Whether you have a pot of tomato plants on a balcony or you’re managing a large parcel of public land, challenges can arise when insects eat your tomatoes or weeds spread to native plant communities on open space land.

City staff are guided by ecosystems management principles. Decades of experience from expert staff with academic partners, lessess and community members has led to the development of an Ecological Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Policy. You can learn more about how the city approaches pest challenges by visiting the IPM program webpage.

Community members can apply the same principles as the city in homes, yards, HOAs and gardens. The Sustainable Yards & Pest Management webpage provides resources to help you choose the right plants that resist pests, support pollinators and biodiversity, cool and shade your yard, conserve water and keep you and your family safe from lawn chemicals. There's also a guide to help you successfuly manage a rat problem.