Pest Management

The landscape of Ladera Ranch is manufactured and designed to be maintained through the use of commercial landscape maintenance standards, including the use of various pest and weed control products. These products are government agency tested and approved and applied by trained and licensed professionals, with oversight from the county and state levels.

O’Connell Landscape applies certain materials to the common area landscape to control growth and pests (invasive weeds, turf weeds, tree borers, turf grubs). These materials include fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. The common area landscape was developed with plant species that originate from around the world. Most of these plants and trees do not have their native ecosystem to help ward off disease and predators and invasive weeds are an ongoing issue. As a result, O’Connell sometimes need to use various products to keep plants, trees and turf healthy. Although O’Connell considers solutions and materials that are not synthetic materials, they are often left without practical alternatives. The application of synthetic materials from time to time, is required to maintain the landscape environment and meet the community’s expectations. All materials that O’Connell applies to the landscape have been approved for its intended use by the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR).

What are Pests? 

Bugs, weeds and rodents are referred to as pests and can destroy Ladera Ranch’s landscape if left untreated: 

• Invasive weeds that can quickly take over and kill plants, shrubs and trees. 
• Turf weeds that can overtake an area of turf choking off the healthy turf.
• Tree borers like the Shot Hole Borer that could kill countless trees if untreated.
• Turf grubs that result from June Bugs planting eggs in the turf that attract crows that can quickly destroy large areas of turf. 

Alternative Pest Management Options

In 2017, LARMAC began to explore alternative pest management options, including:

• Testing plots of different products – both organic and synthetic.
• Meeting with experts in various fields, including landscape, pest management and organic products.
• Meeting with and learning from other communities that are trying alternative pest management programs.

The results of this exploration into alternative pest management strategies has been very informative and the LARMAC Board has spent significant time reviewing and considering this information. This has led to an integrated pest management program, which includes the following: 

Communication

• Improved notification posting – all pesticide use notices now posted online (see below).
• Dedicated landscape and pest management information page on Laderalife.com.

Landscape Practices

• All routine maintenance weed control at Ladera Ranch school sites, including the adjacent LARMAC park property, is performed by hand labor only.  Materials used to treat weeds may be used on the fields as part of an annual turf grass maintenance program to reestablish a healthy playing surface that involves overseeding and/or sod replacement.  Notice shall be provided to Capistrano Unified School District, in compliance with the Healthy Schools Act, in advance of any pesticide use. Signage shall be posted at the location and a notice shall be posted on LaderaLife.com and at the Avendale Village Clubhouse. The field shall be closed and fenced off for a minimum period of 48 hours.  
• Increased budget for mulch in landscaped areas, which both reduces water needs and is effective in preventing weeds from growing.
• Improved consistent signage for applications in progress. Although not required by any regulations, staked signs noting the product being used will be placed and visible in areas where pedestrians may be present. 
• Annual turf aeration.
• Embracing Kikuyu Grass throughout the community, which reduces the need for herbicides.
• Annual mulch budget for tree wells, which reduces weed growth in tree wells. 
• Tree chippings are applied to open spaces and fuel modification zones, which limit weed growth and need for herbicides. 
• Top dressing for Sports Fields.
• EZ Flow Tanks at Sports/School Fields, Wagsdale Dog Park and Cambridge Disc Golf Course and citrus grove reduce the need for herbicides. 

For more detailed information on LARMAC's efforts to minimize the need for herbicides, please refer to the Landscape Materials and Cultural Practices.