A Simplified Approach to Using Pesticide Use Reporting To Prioritize Pesticide Risk in California’s National Parks.

Meyer, E; DeMars, C

Non-target pesticide drift into California National Parks (CANPs) is a significant ecosystem concern, resulting in many pesticide transport studies in the last several decades. We reviewed literature on prior research in 15 CANPs to summarize past monitoring of currently used pesticide active ingredients (AIs). The results were then compared against a newly developed web-based geographic information system tool that prioritizes AIs based on their ability to drift, toxicities, and the location, timing, and rate of application. A case study of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks revealed that in 2015, 130 AIs had the ability to drift into park boundaries, and that only 9 of those had been monitored in the previous 40 years. Further, Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have received a majority of the previous AI research, while some CANPs like Pinnacles National Park have been overlooked even though there may be greater exposure to atmospheric drift of AIs. To date, the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) Pesticide Use Reports database (PUR) has remained largely untapped for sampling and research in CANPs, but we present how technological advancements in computing and web functionality can improve future pesticide monitoring efforts.