[DRAFT] Pest Management Plan

INTRODUCTION

Pests are populations of animals, plants, fungus, or microorganisms that are detrimental to humans, facilities, or objects that serve human purposes. Within the museum setting, pests are considered anything that threatens the sustainability and welfare of museum resources. These resources include biological specimens, display and exhibition items, and facilities.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a tool for controlling pests by preventative, long-term, and low toxicity means. IPM attempts to establish a sustainable approach to managing pest populations by combining cultural, physical, biological, and chemical tools in a way that minimizes environmental, health, and economic risks. Although IPM was developed first for the agricultural industry, many libraries, archives, and museums find IPM principles relevant to the long term preservation and conservation of their holdings.

Advantages of IPM include:

• Decreased use of chemical application reduces risk to health of public

• Decreased use of chemical application reduces risk to health of staff members

• Decreased use of chemical application reduces risks of deterioration and negative impacts on holdings of the museum

• Decreased use of chemical application results in financial savings

• Environmental improvements made to the facility to implement an IPM program enhances the long-term stability of the holdings above and beyond protection against pests

• IPM allows the museum to have greater control over and knowledge of pest activity in their facility

• IPM is the pest management technique used by major institutions

GENERAL POLICY

The Montana Dinosaur Center’s Two Medicine Dinosaur Center (TMDC) adheres to the principles and practices of IPM to prevent and control pests in the museum environment. This is direct support of the TMDC Mission Statement regarding the preservation of items related to the physical and cultural heritage of the world. TMDC has adopted this IPM plan for the buildings and grounds managed by TMDC. The plan outlines procedures to be followed to protect the health and safety of all staff and visitors from pest and pesticide hazards.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Insects, spiders, rodents, and fungi directly and indirectly pose a threat, via biological degradation, to the physical condition of museum collections. The IPM program at TMDC focuses on correcting conditions that encourage pests by actively reducing available food, water, and harborage that they need to thrive. Practices such as sanitation, monitoring, education, and exclusion of pests through structural repairs are being implemented to control pests in order to reduce or eliminate the use of pesticides in the museum. The IPM at TMDC is designed to manage, mitigate, and prevent the loss or damage created by pests to educational and research collections, structures, and other property. By managing pest populations, the IPM program will provide a more healthful and safe environment for both visitors and staff.

IPM COORDINATOR

The Curator or designee shall be TMDC’s IPM Coordinator and be responsible for implementing the IPM plan and coordinating pest management-related communications between TMDC, the IPM Committee, service providers, and staff. The IPM plan will be stored in the office of the IPM Coordinator or in a location designated by the Executive Director.

IPM COMMITTEE

TMDC will maintain an IPM or other safety-related committee with the responsibility for biannual review of the IPM program and for assisting the IPM Coordinator in resolving pest-related issues. The committee will address IPM issues as needed and at least annually. The IPM committee should minimally consist of the IPM Coordinator and the Executive Director.

PARAMETERS FOR PREVENTION

Parameters for prevention include monitoring to determine biological activity, maintenance of the building structure, necessary treatments to modify conditions that permit pest access and/or survival, and actions taken once an infestation is discovered.

1. MONITORING: The IPM Coordinator monitors pest activity within the specimen containing areas of the building by routine systematic surveys of collections, communicating with staff and volunteers about pest sightings, and assessing these collections spaces using sticky traps. Building spaces to actively monitor include collections, preparation lab, museum gallery, gift shop, and gift shop storage. Communication and the use of sticky traps provide a baseline of information for each building space. Sticky traps should be periodically examined and data record into a pest logbook. The scheduling and frequency of monitoring are based upon initial findings and adjusted as necessary to each situation. New baseline readings should take place each summer as new material is collected in the field and brought into the building, as these materials can create variables that may support new pest populations. All survey information and sticky trap data should be recorded and stored in the pest logbook maintained by the IPM Coordinator. This provides a record of all monitoring efforts and pest activity.

A proper sticky trap program should include:

• Numbering and dating of each individual trap

• Placing traps in critical areas, around perimeter walls, near doors, etc. In high traffic areas, care should be taken to ensure the traps are discrete and not an “eyesore” for the general public.

• Replacement of traps should occur at appropriate intervals to ensure accurate monitoring.

• Recording data on appropriate form(s) and in the pest logbook: trap number, date placed, date inspected, date removed, pests found

• Retaining forms in a useable manner and basing future resource upon monitoring results

1. MAINTENANCE: The building structure is a physical barrier to outside life. All pests require food, water, and shelter to thrive. The museum environment is capable of providing these resources, so it is necessary to reduce pest access into the museum from the outdoors. To accomplish this, all gaps in the physical structure should be closed in an appropriate manner. Additionally, management of landscape surrounding the exterior of the building will help reduce the adjacent insect populations.

2. NEW ACQUISITIONS: Modern biological specimens brought into the museum will be thoroughly inspected and quarantined in a freeze for a minimum of one week to prevent possible pest contamination. If possible, incoming specimen(s) will be cycled through two freeze-thaw cycles to encourage hatching and freezing of any possible pest contamination prior to entering any collection space. All collection freezers will maintain temperatures that are adequate to dispatch any unwanted pests.

3. COMMUNICATING PEST PROBLEMS: All staff and volunteers should be aware of the threat to the collection posed by pests. All staff and volunteers are relied upon for communicating pest sightings in specimen-containing spaces by directly informing the IPM Coordinator, Executive Director (who will then inform the IPM Coordinator), or completing a pest-sighting form located in the administrative office. Pest-sighting forms are compiled in the pest logbook.

4. GOOD HOUSEKEEPING: Pests require only small amounts of food and water, therefore, both must be restricted as much as reasonably possible. Dust and clutter will be reduced as much as possible as it provides harborage and obstructs monitoring. Unneeded materials should be promptly discarded or stored outside of the museum in their appropriate storage locations. All staff and volunteers must understand the importance of responsible food use in the museum. Potentially high-risk objects, such as camping gear, trapping gear, and other field gear, should be promptly cleaned and stored in their appropriate outside location as soon as a trip is concluded. This will help to deter pests from entering the museum and collection spaces via these means.

PARAMETERS FOR HANDLING ACTIVE PEST PROBLEMS

Parameters for handling active pest problems include procedures for isolating actively infested and/or vulnerable specimens, determining the extent of infestation, identifying the source of infestation, and treating the problem of infested collection material.

1. ISOLATING THE OBJECT(S): When an active pest problem is possible, all priority is given to isolating the object(s) to prevent possible infestation of additional material and to prevent further damage. Small objects will be quarantined in a collections freezer for a minimum of one week. Large objects should be quarantined in a walk-in freezer for at least one week. Ideally, any infested object(s) should be put through two freeze-thaw cycles to eliminate all pests. All findings should be recorded in the pest log book.

2. EXTENT OF INFESTATION: Based upon the habits of the known pest, the region immediately surrounding the infested object should be carefully inspected to determine if additional infestation is present. All findings should be recorded in the pest logbook. If no evidence of spread of infestation is found, the area should be monitored with sticky traps and checked appropriately. If evidence of additional infestation is found, object(s) will be isolated (see 1 above), areas thoroughly cleaned, and examination continued.

3. DETERMINE SOURCE OF INFESTATION: If the source of an infestation is from infested material brought in from the outside, it may be necessary to reevaluate and modify policies and procedures that have permitted the occurrence, including reevaluating and modifying this document. If the problem is one of facilities structure, appropriate modifications and/or repairs should be made promptly and additional monitoring should take place as appropriate.

4. TREATING THE PROBLEM OF INFESTED COLLECTION MATERIAL: The following steps should be followed:

5. Identify the pest and the stage in its development that is found on the materials

6. Identify the media of the infested material

7. Based on the understanding of the biology of the pest, its life stage when found, and the material of the object, answer the following questions: Can the infested material be disinfested through removing the pest? Is it possible that eggs are present? What is the safest, least damaging, and most effective approach to treatment?

Treatment options range from simple cleaning, to freezing, to the application of pesticides or fumigation.

• Freeze-thaw cycles: The appropriate freezing cycle includes one week in the freeze, followed by a few days out in isolation, and then a refreeze for an additional week to kill hatchlings. This is considered two freeze-thaw cycles.

• Pesticides: Decisions concerning whether or not pesticides should be applied in a given situation will be based on a review of all available options. Efforts will be made to avoid the use of pesticides by adequate pest proofing of facilities, good sanitation practices, selection of pest-resistant plant materials, and appropriate horticultural practices. When it is determine that pesticides must be used in order to meet pest management objectives, the least-hazardous chemical, adequate for the job, will be chosen. All pesticide storage, transportation, and application will be conducted in accordance with the requirement of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (7 United States Cod 136 et seq.), Environmental Protection Agency regulations in 40 CFR, Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulations, TMDC policies and Procedures, and local ordinances. No person shall apply, store, or dispose of any pesticide on TMDC-managed property without an appropriate pesticide applicator license and direct approval from the Executive Director. All pesticide applicators will be trained in the principles and practices of IPM and the use of pesticides approved for use by TMDC. All applicators must comply with this IPM policy and follow appropriate regulations and label precautions when using pesticides in or around TMDC facilities. Failure to comply with this policy in regards to notification and application practices of pesticides on TMDC-managed property will be grounds for immediate dismissal and reporting to the appropriate authorities. All use of pesticides will be recorded in the pest logbook with at least the date of application and the chemical used.

POSTING AND NOTIFICATION OF PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS

The IPM Coordinator shall be responsible to annually notify staff and volunteers of the procedures for requesting notification of planned and emergency applications of pesticides in facility buildings and on facility grounds.

When pesticide applications are scheduled in TMDC buildings or on TMDC grounds, TMDC service providers and staff shall provide notification in accordance with law, including:

1. Posting a pest control information sign with the date, time, and location of the application, the product to be applied, and contact information for additional details.

2. Providing this information to all staff and volunteers working in the building.

3. Providing this information to all staff and volunteers who have requested notification of individual applications of pesticides.

Where pests pose an immediate threat to the health and safety of staff, volunteers, and visitors, TMDC’s Executive Director may authorize an emergency pesticide application and shall notify by telephone anyone who has requested such notification. Disinfectants, anti-microbials, and self-contained or gel-type pesticide baits applied in inaccessible areas are exempt from posting, notification, and the 7-hour reentry requirement.

RECORD KEEPING & PUBLIC ACCESS TO INFORMATION

TMDC will maintain records of all pest control treatments for at least 10 years. Information regarding pest management activities will be made available to the public upon request from TMDC’s Executive Director. Requests to be notified of pesticide applications may also be made to the Executive Director. All staff, both paid and volunteer, will be informed of their option to receive notification of all pesticide applications at hiring and annually thereafter.

TRAINING

All TMDC staff will be provided with training on TMDC’s IPM policy at hire and during annual update training. Training will include the rationale for the IPM policy, program, and specific elements including use of the pest-sighting log and prohibition on pesticide applications by non-certified individuals. Additionally, designated staff including the IPM Coordinator and Executive Director will receive advanced training on identifying pest infestations and pest-conducive conditions.