Spraying is not just about pest management — it’s about preserving the health of trees, safeguarding the environ- ment, and ensuring the safety of communities.
In Pursuit of Responsible Spraying Sustainable tree care practices require an integrated pest management program A holistic approach and continuing education are crucial to adopting more precise and targeted solutions By Veronica Sparks
could lead to regulatory restrictions on the product itself. “These products, when used properly, actually have a much less significant impact on the environment,” he ex- plained. “They can actually be and usu- ally are the preferred products to use in a lot of situations when we’re dealing with especially invasive pests.” However, once banned or restricted, these products cannot be used for their intended purposes, leaving arborists without the best possible tools to con- trol invasive pest species. And, as Ware also pointed out, an arborist’s ultimate responsibility is to control these infes- tations, since many of the pest issues we see are oen due to human travel and exports across the globe. HISTORY OF TREE SPRAYING Tree spraying and pest management in the tree care industry traces back to rudimentary practices, such as apply- ing general mixes of chemicals across entire landscapes.
In the realm of tree care, addressing invasive or destructive pests and dis- eases is a big part of what tree care professionals do. However, the chemi- cals used to treat affected trees should be used with care. That’s why responsible spraying stands as a cornerstone practice for ar- borists and tree care professionals. It’s not just about pest management — it’s about preserving the health of trees, safeguarding the environment, and ensuring the safety of communities. Responsible spraying isn’t merely a preference; it’s an imperative. The indiscriminate use of pesticides and chemicals can lead to detrimental con- sequences for ecosystems, wildlife, and even human health. Arborists play a pivotal role in mitigating these risks by adopting practices that prioritize targeted treatments, minimal environ- mental impact, and maximum efficacy. Here’s a look at how the practice has evolved and what you need to know about incorporating a responsible in-
tegrated pest management plan (IPM) into your tree care practice. WHY IT’S IMPORTANT Unfortunately, failure to spray respon- sibly can result in many health and environmental issues, particularly the contamination of soil and water . When spraying is done indiscriminately or improperly, pesticides can make their way into the surrounding soil and even into waterways. This can eventually im- pact the health of other plant life, wild- life, and even human safety. Other consequences of irresponsible spraying include collateral damage to non-target organisms like beneficial insects and even legal ramifications in certain situations and in some regions. Mark Ware, an arborologist with Rain- bow Ecoscience , mentioned another timely and critical consequence of irre- sponsible spraying: bans on potentially useful products. When a pesticide prod- uct is frequently used improperly and leads to detrimental consequences, this
The indiscriminate use of pesticides and chemicals can lead to detrimental consequences for ecosys- tems, wildlife, and even human health.
36 | ArborTIMES Spring 2024
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