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University of Maryland - Department of Residential Facilities' 2005 Strategy
Strategic Approach
In College Park, Maryland, the University of Maryland’s Department of Residential Facilities (DRF) has responsibility for over 1.8 million square feet of undergraduate apartments and residence halls and 297,000 square feet of new or renovated recreation facilities. DRF actively seeks and implements building maintenance methodologies that reduce the amount of hazardous materials campus residents may be exposed to. Structural pests have been addressed using an in-house Integrated Pest Management program for more than a quarter of a century. More recently, the department has begun to adopt a green approach to housekeeping products and practices.
Activities for the Coming Year
Activity 1
Prepare for a biological control program using two species of parasitic wasps against a well-established infestation of brown-banded cockroaches in a 125,000 square foot residence hall. A key component of this program is anticipated to be education of a large and diverse stakeholder group. This program will provide an opportunity to share information with college students, faculty members, building staff and community administrators concerning structural IPM in general and biological control in particular. Parasitic wasp release is planned for January 2006.
How does this activity reduce pesticide risk?
This activity will reduce pesticide risk by adopting a non-chemical approach to a problem that has been addressed using insecticides in the past.
How will you measure the risk reduction gained from this activity?
Risk reduction can be measured by comparing pesticide use from this point forward against pesticide use for the past three years.
Activity 2
Open a dialogue between national college and university housing officials and physical plant administrators concerning Best Practices for IPM in residence halls. The conversation will begin on October 21, 2005 at the 4th Annual ACUHO-I/APPA Housing Facilities Workshop where staff from the department’s Urban Biology section will facilitate a discussion on this subject.
How does this activity reduce pesticide risk?
This dialogue will disseminate information and experience concerning IPM in the collegiate residential environment. The activity’s two main goals, increasing the number of campuses that adopt reduced pesticide approaches to pest management in living spaces, and developing a set of best practices for IPM in this unique environment, both promise to reduce the amount of pesticides to which residents and other stakeholders are exposed.
How will you measure the risk reduction gained from this activity?
Risk reduction will be measured initially by the number of participants who contribute to the dialogue both during and after the workshop.
Activity 3
Conduct a voluntary campus stream cleanup to remove debris that would otherwise provide harborage for Norway rats and various mosquito species. Collected debris will be separated for recycling.
How does this activity reduce pesticide risk?
This activity will reduce the area’s carrying capacity for the target pests
How will you measure the risk reduction gained from this activity?
Risk reduction will be measured by how many bags/pounds of debris are removed from the site.