Every parent expects their child to go to school in a healthy environment. Any use of pesticides and herbicides is a concern. That’s why Lake Washington School District (LWSD) uses Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in its schools. IPM ensures the use of alternate, non-chemical pest control methods as the first approach to solve a pest issue on school grounds.

Because of the success of this program, LWSD was one of four school districts in Washington honored at a Washington School IPM event held on October 1 at the University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture in Seattle. Four districts were recognized as IPM Star Certified by Washington State University Urban IPM & Pesticide Safety Education. The other three districts are Federal Way School District, Kelso School District and Mukilteo School District. There are currently only 12 school districts in the state that have achieved this certification.

LWSD earned this certification after passing a rigorous 37-point inspection conducted by the independent nonprofit IPM Institute of North America.

Jon Kollman, the maintenance field supervisor and IPM coordinator for LWSD, is most proud of the district’s Herbicide-Free School Program. “Schools take an active role in managing their site vegetation without the use of herbicides,” Kollman said.

IPM is a common-sense approach to solving pest problems with minimum pesticide usage. This approach requires schools to prevent the conditions that encourage pests. IPM involves close inspection and monitoring of structures and facilities for conditions conducive to pests. The means sealing cracks, crevices and avenues of entry for pests to keep them out of buildings. Potential food sources for pests are sealed away or eliminated as well. Pesticides are used only when reasonable, non-chemical methods do not provide adequate control, and then only via least-risk products and formulations.