Conservation Biological Control
Short Course

University of RHODE ISLAND EAST FARM, BLDG 75
Kingston, Rhode Island
Thursday, February 11th, 2016
9:00 am - 4:30 pm EST

Learn how to attract beneficial insects to farms and orchards
for natural pest control!

Register Now!

Beneficial insects contribute to natural pest suppression and potentially save $4.5 billion annually in pesticide costs. Yet the contribution of insects that prey upon or parasitize crop pests is largely overlooked. Conservation biological control is a science-based pest management strategy that seeks to integrate beneficial insects back into cropping systems for natural pest control, ultimately reducing and in some cases eliminating the need for insecticides. This strategy is based upon ongoing research that continues to demonstrate a link between the conservation of natural habitat and reduced pest problems on farms, orchards, and gardens.

In response to growing interest in promoting beneficial insects for their pest control services on farms, the Xerces Society has authored the book Farming With Native Beneficial Insects and developed the Conservation Biological Control Short Course to educate farmers, agriculture employees, natural resource specialists, land managers, and conservation organization staff.

Continuing Education Credits available:

• NOFA Accredited Organic Land Care Professional (1 credit per hour)
• Society of American Foresters CFE (3.0 hours Category 1-CF, 1.0 hour Category 2)
  
• Certified Crop Adviser (5.0 CEUs)
• Private Applicators and Research & Demonstration Pest Control (6 hours)

 Short Course Training Skills & Objectives

This workshop will cover:

• The importance of beneficial insects - predators and parasitoids that attack insect pests.
• Overview of conservation biological control and integrated pest management (IPM).
• How to identify beneficial insects and distinguish them from other insects.
• How to recognize the habitat needs of beneficial insects and identify habitat deficiencies.
• The design and implementation of habitat improvements, including site preparation, insectary strip plantings, hedgerows, beetle banks, and more.
• The current best management practices that minimize land-use impacts on beneficial insects and mitigate exposure to insecticides.
• How to access USDA conservation programs for financial and technical support.

Participants will receive the Xerces Society's Conservation Biological Control Toolkit which includes habitat installation guidelines and other relevant publications, and will have the option to purchase Xerces' book, Farming with Native Beneficial Insects on site.

Course Agenda

Welcome and Announcements 

Module 1 - Farming with Beneficial Insects: Conservation Biological Control (CBC)

• Overview of conservation biological control and integrated pest management
• Status of beneficial insect conservation
• Summary of conservation biocontrol case studies

Module 2 - Common Beneficial Insect Groups

• Introduction to beneficial insects and the ecological services they provide
• Overview of beneficial insect groups (predators and parasitoids)
• Summary of beneficial insect biology and habitat needs
• Profiles of common predators and parasitoids and the insect pests they attack
• Brief overview of native bee diversity and biology and shared habitat needs

Break 

Module 3 - Designing and Restoring Habitat for Beneficial Insects

• Conservation practices that support beneficial insects (e.g. beetle banks, buffers and windbreaks, cover crops, field borders, hedgerows, insectary strips, wildflower meadows, and more)
• Habitat conservation methods (site preparation, propagation, and maintenance)
• Farm case studies

Lunch - Bring a sack lunch! 

GUEST SPEAKER – Lisa Tewksbury, URI Biocontrol Lab Manager 

• Biological control of invasive weeds

Module 4 - Farm Practices for Beneficial Insects

• Supporting beneficial insects with farm practices
• Mitigating pesticide risks to beneficial insects and other natural resources
• Protecting overwintering and nesting sites

Break 

Module 5 - Assessing Baseline Farm Conditions for Beneficial Insects

• Overview of habitat diversity values
• Introduction to the Beneficial Insect Habitat Assessment Guide to inform CBC planning

GUEST SPEAKER - Gary Casabona, State Biologist, NRCS

• Summary of USDA programs and practices for pollinator and beneficial insect conservation

Module 6 – Q&A, additional resources, and course evaluations 

INSTRUCTORS

Kelly Gill – Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic, The Xerces Society
Kelly is the Pollinator Conservation Specialist, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic Regions for The Xerces Society and a partner biologist with the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service. Kelly’s position provides technical support for planning, installing, and managing habitat for pollinators and other beneficial insects. A Pennsylvania native, Kelly completed her Master’s Degree in Entomology at Iowa State University. There, she conducted small plot and farm scale research, collaborating with organic and conventional farmers, on the development of best practices for conserving beneficial insects in agricultural landscapes.

Gary Casabona – State Biologist, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Gary Casabona holds a B.S. in Environmental Sciences from Rutgers University, and a M.S. in Wildlife Biology from Virginia Tech.  He worked for USDA-NRCS in New Jersey for 14 years before moving to Rhode Island in 2011 as the statewide wildlife biologist for NRCS.  Gary’s current activities include habitat projects for New England cottontail, native pollinators, scrub/shrub birds, wetland restoration, fish passage, and oyster restoration.

Lisa Tewksbury - University of Rhode Island Dept. of Plant Science & Entomology
Lisa Tewksbury has worked as a Research Associate at URI in the Plant Sciences Dept. for the past 30 years and as manager of the URI biological control lab for the past 21.  The biological control lab conducts research on insect natural enemies of invasive insect and weed species; among the current projects are: black swallow-wort, knapweed, mile-a-minute, common reed (phragmites), and lily leaf beetle. 

About The Xerces Society

The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation is an international nonprofit organization that protects wildlife through the conservation of invertebrates and their habitat. The Society's Pollinator Conservation Program was launched in 1996, and works with leading native pollinator ecologists to translate the latest research findings into on-the-ground conservation. More information about the Xerces Society is available at www.xerces.org.

Register Now!