| For 2020 and newer grants, please go to https://grants.ipmcenters.org/ |
|---|
|
|
| Home Current RFAs PD User Guide Projects Login |
|
Funded Project |
|
Funding Program:
IPM Partnership Grants |
|
Project Title:
Vermont School IPM Project |
Project Director (PD):
|
|
Lead State: VT Lead Organization: Informed Green Solutions, Inc. |
| Undesignated Funding: $8,000 |
|
Start Date: May-01-2010 End Date: Apr-30-2011 |
|
Pests Involved: ants, flies, wasps, bees |
|
Site/Commodity: schools, structural, community |
|
Area of Emphasis: organic |
|
Summary:
Most Vermont schools do not have a functioning IPM policy. Research has shown that exposure to pesticides can cause serious health effects in children including cancer, birth defects, nervous system disorders, reproductive issues, immune disorders, asthma episodes, and hormone disruption.
This project aims to educate school stakeholders on the hazards of using pesticides, the benefits of a verifiable IPM program, steps to implementation and ways to identify a legitimate IPM service program. To address this problem, Informed Green Solutions (IGS) Project Director will: *Participate in the NE School IPM Workgroup *Coordinate a group of Vermont school stakeholders for a VT IPM Workgroup to -identify mechanisms to educate school stakeholders -develop a priorities list to identify critical issues in current pest management -identify schools for pilot projects and participate in pilot projects -generate/identify materials needed to educate stakeholders -Add key IPM components to Informed Green Solutions' existing Cleaning for Healthy Schools Products and Practices Evaluations and materials *Coordinate with the Envision (VT's Tools for Schools) Program to expand enrollment in the program through collaboration. (This program includes adoption of an IPM policy for each school enrolling.) Objectives: 1) Establish and coordinate the VT School IPM Workgroup to share information, training, and resources to establish and support IPM programs in VT. 2) Conduct an IPM demonstration project at a school district where a school IPM program is lacking. 3) Integrate IPM concepts into existing CfHS materials that will be used across the region and provide technical assistance using these materials to schools. Proposal |
|
Final Report: |
|
Outcomes 1.The pilot project at Hartford School District was successfully completed although assistance will be ongoing for the turf project. o Ten schools/districts were provided with technical assistance and educational materials. The WG compiled an IPM Notebook and provided some technical assistance for 10 schools/districts. It quickly became evident that each school needs to have a Handbook and some training on how to use the program, rather than just the district. 2.Six of our schools were already enrolled in the Envision program (requires adopting an IPM program). Four had not formally adopted IPM policies and didn't have plans in effect. Three had adopted the policy, but didn't have a plan in effect and our pilot project schools had not enrolled. Hartford has now enrolled and will be going through the process to have the policy adopted. They now have a plan in effect. Three schools will submit Envision policies to their school board for adoption (this usually takes a year) and now have a plan in effect. The three schools with a policy now have a plan. The final school will be submitting the policy and now has a plan. 3. An expanded IPM section was added to Informed Green Solutions Cleaning Products and Practices Evaluation Form and provided to state healthy schools programs in three states. See Appendix B. 4. 196 stakeholders from 5 groups attended presentations on IPM/Envision. See Appendix A. |
|
Impacts Safeguarding human health and the environment: The Notebook developed by the Work Group can be used by all 330 of Vermont's schools and can be adapted for schools in other New England states. The Indoor Environmental Health questionnaire can also be adapted by other states. The project has reduced the risk of pesticide exposure to school occupants and could result in the use of lower-risk pesticides in all Vermont schools through our pest service providers' education. Economic benefits: Schools could save money by controlling pests with in-house staff and discontinuing routine spraying by pest service providers. Implementation of IPM: Since this program just went into effect, we could not check the Notebooks to determine pests sighted or actions taken to verify the efficacy, but we will be able to in the future and will make it part of the yearly Indoor Environmental Quality Walk-through. Educational materials were delivered to the 10 schools we assisted as well as to all the school principals through the Principals Association and school nurses through the School Nurses Association. In addition, materials were provided at speaking engagements. 196 stakeholders were introduced to IPM at trainings/presentations. The 10 schools that were directly assisted have adopted IPM practices as a direct result of the project. |
| Report Appendices |
| Close Window |
|
Northeastern IPM Center 340 Tower Road Cornell University Ithaca, NY 14853 NortheastIPM.org |
 |
Developed by the Center for IPM © Copyright CIPM 2004-2026 |
|