Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden (LGBG) has implemented Integrated Pest Management (IPM) in an ongoing effort to be environmentally conscious.

IPM is an effective, environmentally friendly approach to pest management that relies on a combination of commonsense practices.

The goal of IPM is to see a reduction of pests to acceptable numbers with the least environmental impact.  Our goal is not the total elimination but rather the successful management of pests at levels that are acceptable and promote plant/public health.

IPM incorporates many elements that will help LGBG strive toward environmental excellence:

Identification: Proper identification of all pests or factors responsible is essential to the success of IPM. 

Monitoring and Sampling: The presence of pests and pest populations will be monitored and sampled frequently.  Monitoring is vital because it determines the presence of pests and pinpoints their exact locations.  It will determine the proper timing for control strategies, and will provide information about beneficial and coincidental insect populations.

Control Strategies: It is a necessity to determine how much pest damage can be tolerated before a particular strategy is executed. Different strategies can include resistant varieties, sanitation, good horticulture, physical and mechanical controls, and reliance on weather events.

Follow-up and Evaluation: It is always important to measure how effective the control strategies are.  Sometimes, a new cycle of scientific and observational monitoring may be required. 

Public Education: Most importantly, learning from our ongoing IPM experience and from those of others should be shared with garden visitors and other interested parties.

IPM improves the environment while educating the public and the Garden is excited to be incorporating IPM practices.

Lindsay Silva is a PR/Marketing Intern at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden this summer.

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