The Quarterly e-bulletin of EPA's Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program Winter, 2013 2012 saw the arrival of nearly thirty new members to the Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program. While a bulk of our new members are Pest Management Professionals, new members also include a school district, a landscaping organization, an environmental organization, and two government organizations. Welcome - we are excited to have you on board! In This Issue Welcome New PESP Members! For a complete list of new members, please see page 5 1 EPA IPM in Schools Plan Welcome New PESP Members IPM Grant Opportunity 2 Feral Cats IPM 4 Tick IPM Conference 5 School IPM Wcbinar 6 IPM and GCSAA 8 IPM and Green Buildings 10 Upcoming Events IPM Grant Opportunity The Western IPM Center is pleased to release a Request for Applications (RFA) for "Western IPM Center 2013 Competitive Grant Programs." Programs available in this RFA include: IPM Work Groups; Outreach and/or Publications; Surveys/Crop Profiles; Pest Management Strategic Plans; and Addressing Western IPM Issues. Applications are due on Monday, March 11. This RFA may be accessed at www.wripmc.org. Applicants will have to register at the site http://proiects.ipmcenters.ora/Western prior to submitting a proposal. For more information contact Carta Thomas at (530) 752-7010 orthomas@ucdavis.edu EPA Releases Plan for Integrated Pest Management in Schools o ^ wj ¦v PfiCft4- The Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention (OCSPP) has released its "Strategic and Implementation Plans for School Integrated Pest Management", The plan is in response to OCSPP's initiative to achieve greater adoption of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in schools as part of its commitment to protecting children's health. The plan defines IPM as a sustainable approach to managing pests by combining biologi- cal, cultural, physical and chemical tolls in a way that minimizes economic, health and environmental risks. It explains that full implementation of Integrated Pest Management is cost effective, reduces exposure to pests and pesticides, and reduces pesticide use and complaints. Unfortunately, however, it is estimated that a relatively small percentage of U.S. K-12 schools currently have verifiable IPM programs. Continued on page 3 epa.gov/ pestwise ------- Feral cats can be more than just a nuisance. Cat feces and cat scratches or bites can result in bacterial infections or illness. Rabies, ringworm, tapeworms and toxoplasmosis can be transmitted from cats to humans. Cats can also act as an invasive species, killing native birds and small mammals. A University of Georgia Warned School of Forestry study led by Kerrie Anne Loyd found that 30% of roaming house cats kill prey— two per week on average. When they move on, feral cats often leave fleas behind. Domesticated cats are classified as indoor, limited-range, free-range or feral. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), feral cats are bom outside and never socialized in the first 24 weeks of their lives. "A colony of feral cats on a school campus should, not be tolerated, from the human health perspective alone. The school board and administration needs to be solidly: behind this." - Lynn Braband, New York State Community IPMProgram of Cornell University Habitat Modification Habitat modification involves changing the landscape to reduce the availability of food, water and shelter available to feral cats inhabiting an area. If cats are removed from an area without eliminating these necessities, they are likely to return. • Fix leaks that can lead to pooling water. • Secure dumpster and garbage can lids. Place trash in enclosed areas to exclude cats. • Remove bird feeders or place them at least ten feet from anything cats can hide under. • Educate staff about not providing food and water for feral cats. Consider prohibiting staff from feeding wildlife including feral cats. • Ensure students know these cats are not pets, and can be aggressive and carry diseases. Exclusion Remove lumber, unused equipment and debris that might provide shelter. Seal holes in buildings. Use fencing or netting to keep cats from getting under buildings. Use one-quarter-inch mesh screen to block vents and other entry points into structures. "Rat walls," L-shaped mesh screens partially buried to discourage digging, can be attached to foundations or decks. Install well-fitted skirts around portable classrooms. Cat spikes can be used on ledges to discourage perching. Perimeter fencing should be six feet tall with a rounded overhang to prevent climbing. Trapping Only experienced professionals should trap cats. If you choose to move feral cats, work with a shelter or local rescue organization. Releasing cats elsewhere may be illegal, and cats can return or become trap shy, making it more difficult to catch them again. Cage-type traps can include a single or double door and should be at least 30 inches long. Ensure that traps have a wide handle guard to protect the handler during transport. Set enough traps to catch every cat in the immediate area. Place traps out of sight in locations where cats feel safe. Consider pre- baiting traps with the doors wired open for a few days to acclimate cats. Dry cat food, tuna, mackerel and sardines in oil make good baits. Trappers should be aware that skunks often enter cat traps. epa.gov/ pestwise ------- 3 PESPWire Winter, 2013 Fertility Control Frightening Devices Repellents and Chemicals The Humane Society of the United States advocates Trap- Neuter-Return (TNR), in which feral cats are trapped, spayed or neutered, vaccinated against rabies and returned to their original territory. Costs to neuter and vaccinate can be upwards of $100/cat; some organizations reduce fees for feral cats. Models estimate that more than 70 percent of a feral cat population must be spayed or neutered before the population will decline. TNR programs are not desirable for school grounds. Feral cats pose a health risk and should not live there. TNR does not address disease and predation. Most frightening devices have been ineffective at consistently keeping cats away. One option is motion-activated sprinklers, which spray cats when they walk in front of a sensor. Of course, these can only be deployed in areas free of student and staff traffic. US EPA has registered several products for repelling house cats but they have not been proven effective against feral cats. Most are applied on the ground and emit an odor. Repellents are designed for use on a micro level, such as around a small garden, making their use 011 a school campus impractical. Additionally, some locations may be so attractive to cats that they will disregard repellents. Special care should be taken when applying any chemicals around sensitive school environments. There are no toxicants or poisons labeled for use on cats, making their use illegal. The Armed Forces Pest Management Board created an IPM policy for stray animals 011 military installations, which can be modified for use in schools. Schools can also include a section in their IPM plan on feral cats. For information about the IPM Institute's School IPM 2015 initiative, visit www.schoolipm2015.com. Euthanasia Feral cat euthanasia is an emotionally charged, highly debated issue. AVM A accepts several methods of euthanasia for feral cats. Euthanasia should always be performed by a veterinarian or other trained professional. Schools should work with their pest management provider, local humane society or animal control agency to determine the best course of action. IPM Plans for Feral Cats EPA Releases Plan for Integrated Pest Management in Schools (continued) The plan stems from previous efforts in school IPM. Since 1996, EPA has invested $3.2 million in extramural resources to support ongoing school IPM efforts, including outreach and demonstrations. A formal introduction of the school IPM program was announced in December 2010. The Office of Pesticide Programs has since developed a definition of verifiable school IPM as well as a vision and mission statement for the program. From 2012 to 2014, EPA aims to lead national school IPM efforts in collaboration with other school programs. EPA plans to establish partnerships w ith a variety of organizations to facilitate the program, including other EPA offices, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations. For more information, you can find the full plan at: http://www.epa.gov/pestwise/ipminschools/strategicplan.pdf ------- EPA and CDC Co-Sponsor March 2013 Conference: Tick-Borne Disease Integrated Pest Management On March 5 and 6, in Arlington, VA, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Centers for Disease Con- trol and Prevention will co-sponsor the conference "Tick-Borne Disease Integrated Pest ManagementGoals of the conference include identifying next steps to complete a white paper titled "Lyme Disease and other Tick -Borne Diseases of ITumans in the United States" and collaborating with federal partners to support research initiatives. The March 5th session will be for Federal Partners only, and the March 6th session will include invited presenters who conduct research on tick-borne disease and IPM. This conference is the second in a series, with the first conference "Promoting Community IPM for Preventing Tick-Borne Diseases Conference" having been held in March 2011. The following report was issued as a re- sult of this conference, http://www.epa.gov/pesp/events/ticks/tickconferencereport.pdf. The 2011 conference included various stakeholders who presented an overview of current research and infor- mation surrounding prevention of tick-borne diseases. The three main objectives of the conference were to identify successful strategies for community IPM programs, identify research priorities and knowledge gaps, and to identify potential partnerships amongst participants. Immediately following this conference, the Tick- Borne Disease Integrated Pest Management Workgroup (TBD-IPM workgroup), under the auspices of Public Health Pesticide Consortium (PHPC), was formed. The TBD-IPM workgroup is an alliance of 14 U.S. federal agencies working to address the recommendations of the 2011 conference. Additionally, the group is developing a white paper detailing federal sector research needs on tick-borne disease. The 2013 conference will focus on four main goals: 1. Complete the White Paper and identify next steps. 2. Identify potential research strategies to support community IPM programs. 3. Collaborate with federal partners to support research initiatives. 4. Listen to presentations by selected non-federal researchers on their research findings on tick IPM. For more information, please contact Candace Brassard at brassard.candace@epa.gov epa.gov/ pestwise ------- PESPWire Winter, 2013 GreenRibbon |QQ S Green Strides Webinar Series: EPA's Integrated Pest Management in Schools: Protecting Children in Schools from Pests and Pesticides For All Schools Moving Toward the Pillars March 6, 2013; 2:00-3:00 pm ET The U.S. Department of Education's Green Strides Webinar Series presents EPA's Integrated Pest Manage- ment in Schools: Protecting Children in Schools from Pests and Pesticides. Pests and pesticides pose risks to the nearly 60 million children and staff who spend considerable periods of time in our nation's schools. EPA recommends that schools use an IPM approach to reduce children's exposure to pests and pesticides in schools. Implementing IPM can reduce the economic and health related issues caused by pests and pesticides. This webinar will describe basics of school IPM, the potential health, environmental and economic benefits, and what it takes to put it into practice. Please register at https://epa.connectsolutions.com/epaschoolipmevent/event/registration.html 2012 New PESP Members • A-l Exterminators Contra Costa Mosquito and Agriculture • Active Pest Control Vector Control District • No-Body Pest Control • Alterra Custom Garden Landscaping, Otsego County Conservation • Anderson Pest Control Inc. Association • Brock Lawn and Pest Control e-parUSA, Inc. Pestnet Inc. Eastside Exterminators • Premier Wildlife Services • Buono Pest Control Co., Inc. Ecolab Pest Elimination • Pure Environmental Solutions • Cimex K9 EcoShield Pest Control • Ransford Environmental • City of Austin Zilker Botanical Enviro-Tech Enterprises, LLC Solutions Inc. Garden Expert Pest Solutions LLC • The Critter Guy, Inc. • Clark Seif Clark, Inc. Hearts Pest Management, Inc. • Trad's Pest Control • Clarke County School District Kansas Department of • Weed Wranglers, Inc. epa.gov/ pestwise ------- 6 PESPWire Winter, 2013 IPM and the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Cheva McKeel was kind enough to sit down with us and discuss GCSAA's ap- proach to IPM on golf courses. How many (operating) golf courses are there in the United States? How much land mass is that? There are approximately 15,600 golf courses in this country and they are located in every state. The top five states in tenns of total number are: Florida, California, New York, Michigan and Texas. The Golf Course Environmental Profile is a groundbreaking pro- ject begun in 2006 that is designed to develop a comprehensive environmental profile of golf courses in the United States. The project is funded by GCSAA's philanthropic organization, the Environmental Institute for Golf, and The Toro Giving Program. Information from the Golf Course Environmental Profile survey indicates that an average 18-hole golf course is located on 150 acres of land. The total land associated with golf courses is esti- mated to be approximately 2.24 million acres. More detailed in- formation can be found at the following link: http://www. gcsaa.org/Course/ Environment GCSA4 recently did a survey asking who practices IPM on their courses. Talk a little about the sur- vey. When did the survey take place? What was your return rate on the sur\>ey? How many of those said they practice IPM? The Golf Course Environmental Profile report - Pesticide Use Prac- tices on U.S. Golf Courses - was recently published. The survey was conducted in 2008 and included questions to investigate pest man- agement tactics and pesticide use practices. We invited superin- tendents at 16,194 facilities to participate in the survey and ap- proximately 20% (3,325) responded to questions pertaining to questions on storage, mixing and loading pads. IPM, application plans and regulatory pressures they encounter regarding the use of pesticides. The survey indicated that IPM practices are commonplace on golf courses. Participants identified that techniques such as moni- toring weather conditions, use of cultural practices, scouting, recording pest outbreaks and setting higher tolerances for pest infestations are used routinely at a high percentage of golf courses throughout the country. The survey also indicated where improvements could be made. Approximately 41% of golf courses have a formal, written IPM plan. We believe that a writ- ten plan is a valuable document that aids in the planning, man- agement and communication of an integrated approach to pest management. GCSAA currently lias a web-based IPM planning tool available that can guide individuals through the process of producing a written plan. We believe that all golf courses should have a writ- ten IPM plan that includes a pesticide application plan. Spring will be here before we know it. What are some of the ma- jor issues we see in terms ofpests in different parts of the country during this season? Pest management for insects will vary by species, distribution and life stages throughout the U.S. and throughout the year. Spring is a busy and exciting time for golf courses in the northern climates, as golf courses get ready to welcome golfers eager to get outdoors and play. In general, weeds and a disease called pink snow mold (Microdochium nivale ) are the major pests of cool season grasses. In the northeast and mid-Atlantic states, annual bluegrass weevil is increasingly becoming a problem pest on fair- ways and putting greens. In Florida, spring sees the onset of goose grass, which is a peren- nial weed. Goose grass can overtake the Bermuda grass as it is coming out of winter. In southern climates, spring dead spot (Ophiosphaerella) can be a major issue affecting golf facilities. The disease appears in circular patches or rings that remain dor- mant as the Bermuda grass comes out of winter dormancy. Canyon give us some examples of IPM practices some courses will do to promote IPM and curb their is- sues? One of the most important strate- gies used so manage weeds on golf courses is to promote conditions for the growth of the desired turfgrass. epa.gov/ pestwise ------- PESPWire Winter, 2013 Proper drainage, fertility, mowing and irrigation practices will help the desired turf species to compete with weeds on the golf course. Pink snow mold grows quickly during periods of wet, cool weather and damage can be more severe in areas where the turfgrass lias excessive thatch buildup, poorly drained soils, poor air movement and is in a lush condition. Superintendents work to verify aggressively in af- fected areas to reduce the thatch and enhance drain- age. It is also important to reduce nitrogen fertilizer applications in these areas in the fall and spring dur- ing prime weather conditions for infection. The early spring, as the snow melts, is a critical time to monitor and intercept annual bluegrass weevils as they migrate from their overwintering sites back onto the golf course. Many sampling techniques can be used in the field—pitfall traps, disclosing solutions, and vacuums—as well saturated saline solu- tions that coax larvae out of the samples. Superintendents use this information to carefully target if, when and where a pesticide might be needed. Over the twelve-year study, greens managed by using non- chemical techniques could not withstand the disease infestations and became unplay able on several occasions, whereas IPM greens almost always held acceptable quality and had 33-96% lower envi- ronmental impact than convention- ally managed not generally affect golf courses in arid regions of the country. Golf courses in the north central, northeast and transition zone from Kansas east to Washington DC are known to experience hot, humid summers that can promote the growth of fungal pathogens. An excellent study that demonstrates different techniques of pest management and the affect of pest disturbance on golf courses is being conducted by Cornell University at the Bethpage State Park Golf Course complex on Long Island, NY. Putting greens on the "Green Course" at Bethpage have been subjected to a traditional management scheme allowing the use of chemical pesticides, an IPM approach and a low-risk biological approach (which was non-pesticide for three years). In Florida, to curb the spread of goose grass, golf courses will keep the Bermuda grass strong by promoting sunlight and reduc- ing traffic and compaction. Hand pulling of sporadic outbreaks of goose grass is common. A sound cultural program is critical to the success of any spring dead spot management program. Cultural management practices have a tremendous impact on the winter hardiness of Bermuda grass; consequently they also have a major effect on spring dead spot development. Last question... a famous quote about golf is "Golf is a lot of walking broken up by disappointment and bad arith- matic". Have there e\'er been golf courses that were "disappointed" not just by bad weather, but also been plagued by pests...so much that it has affected the operations of the course (thatyou know of)? I love this quote because of the humor, enjoyment (or not!) asso- ciated with the game and those that like to play it. Some call golf the greatest game because it is simple and yet, complex. On the basic level, the game pits you against yourself and also against nature; and those elements are always changing. All golf courses have pest pressures, but some have more de- manding problems than others because of the climatic conditions. In general, turfgrass diseases are the most difficult to manage. They respond to the climatic conditions and sometimes escalate to epidemic levels that cause serious damage that can potentially render the golf course unplayable. Serious disease outbreaks do greens. More information on this study can be found at the following websites. http://www.nYsipm.comell.edu/publications/red risk golf/ default.asp#ipm http://www.nYsipm.comell.edu/landscapes/risk red turf.asp http://www.hort.comell.edu/turf/pubs/manual.html For additional information 011 IPM: http://www.gcsaa.org/enviromnent/ipm-guide/ http://www.nvsipm.comell.edu/landscapes/default.asp http://www.northeastipm.org/index.cfm http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/selectnewpest.turfgrass.html http://www.ipmcenters.org http://ipm.ifas.ufl.edu/agriculture/turf7 http://www.turff1les.11csu.edu http ://www .paceturf. org http://greengolfusa.com/tiki-index.php http://www.audubonintemational.org/acspgolf epa.gov/ pestwise ------- 8 PESPWire Winter, 2013 An IPM in Green Buildings Learning Experience By Lee Tame)) I -P I weeks later, our tour group met in the learning center at Wheeler Terrace, which was located in the basement of one the only reno- vated apartment buildings on the property. Mark emphasized the learning center's importance as a constant reminder for residents of the green building features at Wheeler Terrace. Is it possible for a 116 unit subsidized apartment building com- plex to go from a pest infested, water damaged property with se- vere mold issues to an immaculate, modem, renovated green LEED certified Platinum property with a community garden? Such im- provement may sound like too radical a transformation to be achievable, yet a team has been working to implement such changes at Wheeler Terrace, a low -income affordable housing com- plex in Southeast Washington D.C. I wanted to see for myself if and how this sort of worthwhile transformation could occur. I decided that a tour of complex was a logical first step. My interest in touring Wheeler Terrace was sparked during an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) training I attended at the complex, which was hosted by the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH). NCHH works to establish healthy, green and safe homes for families across all income levels, with a particular focus on low-income housing. Mark stated that when spearheading the improvement project, he aimed to instill a since of pride in the residents for their home that would translate into better upkeep of the property. To assist with this effort, CPDC and NCHH hired a resident to help with on-site education and train- ing of IPM and other green practices. Courtesy of that initial vision, the stage was set for the creation of a holistically healthy green building. Our organized group was ready to tour the property. Mark led us to the first unrenovated vacant apartment: water stains and large cracks defined the walls of the dilapidated. I cringed at the thought of a young child living in these conditions. Thinking that perhaps this unit was the first stop of our tour to invoke a dramatic reaction, I requested to see a few more units. I was shocked to see the next few units were just as bad if not worse. Although I never saw a rat or a roach on this visit, the environ- mental conditions were conducive for pests. As we continued to tour the property, Mark spoke about the challenges in the renova- tion process. Although they are dealing with tumbling brick, mold issues, and security challenges, IPM was still on the top of his agenda. a.; Wheeler Terrace pre-renovation Wiencek + Associates Architects + Planners With so many struc- tural and health issues, I was surprised IPM remained on his radar, especially since the LEED certification he was pursing does not require IPM implemen- tation. His commitment made me reflect on EPA's IPM program. Lee Tantier EPA and David Jacobs, NCHH The research, education training, and policy efforts of NCHH are geared toward incorporating health considerations into green building programs to promote physical and mental health im- provements for residents. The IPM training covered the life cycle of common pests and how food, water, and shelter are essential to their survival. This lesson was articulated through a variety of entertaining presentation methods including videos, posters, and trivia-style Q and A sessions. The dozen or so residents in atten- dance were very engaged in the lesson. During the session I was surprised to learn that Mark James, Senior Real Estate Development Officer developer for the Com- munity Development Preservation Corporation (CPDC), was in the room. CPDC spearheaded the project to improve Wheeler Terrace, and Mark now sits on the NCHH and the US Green Building Council. Since the completion of the project renova- tions, Mark has started a green affordable housing development company. Urban Green LLC (www.urbangreenllc com) where healthy housing remains a priority. I was fortunate to get the opportunity to briefly chat with Mark. He outlined some of the green aspects he planned to incorporate in the renovation of Wheeler Terrace. He also shared his desire to one day create a healthy building rating system. In order to demonstrate how IPM works in all stages of a green building renovation, Mark offered me the opportunity to tour Wheeler Terrace in its partial developed state. He pulled together a great team of professionals for our first tour, including the prop- erty's pest management professional (PMP) and manager. A few As our tour ended. I thought "How can EPA contribute to provid- ing clear guidance for developers and building stakeholders seek- ing to implement IPM?" With the tour having left a formidable impression on our minds, we said goodbyes and vowed to partner and support each other's efforts to improve the quality of peo- ple's lives. I returned to my daily work at the Agency with a renewed inspi- ration to IPM and green building. I immediately set the ball in motion with coworkers and a host of key stakeholders for the creation of the Integrated Pest Management in Buildings docu- ment http://www.epa.gov/pesp/publications/ipm/ ipm in buildings.pdf). It is a good tool for building managers wanting to learn type of questions one should ask to ensure to insure they are receiving a proper IPM service. epa.gov/ pestwise ------- 9 PESPWire Winter, 2013 Recently, the Agency partnered with the National Pest Manage- ment Association (NPMA) and Association of Structural Pest Control Regulatory Officials (ASPCRO) to create comment lan- guage for LEED's new IPM standard using information from the guidance. Steve Dwinell, past- president of ASPRCO and cur- rent Chair of ASPRCO's Green Pest Management Committee took the lead on submit- ting these com- ments. LEED offers a clever point system menu to engage participants in im- plementing green building practices that count toward their certification. The environmental measures for LEED are organ- ized into the fol- lowing sections: Sustainable Sites, Water Efficiency, Materials and Resources, Indoor Air Quality, and Innovation in Operations. The majority of the environmental measures are only worth one point (e.g. Heat Island Reduction - Roof One point). New LEED standards are set to be released soon; until their re- lease, the 2009 standards remain in effect. The new standards are currently undergoing review through LEEDs transparent, consen- sus-building process which lias generated over 19,000 comments. For more information on LEED please visit the U.S. Green Building Council at (http://new.usgbc.org). The type of certification that a property receives is designated by the number of points gained through implementing environ- mental measures. For example, a Silver certification is achieved by earning 50 to 59 points, a Gold certification is attained by gar- nering 60 to 79 points, and Platinum certification is attained by garnering 80 to 110 points. With their true commitment to green building. Wheeler Terrace lias earned a Gold certification. Wheeler is also a Green Communities property. Green Communi- ties is a green building program administered by Enterprise Com- munity Partners for health improvements —including IPM. Steve Dwinell (ASPCRO) and I thought it would be good to organize a second tour of Wheeler Terrace. Green Communities is distinct in terms of health considerations because of its many mandatory requirements. We wanted to get state pesticide regulation offi- cials attending a meeting in Washington, D.C. to observe IPM implementation in a unique, subsidized housing, green building complex. Naturally, we reached out to CPDC. Suzanne William- son Vice-President of Asset Management at CPDC, granted our request and organized our second tour of Wheeler Terrace. The tour began with presentations in Wheeler Terrace's learning center. Steve and I were also joined by EPA employees and David Jacobs, Director of Research at NCHH. David kicked off the presentations with a briefing on the Healthy Homes research that is being performed in low-income housing across the county, including Wheeler Terrace. He brought to our attention that asthma attacks and pest allergens have decreased and overall gen- eral health lias improved since the renovation and implementation of an IPM program and the implemen- tation of other green healthy housing principles. NCHH will soon release its Wheeler Terrace study with addi- tional information available on their website, http:// www.nclili.org. Our tour continued with Suzanne Williamson and the Wheeler Terrace team dis- cussing their experiences in maintaining a LEED certi- fied affordable housing building. Ms. Williamson shared her impressive wealth of knowledge on different trends in green building and asset management. One of the resident employees shared how a pre-renovation water leak in the wall of her old unit was opened to reveal an abundance of roaches. She stated that she has not seen a roach or rodent since the building was renovated. We learned that not only are the buildings now pest free, but they are maintained by residents who help take ownership in the property, plant gardens, and assist in maintaining the grounds. Our group moved on from the Learning center and discussed experiences as we walked to another renovated apartment build- ing. The pest management professional servicing the property was asked several questions about his chemical usage and pest management tactics. The PMP showed us the bait stations, and explained the property's pest management plan. It was agreed that the pest management service at Wheeler Terrace is verifiable IPM. We also discussed NCHH's plans to creating a healthy housing standard. The group reached Wheeler Terrace's beautiful and newly reno- vated apartment complex. A well-manicured lawn greeted us while picnic tables, a community garden, and a playground - all partially maintained by residents - dotted the property. We made our way through the courtyard into the impressive first unit. The money and time invested into the renovation showed in each new unit. Our tour group settled into chatting within the vacant unit, which felt like an art gallery space with no pictures. This was a completely different experience from our initial Wheeler Terrace tour. As with the first tour, our group wrapped up the day with a re- newed dedication towards making green building and IPM acces- sible to all. I thought to myself, "Wow they did it!" Wheeler Terrace is not just a set of green buildings but a healthy commu- nity in which to live, work, and play. epa.gov/ pestwise ------- 10 PESPWire Winter, 2013 Upcoming Events Termite Academy February 26-28, 2013 New Orleans, LA Contact: Cynthia Krohn, 504-658-2000 nomtcb@,yahoo, com Entomological Society of American South- eastern Branch Annual Meeting March 3-6, 2013 Baton Rouge, LA http: // www, entsoc .or g/ Southeastern/2013 SEB - annual-meeting The Green Strides Webinar Series: Inte- grated Pest Management in Schools (EPA) Mar. 6, 2013, 2-3 p.m. www2.ed.gov/programs/green-ribbon-schools/webinar- series.doc Entomological Society of American Eastern Branch Annual Meeting March 16-19, 2013 Lancaster, PA http: // www, entsoc .org/ eastern/2013 -eastern-branch- annual-meeting Association of American Pesticide Control Officers Meeting March 18-20, 2013 Arlington, VA http://www.aapco.Org/meetings.html# Penn State Integrated Pest Management in Housing March 22, 2013 Coatsville, PA www.coatesville.org/pest-management-workshop Entomological Society of American Pacific Branch Annual Meeting April 7-10, 2013 Lake Tahoe, Stateline, NY Website: http://www.entsoc.org/Pacific/2013-esa-pacific -branch-annual-meeting International Conference on IPM in museums, ar- chives and historic houses June 5-7, 2013 Vienna, Austria http://www.ipm-conference-vienna2013 .at/ Biodiversity and Integrated Pest Management: Working Together for a Sustainable Future July 4-7, 2013 Manado, North Sulawesi, Indonesia http ://www. oired. vt. edu/ipmcrsp/biodivipm2013/ PestWorld October 22-25, 2013 Phoenix, AZ http://www.npmapestworld.org Mark Your Calendars 8th International IPM Symposium March 24-26th, 2015 Salt Lake City, UT epa.gov/ pestwise ------- |