Orchard Management Plan and Integrated Pest Management Plan: John Muir NHS

Donahue, John

This Orchard Management Plan and Integrated Pest Management Plan concerns the grounds of John Muir National Historic Site. The Orchard Management Plan (OMP), will provide a guide for the gardener and the superintendent to work cooperatively together. It will help the administrator understand the day to day operation being implemented by the gardener. The OMP will also provide a framework within which the superintendent can design projects, set goals and evaluate the performance of the incumbent gardener. Another function of the OMP will be to provide a detailed program and calendar of events for a new employee to draw from during any period of transition. This will assist the new employee in entering directly into the proper work patterns for the site. It will prevent the unnecessary repetition of the same research. It can also serve as a guide for the person who fills the void during periods of lapse in the gardener position. Since the OMP deals with biological systems, it cannot be a completely rigid statement of procedure. A certain amount of flexibility must be programmed for change, new developments, and unexpected situations. Each gardener will add to the growth and maintenance of the site in an individual way. Since the study of biological controls for insect and disease problems is a new area, some programs offered here are experimental. The effectiveness will have to be judged over a long term period of time. Some of these methods may be eliminated, while others may be increased and more may be added as information becomes available. Dealing with biological systems and developing beneficial ecosystems is a long term project. Monitoring and reporting on the effectiveness of these programs will be an important facet of the gardener's workload. The gardener and laborer positions, as well as pew equipment and devices recommended herein will be central to the successful implementation of this program. The Orchard Management Plan has been developed to accomplish the following goals for the site. To provide a scientific and systematic approach to the management of the John Muir N.H.S. orchards: - establishing general needs that apply to all of the orchards - establishing specific needs of each species - establishing a daily program along a calendar year outline - offering the superintendent a readily available program to evaluate the incumbent gardener's performance - providing continuity during periods of personnel fluctuations

Orchard Management Plan and Integrated Pest Management Plan: John Muir NHS

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