UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- Pesticide use on school property has been a concern to Pennsylvania legislators, educators, parents and environmental groups in recent years. To help limit potential human exposure to pesticides, and to enhance the teaching of agricultural and scientific principles to the state's schoolchildren, Penn State and Pennsylvania government agencies are collaborating to promote the use of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to control pests in and around school facilities.

Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences and College of Education will join with Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture and Department of Education to develop educational materials for use in the state's public school system and to conduct educational programs on IPM for teachers and students. The organizations also will identify IPM concepts and tools that best serve educational purposes and will cooperate to obtain public and financial support for IPM awareness and education.

The program will be formalized Oct. 28 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at the David L. Swartz Intermediate High School in Carlisle, Pa.

"IPM is an excellent vehicle for teaching life science concepts at the elementary, middle and high school levels," says Pete Rubba, professor of science education and head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in Penn State's College of Education. "Many of the concepts identified by the National Science Education Standards and the forthcoming Pennsylvania Curriculum Standards in science can be exemplified through IPM."

Some Pennsylvania school districts already have adopted IPM voluntarily to reduce reliance on pesticides. The Carlisle Area School District was chosen as the site of the memorandum signing because of its successful IPM program, which was implemented over the last year. "IPM helps us to provide a better, more environmentally friendly learning environment for students, teachers and staff," says Dr. Gerald Fowler, school superintendent.

IPM programs in schools rely heavily on prevention, sanitation, maintenance, pest monitoring and recordkeeping to reduce reliance on pesticides. Pesticides targeted to a specific pest are used only when and where monitoring indicates they are needed. In addition, materials that are least toxic and have the shortest duration are used. Pesticides are not applied when students, teachers or staff are present in the affected area to assure the safety of the school learning environment.

"The Integrated Pest Management partnership not only ensures the responsible use of pesticides, it ensures the safety of our children in the Commonwealth's schools," says Secretary of Agriculture Samuel E. Hayes. "With this program we protect our environment, our schools and our future."

IPM is an approach to managing pests such as insects, diseases, weeds and animals by integrating appropriate physical, biological and chemical tactics that are safe, profitable and environmentally compatible. The Pennsylvania IPM program is a collaboration between The Pennsylvania State University and the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture aimed at promoting integrated pest management in both agricultural and nonagricultural situations.

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EDITORS: For more information, contact Edwin Rajotte, Penn State IPM coordinator, at 814-863-4641, or Lee Bentz, Pa. Department of Agriculture IPM coordinator, at (717) 772-5204.

Contacts: Chuck Gill cdg5@psu.edu 814-863-2713 814-865-1068 fax

Kristie Auman kma147@psu.edu 814-863-1815