Introduction

The purpose of Solve Pest Problems is to reduce the impacts of pests and pest management practices in non-agricultural settings on people and the environment. The resource will be built in Spanish and English and will address inequities in access to unbiased, science-based pest management information.

This program stems from a collaborative vision to address a gap in effective information delivery about pest management and to include diverse stakeholders in the development of content and technology as well as marketing, outreach, and evaluation.  Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to this effort, which is led by OSU in collaboration with partner agencies and community members.

Solve Pest Problems will help people quickly and easily diagnose pest problems and determine effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies for preventing and managing specific pests. It is designed for use in homes, buildings, landscapes, gardens, natural areas, and other non-agricultural locations.

Recommended strategies will pose the least possible risk to people, property, resources, and the environment, while preventing intolerable levels of pest damage.

Audience

Solve Pest Problems will serve the following people:

• Urban and rural residents who manage pests in their homes or yards

• Public and private landscape and facilities management professionals

• Retail nursery workers

• OSU Master Gardener, Master Naturalist, and Master Beekeeper volunteers

• Communities historically underserved by OSU’s urban IPM resources

• Communities facing disproportionate risks from non-agricultural pesticide exposure such as children, landscape professionals, and communities of color.

• Anyone else looking for research-based information on pest management for non-agricultural settings.

Definition of integrated pest management (IPM)

The following strategies will underlay all content on Solve Pest Problems:

• Manage sites to prevent and mitigate pest problems.

• Identify pests and learn their potential for damage and their life cycle.

• Set site management goals and tolerances for damage.

• Identify, select, and implement integrated methods that consider efficacy, cost, and risk.

• Monitor and evaluate results to guide future action.

Project goals

• Provide access to effective, low-risk, science-based IPM information for preventing/mitigating intolerable pest damage.

• Emphasize pest prevention through non-chemical methods, including cultural, physical, and biological management techniques.

• Reduce risks to people, property, resources, and the environment from pests and pest management practices.

• Reduce the use of pesticides by eliminating unnecessary pesticide use.

• Advise users about the risks of inaction for pest problems.

• Facilitate use of product labels, personal protective equipment, and pesticide use record-keeping.

• Advise users about the risks of specific management techniques and pesticides and provide information to help avoid/minimize the risk.

• Identify recommended practices for management of specific pests.

Organizational structure

OSU project leadership

OSU faculty and staff will manage the development and maintenance of Solve Pest Problems.

Steering committee for content development

A small group of key stakeholders will provide strategic, tactical, and operational guidance throughout the content development stage.

Nondiscrimination statement

Oregon State University Extension Service prohibits discrimination in all its programs, services, activities, and materials on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, familial/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, genetic information, veteran’s status, and reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.)

Contact information

Weston Miller at 503-706-9193, weston.miller@oregonstate.edu