Squirrelly Situations: Managing Urban Ground Squirrels Without Losing Your Nuts 1

Seminar Description:
Urban ground squirrel populations in California have become a growing challenge for parks, residential areas, and other urban environments. This seminar, Squirrelly Situations: Managing Urban Ground Squirrels Without Losing Your Nuts, will explore effective strategies for managing ground squirrel infestations while navigating the increasing constraints imposed by recent legislation, such as AB 2552.

With ground squirrels posing risks to infrastructure, public health, and native ecosystems, traditional control methods—such as rodenticides and certain lethal removal tactics—are becoming increasingly restricted. AB 2552, a recent law aimed at reducing rodenticide use and promoting non-lethal control measures, has made it more difficult for pest managers to implement conventional strategies. This seminar will address:

• Ground Squirrel Behavior & Ecology: Understanding population dynamics and habitat preferences in urban environments.
• Challenges in Modern Management: How recent regulations limit traditional control options and what this means for pest management professionals.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Approaches: Alternative strategies, including habitat modification, fertility control, trapping, and deterrents.
• Case Studies & Lessons Learned: Real-world examples from California cities adapting to regulatory changes while maintaining effective squirrel management.
This session is designed for pest management professionals, park managers, city planners, and anyone involved in urban wildlife control. Attendees will gain insights into innovative and legally compliant solutions for mitigating ground squirrel problems without losing their sanity—or their nuts!

Learning Objectives:
1. Biology of ground squirrel.
2. Laws and regs of management.
3. Management of ground squirrels.