Does city staff spray for insects or disease?
Yes, when the threshold of the infestation creates a health or safety issue for the tree or residents. City personnel will not spray every time a pest is observed. This would not be a responsible use of pesticides. Whenever possible, natural predators are used for insect control. If chemicals are required, we use the least toxic materials available. Redwood City applies an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to pest control (see Redwood City’s Tree Pest Management Philosophy). The objective is to control pests while minimizing the use of chemicals.
