Pest Control Balance in a Permaculture Environment

Pest control occurs without the help of humans, however they are things we came implement to help further prevent pest’s destruction. Some of the ways Max Lindegger says humans contribute to pest problems include: monoculture, loss of habitat for predators of pests, pesticides that kill natural predators of pests, plant breeding, cropping practices that lead to pest infestation. We see pests as a problem to our environment rather than a result of an unhealthy environment. Max also explains that over time pests build up immunity to pesticides and only pests that have the genetics to survive it do, in other words over time the pesticides stop working against the pests. Some ways we can balance pests in our environment include biological control and (least) toxic chemical control.

Biological control is utilizing pest’s natural enemies. Natural enemies can include the temperature at which pests develop, and the variety of plants providing cover for predators. One of the human made examples we have seen at Crystal Waters includes a mesh put around the foundation of the eco-center. The mesh is something that termites cannot bite through therefore protecting the core.

In my opinion, flies are the biggest pests at Crystal Waters. They continually choose to attack your face while we are in lecture listening to Max. I have come to reason that flies are on this planet so that other predators may be fed. There is no other purpose of the pest that to annoy your sweating face. Thank goodness for the other pests of nature that balances out the system.