Panel: Emergency Preparedness through Integrated Pest Management Education and Tribal Partnerships
Speakers
Shujuan (Lucy) Li, University of Arizona
Jennifer Alspach, Cocopah Indian Tribe
Africa Dorame-Avalos, Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona
Emily Pimentel, USEPA
Jessica Hegelsen, USEPA
Abstract
During this session, the panelists will talk about protecting human health and the environment through community collaborations, which will prevent pest management-related pollution and enhance emergency preparedness related to pest outbreaks within Arizona’s Native American border communities. The panelists will share a project funded by the EPA Border 2020 Program, in which the University of Arizona and Inter-Tribal Council of Arizona (ITCA) partnered with tribal communities on the U.S.-Mexican border. We identified and addressed priority training needs for public and environmental health, and provided need-based community-driven education focused on reducing environmental risks and public health threats using integrated pest management (IPM) practices. Multi-media outreach helped to maximize the impact of our education efforts. Across all training events, health and well-being of tribal community members were improved by increasing awareness and knowledge of disease vectors, public health pests, pesticide safety, and IPM practices in their environments. We engaged a variety of new underserved stakeholder communities challenged by pest issues, ultimately providing benefits from the implementation of sustainable IPM practices. Tribal citizens and public health professionals have improved access to the latest scientific findings and best management practices to improve public and environmental health in tribal communities.
Session Outcomes
- Outcome 1: Demonstrate effective partnerships among federal agencies, universities, tribes, and tribal organizations.
- Outcome 2: Enhance access to the latest scientific findings and best management practices to improve public and environmental health in tribal communities.
- Outcome 3: Increase awareness and knowledge of public health pests, emergency preparedness of pest outbreaks, climate change adaptation, pesticide safety, and IPM practices.
Topics
Climate Change, Education/Outreach, Pesticides/IPM
Keywords
Climate Change Adaptation, Integrated Pest Management, Emergency Preparedness, Pesticide Safety, US-Mexico Border
Level of Expertise
N/A
Video
Tribal EPA Region 9 Conference Youtube Channel Playlists:
2021 Tribal EPA Region 9 Conference
2020 Tribal EPA Region 9 Conference