MI RIGHT-OF-WAY PEST MANAGEMENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025/2026

MI RIGHT-OF-WAY PEST MANAGEMENT QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2025/2026 _____ is the use of all available tactics or strategies to manage pests so that acceptable control can be achieved. - Answer -IPM (integrated pest management) Why must weeds and woody plants be managed on rights-of-way? - Answer -For safety, access to facilities, decrease maintenance costs, reliability of service, and for other benefits like aesthetics, wildlife, and environmental protection True or False: The first component of an effective pest management program is pest identification. - Answer -True When identifying a pest, what other information should be collected about the pest? - Answer -Pest life cycles, physiology, reproductive potential, and the past control results List several examples of different sites that might have site specific requirements. - Answer --Urban, suburban, or rural areas -Dry upland or lowland and wetland areas -Popular tourist, scenic areas, or recreational areas-Wildlife habitat such as critical nesting habitat or winter feeding grounds Why should you monitor your control strategies? What information should be recorded? - Answer -Monitor control strategies so that adjustments can be made when necessary. Records should include: control measures and start date for each, rate for any pesticides that were applied, identification of equipment and crew, environmental conditions, evaluation of effectiveness, problems encountered or complaints reported, any damage claims List the four categories of control methods and briefly explain each. - Answer -Mechanical - may be mechanical or manual removal, cutting, etc. Biological - work to enhance the effects of natural enemies of pests Chemical - use herbicides/pesticides Cultural - create optimal growing conditions for the plants you want to preserve or unfavorable conditions for the pest How does shading work as a cultural control? Where is it often used? - Answer -Block sunlight from unwanted plants to keep them from growing; often used in aquatic ecosystems to control weeds by shading them with black plastic, adding dye to the water, or other methods of blocking sunlight How have public attitudes changed about vegetation and its control in rights-of-way? - Answer -Only certain plant species are consideredundesirable, so others are usually left on the right-of-way for other benefits Why is it important to protect wetlands? - Answer -Because they are declining and they are valuable ecosystems because they protect wildlife, minimize bank and shoreline erosion, improve water quality, provide recreational activities, and act as water storage during flooding List four stages of weed development and briefly describe each. - Answer -Seedling - small, vulnerable plantlets Vegetative - rapid growth producing stems, roots, and foliage, uptake of water and nutrients is rapid