ODNR DIRECTIVE
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| TO: |
ALL LAND MANAGING DIVISIONS
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| FROM: |
SAM SPECK, DIRECTOR
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| SUBJECT: |
MOSQUITO CONTROL
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| Effective |
December 5, 1999 |
| Purpose |
To provide guidance and consistency in the handling of requests to apply mosquito control agents on department lands. |
| Authority |
ORC 1501.01 |
| Reference |
ORC 1531.25
OAC1501:31-23-01
ODNR Pesticide Use Directive |
| Resource |
Division of Wildlife - Terrestrial Diversity and Endangered Species Administrator; Wildlife Diversity Database Coordinator
Real Estate and Land Management - Resource Management Section, Environmental Review Program
Division of Natural Areas & Preserves - Natural Heritage Database
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The Department of Natural Resources manages its lands to preserve and protect these lands in such a manner as to perpetuate the natural systems and the species which inhabit these systems. The Department further recognizes that mosquitoes and other biting arthropods are significant members of the food chain on its lands and as such are important sources of food for many species of fish, amphibians, and birds.
Due to their importance in the food chain, the Department normally does not attempt to manage the populations of mosquitoes and other biting arthropods on its lands. However, occasionally mosquitoes and other biting arthropods are vectors for diseases which may adversely affect the health and safety of humans and domestic animals.
Because the Department receives periodic requests to spray its lands to control mosquitoes which inhabit the wetlands on state property, the policy listed below is hereby adopted to give guidance and consistency in the handling of these requests by the Divisions.
It shall be the policy of the Department of Natural Resources to be a good neighbor and work with a duly established and organized health district, local health department, or other body to control mosquitoes or other biting arthropods which are known to harbor diseases which are infectious to humans or domestic animals.
When such mosquito treatment is requested, the Department will ensure that no state-listed wildlife species are present. Such determination will be hastened by the review of records for state-listed species contained in either the Natural Heritage Database or the Wildlife Diversity Database. If no records of state-listed species occur in the proposed spray area, the Department will allow access to its lands and will approve for use on its property only mosquito larvicides and adulticides which have the least affect on non-target species. The Department will provide funds to a sanitary district, if the area being treated is within an established district, at the same rate as a private landowner who owns a similar amount of property in the district.
While it is the policy of the Department of Natural Resources to control mosquitoes or other biting arthropods on its lands for health and safety purposes, divisions of the Department may cooperate with state and local health officials and other entities or persons to control mosquitoes for purposes other than health and safety reasons if such control measures do not adversely affect state-listed species or conflict with the purposes for which such state lands are being managed.
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