Pests in Portland parks may be noxious weeds, invasive plants, problem insects, plant diseases, rodents or other organisms that cause problems in the landscapes under our care. Our trained and licensed PP&R employees respond to these pests by using the modern principles of integrated pest management (IPM).

An IPM program for Portland parks has been in place since the late 1980s. The policies in this program direct every aspect of pest management in our parks and they serve as rules for all pest management personnel. Updated continuously to respond to new information and new challenges, our program has been hailed as a model of progressive methods and practices by other municipalities and agencies throughout the region. The PP&R program meets or exceeds local, state, and federal requirements.