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New York Publishes IPM Guidelines on the Web

Advances in technology improve not only the practice of IPM but also the teaching and sharing of information. New York’s IPM program is taking advantage of web programming technology to make the latest IPM expertise readily available online with Cornell’s Pest Management Guidelines. New York growers have used Cornell’s vegetable production guidelines for decades. In 1997, the Northeast Regional IPM Grants Program funded a project that gave these guidelines an IPM emphasis and made them available on the web, where they served as a model for others who wanted to make IPM information more accessible.

Now, that model is being used and expanded for trees and shrubs, field crops, and turfgrass IPM. New York’s IPM staff has partnered with web experts and students in Cornell’s computer science department to create a web site for these three focus areas. The site is keyword searchable, with links to other valuable information and opportunities for user feedback. Its content is supplied by Cornell’s pest management and crop production experts.

A big improvement on previous guidelines is the way authors will update information. In the past, a printed copy went to authors for updating once each year, and a web designer transferred their changes to an online version. Now, behind-the-scenes web programming allows each author to make changes directly to his or her portion of the site at any time, so users will have access to the latest information more quickly. In addition, the site offers a “print-on-demand” version of the content, so users can print relevant material (or an entire book) that can be carried to the field for quick reference.

Web consultant Raj Smith explains that the site’s content will continue to develop as participating authors become accustomed to the new system of direct publishing. Smith and other members of the technical team that created the site are eager to receive user feedback, and their design allows users to share suggestions easily (click “Contact” at the bottom of the home page). There are plans to add more photos and IPM information over time. For now, the groundwork has been laid for an online system that provides the latest information quickly and efficiently.

Contents of this issue:

National IPM Roadmap Unveiled

Spotlight on Maryland IPM

Your Gardening Questions Answered by Experts

Expanded Funding and New Plans for the NE PMC

From the NE PMC Coordinator

Northeastern Groups Make Headway on IPM Strategic Planning

Call to Action for the Center

Highlights from the Northeastern States

List of State IPM Coordinators

New York Publishes IPM Guidelines on the Web

For more information on IPM in the Northeast or for printed copies of this newsletter, contact Jim VanKirk (315.787.2378; jrv1@cornell.edu) or information specialist Liz Thomas (315.787.2626; egt3@cornell.edu), NYS IPM Program Office, NYSAES, 630 W. North Street, Geneva, NY 14456. Writing and design by Elizabeth Myers (315-251-0713; ebm24@cornell.edu).

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Contents for Northeast IPM News, July 2002