Integrated Johns Creek pest management (IPM) according to the official definition is an environmentally sensitive way of managing pests. It uses a mixture of control methods and practices to prevent problems from occurring rather than dealing with them once they have occurred. It involves forward planning, monitoring and decision-making. Integrated pest management methods include:



• using biological controls, this could involve using Georgia predators, parasites or any other type of pathogen to suppress the pests
• cultural and physical control, using methods such as traps and barriers, adjusting planting locations, crop rotations and cultivation techniques which attack the pests by exposing them to their predators, destroying their food, shelter and habitats
• chemical control is used only with the least toxic pesticide to do the job, it never involves regular preventative spraying
• plan choices can play an important part if varieties are chosen that are resistant to the pests expected to be encountered
• genetic control is often used today, usually by releasing sterile males to decrease the number of young pests that are born
• finally pheromone control can be used to monitor Johns Creek insect pest populations

IPM can be used in any setting, either in a rural environment for agricultural purposes or in a home and garden setting. Most IPM programs is a four tiered approach that has been developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency which should be used as a guide to any planned IPM program:
1. Set action thresholds, before taking any action set an action threshold which is the point at which the the pest populations or the environmental conditions suggest pest control action should be taken immediately.
2. Monitor and identify pests, not all Georgia insects are pests, and not all weeds and other living organisms require being controlled. Many organisms are harmless and some are probably required (beneficial) for a healthy environment. Monitoring known pests accurately so that appropriate control decisions can be made in a timely fashion is what you need to do.
3. Take action long before the pests become a threat, the whole idea of IPM is to prevent the pests from ever becoming a threat. Using the environmentally friendly methods available can be very effective as well as cost-efficient and present little or no risk to people or the environment.
4. Control, once you have finished your monitoring, identification and you have reached your action thresholds is now time to implement the pest control. The task now is to find the most effective control method that presents the least risk to both the environment and to human health.

The whole idea behind Johns Creek IPM is to avoid the use of pesticides unless they are absolutely justified and that is what the IPM programs allow you to do, identify what you threat level is and take the necessary action doing the least amount of damage to the general environment as possible.

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