What is it?

Chemicals can include pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers. Proper application of any chemical is important to prevent excessive runoff and contamination of surface and groundwater supplies. Avoiding excessive application of chemicals will also limit exposure to wildlife which can cause potentially serious physiological damage as well as potentially impacting offspring. Proper application of chemicals is a multi-step action that can include planning, integrated pest mangement, proper application with equipment and proper handling, equipment calibration and maintenance, environmental monitoring and testing, and even transitioning to organic production methods and chemicals (see below).

Conservation Benefits

• Prevents algal blooms (from exess nutrients) which depletes stream oxygen
• Protects upland, riparian, and aquatic vegetation
• Protects stream and groundwater quality
• Protects wildlife, fish, and birds from chemicals and pollutants

What does it include?

Proper application of chemicals can include

• Planning - determining the appropriate type, amount, and application method of chemicals
• Integrated Pest Management - considers lifecycles and know biology of pests to determine the appropriate chemicals and application
• Proper application with equipment and handling - chemicals must be applied with the appropriate equipment and according to chemical application directions for the chemical to be most effictive
• Equipment calibration and maintenance - maintenance and calibration of equipment will make sure chemicals are being correctly applied at the desired concentrations to maximize effictiveness
• Monitoring and testing - monitoring of soil, groundwater, and surface water is important to determine the effectiveness of current application amounts and to determine if excessive chemicals are contaminating the environment
• Transition to organic production methods or chemicals - organic chemicals tend to be more biodegradable and less toxic to the surrounding environment