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Do Mosquito Control Programs Make You Safer?
May 23 @ 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm MDT
As scientists raise the alarm about the precipitous decline of insects, the opposite trend is occurring with mosquitoes as populations are increasing despite aggressive control measures. During the past few years in Colorado, West Nile virus infection in mosquitoes has been rising, resulting in increasing deaths from West Nile virus that are reaching levels that we haven’t seen since the 2003 epidemic.
The City of Boulder hasn’t had the high levels of West Nile virus infection in mosquitoes that surrounding areas are experiencing. Why is there a difference? This webinar will describe the City of Boulder’s approach for managing mosquitoes by managing ecosystems and share the scientific rationale for why this approach is important, not only to reduce disease risk to people, but to have a positive impact on wetland insects, birds, amphibians, and overall ecosystem health.
Rella Abernathy, Ph.D., is a senior ecologist for the Climate Initiatives Department’s Nature-Based Climate Solutions team at the City of Boulder. Rella’s academic background is in insect physiology and plant/insect interactions. She worked at the EPA Region 10 pesticide program on pesticide alternatives and pesticide reduction policy. Over the last 15 years, she’s managed the City of Boulder’s Integrated Pest Management program which is centered on an ecosystems management approach. Rella’s current role is developing programs and policies that build and expand climate-resilient landscapes in partnership with researchers, community members, NGO’s, and others to equitably and inclusively implement nature-based climate solutions that conserve biodiversity and protect human health.
Photo Credit: Katja Schulz/ Flickr
