Wrapping Up the Year

As the end of 2024 approaches, I'd like to reflect on the UC IPM Urban and Community program's accomplishments and share what's to come from us in 2025.

Some highlights:

• Published an updated version of the Pesticide Active Ingredient Database which provides information about common active ingredients found in pesticide products including how the ingredient works, application tips, example products, and impacts to aquatic organisms, pollinators, human health, and natural enemies.
• Revised and redesigned our web pages on Pesticides, Fertilizers, and Water Quality to help those living in urban and suburban areas understand the consequences of these garden chemicals and what to do to ensure they don't reach our waterways.
• Updated 4 Pest Notes fact sheets (Damping off, Rats, Nutsedge, and Moles) and 36 Quick Tips in both English and Spanish.
• Hired two new staff to assist with invasive species outreach and education to UC Master Gardeners.
• Published 4 issues of the Home and Garden Pest Newsletter covering a variety of topics.
• Our YouTube videos gained over 270,000 views and our monthly webinar recordings received 27,000 views this year.
• Offered 3 regional trainings for retail nursery and garden center employees, and 4 regional trainings for UC Master Gardener volunteers covering IPM, pesticides, invasive species, public health pests, and water quality.

What to expect in the New Year:

• More changes in the design and navigation of our website. See our blog post to announce the new look for the UC IPM home page.
• Updates to the content of our website, publications, and tools to make sure the information is relevant and accessible to all our audiences
• Even more educational webinars from our monthly webinar series

We sincerely thank all of you for engaging with us through our webinars, videos, blog, in-person training, website, and sometimes over the phone and email.

We wish you all a safe, happy, and pest-free holiday season and we'll see you in 2025!

-Karey Windbiel-Rojas, Associate Director for Urban & Community IPM/ Area Urban IPM Advisor