Introduction
The Environmental Management Pollution Prevention's (EMP) pesticides management program is an integrated surveillance and control effort based on U.S. Air Force implementation of AFI 32-1053 and DoD Directive 4150.7, DoD Pest Management Program. The base program is designed to provide safe, effective, and economic control of the pest problems that affect Hill Air Force Base associated lands. Pests that exist in these areas include insects such as mosquitoes, termites, spiders, etc., rodents, nuisance birds (i.e. starlings and pigeons), pest vegetation and other pest organisms. Pest control services at the base are provided by the base pest management section with the exception of a contract to provide services for Base Housing herbiciding and landscape care. The diverse aspects of the program require coordination with several offices at Hill AFB, primarily Civil Engineering, EM's Natural Resources, and Bioenvironmental Engineering.

Goals and Strategies
The goal of the pesticide program is to reduce the current distribution and prevent the spread and invasion of noxious or invading weeds, mosquitoes, household and nuisance pests, and miscellaneous pests. Control strategies begin with surveys to identify existing pest species, distribution, and abundance. This establishes a baseline that is used to monitor future trends and to assess the effectiveness of pest control efforts.

In a continuous effort to reduce the reliance on chemical pesticide use, an integrated pest management (IPM) approach has been developed and is being used. This alternative IPM approach is the strategy of controlling populations at tolerable levels rather than working to eliminate them entirely. IPM is the selection, integration, and implementation of suitable combinations of pest control methods in an effective balance that minimizes undesirable side effects. Prevention, biological, cultural, and mechanical control, and accomplishments made to improve rangelands have been incorporated into the management process. The key elements in an IPM program include:

• Proper identification of problem pests and knowledge of their life cycles.

• Close monitoring of the pest activities and populations.

• Application of appropriate controls which are most effective in reducing the pest population.

• Adjustment of control measures to avoid injuring nontarget species and the environment.

To control an existing weed- or insect-infested area, the sources or causes of the weeds and insects must be determined. Effective control is complete only when the sources or causes have been eliminated. Some sources and causes of weed and insect infestation can include past disturbances / non-native species introduction, land uses, grazing, burning, and chemical overuse.

Prevention is used to manage pests by preventing pest establishment and / or by eliminating individual survivors. This is accomplished through sanitary procedures to prevent spreading, aggressive management to remove existing populations, recognizing and eliminating new pest species before they multiply and become established, and by modifying land use practices. The prevention of prime habitat for certain species is also a method of control through rangeland management.

Biological control involves the introduction and management of selected natural enemies of the pest. The associated impacts to the pest can be direct or indirect. Direct impacts for weed control destroy vital plant tissues and functions. Indirect impacts increase stress on the weeds which may reduce their ability to compete with desirable plants. Biological control for weeds can include insects, microbial and viral agents (biological herbicides), plant pathogens, and nematodes. Biological control of grasshoppers can include bacteria, parasites, and predators such as flies and ground beetles.

Hazard Reduction
Although it may not be apparent at first glance, bird-aircraft strike hazards can be reduced simply by planting appropriate turf along the airfield. The desireable grass species will out-compete pest vegetation and provide less suitable habitat to pest insects. With fewer insects in the vicinity, there will be less food for insect-eating birds, resulting in fewer birds in the vicinity as well. This implies that knowledgeable turf selection can significantly reduce the bird-strike hazard along the airfield without the use of harmful chemicals.

Inspections
Inspections promote compliance with the DoD regulations, federal and state laws, and confirm that Hill AFB is operating within the conditions outlined in the Hill AFB Pesticide Management Plan. External and internal ECAMP inspections are conducted once a year to identify areas of pesticide management that are in need of improvement to meet or exceed the required standards.