinators and those who conduct regular inspections of FHSM facilities will receive advanced training on identifying pest infestations and pest-conducive conditions.