New England IPM Collaboration Working Group: Overview

Funded in 2010, the New England IPM Collaboration Working Group increases communication among the Cooperative Extension IPM Programs of the six New England states. Project directors are organizing a day-long workshop among the New England IPM Coordinators, state liaisons from the 2001-2009 PRONewEngland Pest Management Network, and up to two additional IPM program staff from each of the six New England states. They will survey participants before and after the workshop about respective IPM programs, staff, structure, funding, topics, and delivery methods. The resulting profiles, and a summary of the regional IPM program census, will be available before the conference along with a discussion summary in a proceedings document published after the conference. The conference will consist of

• a facilitated group discussion of shared needs and available resources and capabilities;
• exploration of opportunities to harmonize existing activities or to add new coordinated components to existing IPM programs; and
• brainstorming on opportunities for new multistate IPM programs, publications, products, and other ways to synergize parallel activities in neighboring states to facilitate IPM funding, program operations, and outcomes.

The working group intends to plant seeds for regional collaboration among New England states for delivery of existing IPM programs and grant proposals for new efforts.