Campus audit

Nicole Schreck

              On March 9th, 2005, I conducted an interview with Robert Kennedy, who is the head of grounds for Saint Mary’s College.  I presented Mr. Kennedy with an array of questions about the use of pesticides on Campus. 

              Saint Mary’s uses very minimal pesticides for the control of pests.  We also use very minimal herbicides for the control of unwanted overgrowth.  We use other forms of herbicides and pesticides, beside chemical, for the upkeep of our beautiful lawns and gardens.

              The Saint Mary’s campus has two rose gardens in which we use retired paraffin, which is benign, and applied after the roses are pruned in fall.  This paraffin keeps the roses from getting mold and helps keep the bugs from eating them.  We also use a fungicide on the rose garden occasionally to keep the roses from getting fungus.

              On the grounds we use mulch and wood chips to help keep unwanted plants from emerging.  The wood chips are from pine trees on and off campus.  We have many pine trees that have died and we use them as chips to help the campus.  This recycles the dead pine tree and helps keeps down the seed flow.  When our own pine trees are not available, one of the gardeners brings clean, and otherwise unwanted, wood chips from other places in the area for free.  We are saving money and saving the environment by not using too many chemicals.  We do not do this yearly, but when needed.  According to The University of California integrated Pest management Program “mulch is any material placed on the soil to cover and protect it. Mulches suppress annual weeds by limiting light required for weed establishment. Many types of landscape mulches are available. The most common are bark and other wood products and black plastic or cloth materials. Other products that are used include paper, yard compost, hulls from nuts (pecans) or cereals (rice), municipal composts, and stones (UC IPM online, n.d.).”

              Robert Kennedy chooses his pesticides and herbicides carefully.  They are chosen on the basis that they are fairly safe to the environment and safe for use by humans.  The pesticides and herbicides are also chosen for effectiveness as well. We use Roundup, a very benign herbicide that deteriorates in two days.  Roundup is a systemic herbicide that the weeds take in and is transported to the root.  Roundup is applied by spray and is highly effective because it kills the root, and not just the plant itself.  When applying roundup, employees do not need to wear special clothing because it is not to harmful to us, but it is recommended by the manufacturers of Roundup.

 According to the pesticide action network, Roundup is distributed and manufactured by Monsanto and it is a basic solution to killing weeds and grasses.  Roundup kills numerous weeds, such as dandelion and ragweed.  The active ingredients are Glyphosate and isopropylamine salt.  Glyphospate is a Glyphospate compound, and some formulations may show moderate toxicity.   Another additive is trimethysulfonium salt which could be harmful. “The trimethylsulfonium salt causes eye irritation in rabbits; some formulations may cause much more extreme irritation of the skin or eyes. Some formulations may show high acute inhalation toxicity (PAN, n.d).”  Some other symptoms include a cough, redness of eyes and diarrhea, shortness of breath, vomiting and weakness (PAN, n.d.).  So far the state of California is not sure if the chemical Glyphosate is a ground water polluter or reproductive toxin. Isopropylamine salt, however, is a possible ground water contaminator, and still is being researched to learn if it affects health. The “World Health Organization” rates active ingredients of pesticides.

              Another way Saint Mary’s keeps unwanted weed growth down is by using a preemergence herbicide once a year.  The preemergnce herbicide is called Round Star and it is a granular agent deactivated by wetness after rain. The fact that it does deactivate after rain means that there is no runoff and will not affect our water and sewer systems.  A preemergence herbicide helps growth not occur to begin with, and the use of sprays will not be needed as heavily.

              We do have some natural predator bugs on campus.  We have ladybugs, that eat aphids in the gardens, and who come to us by selection.  We also have a wasp population, which to some is not good.  Wasps are carnivores and they eat bugs that eat our plants.  However, many people complain about the wasp population because they like to eat our food and drink our drinks as well, and that could be dangerous if they sting us.  So we do try to keep the wasp population down by destroying their nests.  Worms are also natural populations at saint Mary’s, and although they do not eat other bugs, they do help fertilize our soil.

              Saint Mary’s has some animals and pests that do need to be controlled, such as the yellow jacket population.  Yellow jackets live in the ground and can be dangerous if someone steps on them.  Many people are allergic to bee stings and so the nests need to be destroyed.  We also have a deer population that likes to eat our flowers and plants.  There is not much we can do about the deer because we are not allowed to hunt them, so Robert Kennedy tried to pick deer resistant plants.  Some deer resistant plants are Oleander, Baccarus, Coyote Brush, Cedar, Redwoods, California Fuscia, and Current.  Although many of these plants are deer resistant, deer sometimes eat them anyway.

Works Cited

Kennedy, Robert. Personal interview. 09 Mar. 2005. 

"Pesticide." Online posting. PAN International. 20 Apr. 2005 <http:www.pesticideinfo.org/Index.html>.

"Statewide Integrated Pest management program." Online posting. UC IPM online. 20 Apr. 2005 <www.ipm.ucdavis.edu>.