Integrated Pest Management at UCLA

Pest management is a complex challenge that requires a balance between effectiveness,
environmental impact, and public health considerations. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a
sustainable approach that prioritizes prevention, monitoring, and the least toxic control methods.
Researching and implementing ecological pest management practices aligns with UCLA’s
outlined sustainability goals. The 2024 University of California IPM Policy serves as a basis for
UCLA’s current efforts in drafting and implementing a campus-wide IPM plan which is to be
finished September 2025. This research builds on the work of a previous Sustainability Action
Research team in 2017 that studied on-campus rodenticide use and a team in 2023 that studied
native bees.

Our two research questions are (1) How can insights from institutions with
established IPM programs, along with UCLA’s existing pest data, inform the development of a
comprehensive IPM plan at UCLA? and (2) How can best practices in IPM and UCLA’s specific
pest patterns be integrated into an effective outreach campaign to increase awareness? Pest
issues and excessive pesticide use on campus affect all members of the community and can
negatively impact the environment. It’s important to address health and safety concerns
regarding pest management in an urban environment like UCLA while upkeeping sustainability
goals. Our research methods include interviews with experts, site visits to campus hot spot areas,
GIS mapping, and data analysis to aid UCLA’s IPM committee as they draft UCLA’s IPM plan.
With our deliverables we identified and presented hotspots in trouble calls and pesticide usage
trends, compiling findings into communication materials to educate community members on
their role in pest management and prevention.

Stakeholders: Bonny Bentzin, Deputy Chief Sustainability Officer, Nurit Katz, Chief Sustainability Officer

Team Leaders: Oliver Porter & Allie Quan

Team Members: Marc Froimovich, Mira Getrost, Betty Huang, Lauren Hutson, Steve Jang