The U.S. Capitol Grounds and Arboretum: an iconic landscape with a holistic approach to pest management

Abstract

The care and maintenance of managed urban greenspaces require integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that are best suited for their local conditions. The evolution of IPM for the public grounds of the U.S. Capitol and Congress provides a unique perspective into the distinct challenges in developing and implementing an overall plant healthcare program for the nation’s historical landscape. The Capitol Grounds and Arboretum (CGA) staff of the Architect of the Capitol are the stewards of this urban greenspace, located in the center of Washington D.C., and present an overview of their historical, current, and prospective IPM developments for urban landscape pest control. With the adoption of holistic, ecological-based pest management practices, successful IPM examples in 3 different landscape habitats on Capitol Hill—turfgrass lawns, urban forestry, and ornamental horticulture display beds—are described. Ultimately, a list of current programming and future opportunities for expanding ecological IPM practices best suited for solving the CGA’s unique landscape pest management challenges are summarized.