Prescriptions are strategies for managing vegetation and pests and need to be developed for both general and site specific management requirements.
General prescriptions (like those presented in IPM Access) outline the full range of treatment options that have shown merit and may be useful for managing a pest problem. Such prescriptions do not indicate the precise set of practices, techniques, materials, etc., that will be cost-effective and therefore included as an option in the implementation strategy for managing a site specific problem.
Site specific prescriptions require analysis and evaluation of the particular site conditions and circumstances that govern: 1.) the occurrence and intensity of a given pest problem, and 2.) the feasibility of applying potential treatment strategies. This information is used in reviewing management options outlined in general prescriptions to help determine the most appropriate treatment methods, tools, materials, timing, etc. that together will provide cost-effective and environmentally sound results.
The combination of treatment options that will be cost-effective in any given instance will depend on a variety of factors, such as: the function and priority for maintenance of the site or feature; the pest type, intensity, and distribution; previously applied management practices; the presence of natural controls; the environmental and human health sensitivity of the site.
Prescriptions, whether general or specific, are dynamic relative to changing site conditions, technical advances in pest management, and availability of resources. Monitoring provides information for adjusting prescriptions to match changing site conditions and requirements, while research and field trials are necessary for identifying and evaluating technical advances in pest management. Also, for public and private organizations, budgets and other political decisions determine availability of resources, including access to specific management tools (e.g., pesticides) as well as funding.
Source: IPM Access - An Integrated Pest Management Online Service
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