4. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT (IPM)

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is the use of multiple treatment methods to control undesirable weeds and other pests.  The Natural Areas Program defines IPM as the optimal integration of management methods to control pests with the least possible hazard to people, property, and the environment. IPM focuses on identifying and reducing, or eliminating, the root cause of a pest problem and implementing effective, long-term management solutions.

In general, a pest plant is a species that has no value because it is either undesirable or injurious to humans.  For purposes of this report, an exotic pest plant is defined as a plant that originated in areas outside of the San Francisco Bay Region and competes with native plants in wildland situations and that has a high potential to eliminate diversity.  Only the most invasive and disruptive weeds require control in the Significant Natural Areas.

The City of San Francisco's IPM plan focuses on all aspects of pest plant and animal management, while promoting non-chemical control strategies and the elimination of all but exempted pesticides. The Natural Areas IPM program identifies management goals and pest species, sets treatment thresholds, and uses the least-toxic methods feasible.  Twenty-one wildland pest plants have been identified as those of highest priority for management within this plan.

Four general weed management strategies exist: prevention, containment, reduction, and eradication.  Each results in a different level of control.  Infestations are prevented by routine monitoring that leads to weed removal.  Containment results in the isolation of an infestation. Reduction leads to smaller populations of pest species over time.  Eradication is the most effective strategy for small infestations of particularly aggressive species.  The type of method used to control plant pests in Natural Areas is under the discretion of the SFRPD Natural Areas Program, whose policy is to use the least-toxic control methods whenever feasible and practical.