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The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation will host regional workshops across the state during September and October to provide training on the use of alternatives to pesticides at schools and day care centers.
Grassroots Environmental Education will provide introductory training for administrators and other school and day care personnel on the basic elements of grounds and pest management. New York state laws prohibit the use of most pesticides on turf, athletic and playing fields and grounds at schools and day care centers. The workshops are designed to facilitate school and day care center compliance with that prohibition.
"Proper management of playgrounds, athletic fields and outdoor pests in schools and day care centers is essential to protecting the health of children," said DEC Commissioner Joe Martens. "These training workshops will provide important information on alternatives to conventional pesticides, and help schools and day care centers create safe environments for their students."
The workshops will cover introductory information and resource topics, including site assessment techniques; establishing and maintaining soil health; choosing appropriate species for planting; and minimum risk pesticides. Four DEC recertification credits will be available for certified applicators who complete the training.
DEC received funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the workshops.
Space is limited at the workshops. To register, contact Grassroots Environmental at 1-516-883-0887 or www.nyturftraining.com. Workshops will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the following locations (lunch provided).
Sept. 25 - Long Island
Old Bethpage Village Restoration, 1303 Round Swamp Road, Old Bethpage
Sept. 30 - Syracuse
Syracuse Center of Excellence, 727 E. Washington St.
Oct. 1 - Albany
Cornell University Cooperative Extension, 24 Martin Road, Voorheesville
Oct. 7 - Rochester
City of Rochester Water Bureau, 10 Felix St., Rochester
Oct. 8 - Buffalo
Tifft Nature Preserve, 1200 Fuhrmann Blvd., Buffalo
DEC encourages attendance at a workshop. For those unable to attend in person, Grassroots will offer a condensed version of the training through a webinar on Oct. 16.
For more information and to register, visit the link on the right side DEC's webpage at http://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/93323.html.