IPM
Integrated Pest Management
All organisms, including wildlife, require three basic elements to survive and grow:
- Food
- Water
- Shelter
Some add a fourth item, space. Remove an animal’s access to any one of these elements and it will not survive.
Integrated Pest Management considers the animal’s life-cycle, its needs, and the needs of the person suffering damage to create the most cost-effective plan to manage the damage.
People who follow IPM realize that 100 percent damage control often is not practical. However, it does They do know that reducing the availability of food, water, and shelter will go a long way in reducing the need removal of the animal.
By considering environmental impacts and client needs, those who use IPM can find the best plan of action.
Sometimes management is accomplished by
- habitat modification, such as capping a chimney.
- timing of activities, such as when certain crops are planted.
- direct removal, such as trapping the offending animal.
No one method will be the best solution in every situation. Sometimes, the best strategy is to use a number of techniques to achieve the desired results.
The key is to recognize that there is no magic to wildlife damage management. Those who are successful in managing damage understand the animal, its behaviors, and that a number of techniques may be needed.
Publications
Beasts Be-Gone! – A Practitioner’s Guide to IPM in Buildlings. 2000. Cornell University IPM.
Dealing with Nuisance Wildlife – 2013. University of Georgia. Outlines homeowner options.
Midwest Tree Fruit Management Handbook – University of Kentucky. Chapter 4 deals with wildlife.
Land Owner’s Guide to North American Predators – (PDF) Utah State University-Berryman Inst.
Managing Nuisance Animals & Associated Damage Around Your Home – 2007. Univ. of Tennessee