BRUNSWICK

An alternative pesticide believed to be safer for bees will be used this Sunday to combat the browntail moth infestation in the Brunswick School District.

Brunswick School District Facilities and Grounds Director Scott Smith said Tuesday that the school department, after consulting with the town, decided to use Conserve instead of ASTRO to spray affected trees throughout the district. The active ingredient in ASTRO is permethrin, which is highly toxic to bees according to information included in an email sent to parents about the pesticide.

The application was postponed last Friday amid public concern about potential chemical exposure of a 56-acre blueberry barren that abuts the Brunswick High School property. The field is flowering now and attracting bees. Smith said the change was made so more research could be done and a product could be found that was acceptable to the community.

The facilities director said he was in contact with owners of the blueberry field, who were pleased the district decided to use a “less toxic” chemical. The active ingredient in Conserve is the chemical Spinosad, which is still toxic to bees for three hours after treatment, according to label information. Smith, who keeps bees himself, said any chemical is toxic to beneficial insects to some degree, but said any time you can use a more environmentally friendly option, it is the better decision.

Town Arborist and Parks and Facilities Manager Jay Astle said, in a three-way telephone interview with The Times Record and Parks and Recreation Director Tom Farrell, that the town decided to use Conserve because it is still effective in killing browntail moths, but is less toxic to other insects. Astle said the town does not just spray browntail moths, but also de-limb and remove trees, and prune nests to mitigate the spread of the insects.

Smith said the school department originally decided to use ASTRO because it is the traditional treatment used by Bartlett Tree Experts, which is the company hired to spray the grounds. Smith said he did not consult with the town earlier about what what was used to treat browntail moth infestations.

Trees to be targeted are mostly maple and oak, said Smith, and flowering trees will not be sprayed. The application will begin at 4:30 a.m., according to a notification sent to parents and guardians. Smith said the spraying will likely last most of the day as all schools in the district will be affected. By law, districts are required to alert staff and students about pesticide use but that notification does not extend to the public.

Property owners have a right to know about pesticide use in their area, but must take the first step in requesting notification. There are two ways this can be done. Those wanting notification must pay a $20 fee and join a registry to request notification each year if pesticides are to be applied within 250 feet of their property, or ask neighbors, in writing or verbally, to notify them if the pesticide application is within 500 feet of what is described as a sensitive area, or 1,000 feet if it is an aerial application. For more information on property owners’ rights and responsibilities regarding pesticide notification, visit the state’s website: maine.gov/dacf/php/pesticides/public/notifictaion.html.

Smith said as far as he is aware, no property owners have requested the district to inform them about pesticide use, and no property owners have joined the aforementioned registry.

Code Enforcement Officer Jeffrey Hutchinson said Monday the high school campus is in the coastal protection district 1 zone, and the access drive to the school is considered a residential district. Hutchinson said pesticide spraying is allowed in all areas, with the exception of town-owned properties managed by the parks and recreation department, such as a park or ball field where young children may be playing or crawling on the ground. In those instances, a permit must be issued by Hutchinson. All pesticides used in town must be accepted by the Maine Department of Agriculture and the Board of Pesticides Control.

jlaaka@timesrecord.com

Sunday’s plan

• TREES TO BE TARGETED are mostly maple and oak, while flowering trees will not be sprayed. The application will begin Sunday at 4:30 a.m., according to a notification sent to parents and guardians. The spraying will likely last most of the day as all schools in the district will be affected.

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