Jan. 13, 2004

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DALLAS - The Southwest Technical Resource Center for IPM in Schools and Institutions (SWTRC) has announced its second annual IPM Pride Award competition. This award is given to school districts making successful transitions from traditional pest control programs to integrated pest management.

"The goal of school facilities management is to provide safe, attractive and efficiently-run places for children to learn and grow," said Janet Hurley with Texas Cooperative Extension, school IPM program coordinator for SWTRC. "Pest management is a critical component of facilities management. By monitoring and reporting sanitary conditions, preventing pest invasion and correcting pest problems as they appear, pest management professionals make valuable contributions to safer schools."

The award program is open to school districts in New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. Winners receive a plaque and a cash award to first and second place districts. In 2003, two schools, La Vega ISD and Carrollton - Farmers Branch ISD, were awarded $1,500.

Pests pose serious economic and health problems for schools, Hurley said. Stinging insects, cockroaches and rodents can transmit disease, contribute to poor air quality in buildings, and result in potentially serious health threats to children and adults, she said.

In addition, weeds increase the cost of campus maintenance, and plant diseases contribute to playground tree hazards and costly plant replacement, she said. Also, traditional pesticides can pose human health risks, contribute to poor indoor air quality and threaten the outdoor environment.

"IPM is an approach that seeks ways to maximize pest control while balancing potential threats to people or the environment," said Hurley.

Deadline for entries is April 15. To make nominations, complete an application and mail it to Southwest Technical Resource Center for IPM in Schools, Texas Cooperative Extension, 17360 Coit Road, Dallas, TX 75252-6599. Awards will be announced by June 30.

To request an application or learn more about IPM, visit the Web at http://schoolipm.tamu.edu, or call toll-free (877) 747-6872.

The IPM Pride Award is supported by Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment and National Foundation for IPM Education.