Multilingual IPM Education - Final Report

Disclaimer

This report was prepared by an EPA assistance agreement recipient and represents only the views of the author rather than EPA.

Craig Hollingsworth/University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Grant Award ID Number: 101-1445R
Grant Award Amount: $23,280
Project Period: Oct 1, 2001 to Sept 30, 2002, extended to December 30, 2002

Brief Project Description

We produced a booklet which explains the basic concept of IPM in the five most commonly spoken languages in the US and in Massachusetts: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Khmer and Vietnamese.

Follow these links to these versions of the booklet:

English only text (HTML)
All language version (PDF, 11 pp., 600 KB, about PDF)

Project tasks, Objectives and Accomplishments:

The following activities were completed:

written the English text
translated text into eight foreign languages through the UMass Translation Center
developed the design of the booklet
subcontracted appropriate illustrations
translations were sent to technical and language experts locally and abroad (on three continents) for review.
Text was re-incorporated into the manual design
Text in its design context was re-submitted to the UMass Translation Center for proofreading by foreign language experts.
English language text was proofread
10,000 copies of the booklet were produced.

Distribution

When initially proposed (in 2001), it was planned that booklets would be distributed as an element of the UMass Extension School IPM Program. Since that time, with the changes in the economy of Massachusetts (and most of the United States), the school IPM program has been eliminated. We are now distributing the booklet in pesticide applicator workshops, to the structural pest control industry through the New England Pest Management Association’s IPM Registry and in any IPM related workshop. Booklets have been offered through the national school IPM newsgroup at a price that covers their shipping and handling.

Funds Status

Funds were spent according to the grant outline. A financial summary will be issued through the UMass Accounting Office.

English Text of Booklet

What is Integrated Pest Management?

Craig Hollingsworth, UMass Extension Integrated Pest Management Program
Editorial Assistance, William Coli
Design Direction, UMass Extension Office of Communications and Marketing
Graphic Design & Illustrations, Marah Loft
Translations, University of Massachusetts Amherst Translation Center
With additional editorial assistance from Mario Carvalho, Vance S. Fong, Benno Graf, Vincenzo Girolami, Francis Mangan, Grace Robiou, Odair Femandes, Charles Vincent and Baiqing Wang.

The U.S. EPA, New England provided funding for the development of this material under a Pesticide Environmental Stewardship Program grant awarded to the University of Massachusetts.

Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in cooperation with the United States Department of Agriculture.

UMass Extension provides equal opportunity in programs and employment.

What is Integrated Pest Management?

Integrated Pest Management, or IPM, is a method used to control pests in an environmentally responsible manner. By reducing our dependence on pesticides, IPM protects the environment and our health. It also saves money. IPM can be applied wherever pests are found: on and in farms, schools, homes, hospitals, restaurants, golf courses and home gardens.

IPM combines different techniques to prevent pest damage without harming the environment. Pests can include insects and mites, rodents and certain birds, plant diseases, and weeds. IPM practices include monitoring, modifying pest habitat, protecting natural enemies, and, when needed, the use of pesticides.

Monitoring
Watching and recording where pests are and how pest populations develop allows IPM practitioners to obtain better pest control and avoid unnecessary treatments. In buildings, for example, mice and cockroaches are monitored using glue traps.

Natural Enemies
Natural enemies include predators, parasites and diseases of pests. Farming practices that protect natural enemies are used. Predators, such as ladybird beetles, are released in greenhouses. Bacteria-based pesticides are used on vegetable and other crops. Avoiding pesticides protects natural enemies in home gardens.

Habitat Modification
All pests need food, shelter and water. Practices that keep pests from these basic needs will reduce pest problems. Farmers make crops less favorable to pests by plowing, planting pest-resistant varieties and by not planting the same crops in the same field each year. Closing doors and keeping window screens in good repair can reduce shelter for household pests, while cleaning up spills and crumbs limits their access to food and water.

Pesticides
Chemicals that kill pests are applied only when needed and other methods will not work. The least hazardous pesticide and the lowest effective amount of pesticide should be used. The hazard of a pesticide can be reduced by its packaging or formulation. For example, ant and cockroach pesticides are available in tamper-resistant bait cups, which reduce the risk to children and pets.