Contact Karen Laitala at karen@blackfootchallenge.org for more information.
1:00 – 1:50pm: Pesticide Safety and Behaviors * Cecil Tharp, MSU Extension
This presentation will cover the potential of pesticide poisonings due to associated pesticide applicator behaviors often learned over time. The presentation will associate acute and chronic toxicity with common risky behaviors, review private applicator surveys, and integrate into a pragmatic approach for pesticide applicators to consider. In addition, the presentation will cover PPE, historical poisonings, and reading the product label.
Cecil Tharp is the Pesticide Education Specialist for the Montana State University Extension Service. He received his PhD in Entomology with emphasis in Integrated Pest Management from MSU – Bozeman in 2014. From 1995 to 2007 Cecil conducted research on insect pests with the USDA / Agricultural Research Service and Montana State University. In that time, he led a team of two to five technicians in testing hundreds of experimental pesticide formulations, some of which are registered today. As the Pesticide Education Specialist, he assists the public with pesticide inquiries, coordinates the certification and training of Montana private applicators and assists in the training of general use and government / commercial applicators.
2:00 – 2:50pm: Managing Plant Communities & Noxious Weeds for Pollinators * Marirose Kuhlman, Missoula County Dept of Ecology and Extension
In this talk, we’ll explore strategies for managing plant communities and controlling noxious weeds to benefit native pollinator populations. I’ll provide an overview of different kinds of pollinators and their life histories, which helps inform decision-making when taking action to control noxious weeds. And we’ll consider practical approaches to creating and maintaining healthy, diverse plant communities that support robust pollinator populations.
Marirose holds a BA in biology/botanical sciences from UM and a MS in Entomology from the U of Florida. During her career she has worked for private conservation lands, nonprofits, universities, and government agencies surveying plants and/or pollinators. In her work at the Missoula County Dept of Ecology, she works with public and private landowners and land managers to develop and implement integrated vegetation management (IVM) programs focused on creating and enhancing beneficial plant and native pollinator communities.