Register today for our 2026 Integrated-pest Management (IPM) Webinar series! More information about the session three and speakers will be added here, so check back soon. Event fliers can be downloaded at the bottom of this article.
Up to 3 WSDA Pesticide License Credits and 3 ISA credits per session (credits are under review.)
Please note: participants must register for each session separately.
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Session 1: Tuesday, February 3, 2026, 8 – 11:30 AM
Certification & Training Course for WSDA Pesticide Applicators by Henry Wetzel
This presentation of the Certification and Training (C&T) Course will assist most WSDA pesticide applicators to meet the new C&T rules that go into effect on January 1, 2026. These requirements must be met by December 31st of the year that your recertification cycle ends. The C&T course is intended to cover all missing topics (competency standards) from WSU study manuals and WSDA exams to help current licensees meet the updated federal requirements. These topics cover a broad range of information from Laws and Safety and several categories. The presentation will not end with an exam but will bring you up to the new C&T standards and in some cases reconfigure the categories within your license type.
As a Pesticide Recertification Safety Educator Henry has been a member of WSU’s Pesticide Resources and Education Program (PREP) since April 2023. He helps pesticide applicators in WA, OR, and ID by searching for educators to present continuing education classes to assist at maintaining their licenses in good standing. He manages PREP’s in-person and webinar recertification program. Henry has been an employee at WSU since May 2008. Previous positions have focused on applied agricultural research including disease control in winter wheat as well as weed control in cereals and pulse crops.
Bottoms Up! Reducing Salmon Predation Through Aquatic Weed Management by David Kyle, Project Manager for Trout Unlimited
The Lake Sammamish watershed is a large freshwater system east of Seattle within the highly urbanized Lake Washington basin. It supports native kokanee salmon and ESA-listed Chinook, yet kokanee, once the most abundant Pacific salmon in the system, have declined to critically low numbers. Nonnative fish predation on salmon fry and smolts is a major limiting factor, and predator removal is being considered as a management strategy. A 2019 King County fish assemblage study found that most fish abundance and biomass in Lake Sammamish is composed of nonnative species, including highly piscivorous smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and yellow perch that rely heavily on nearshore habitat for spawning, rearing, and foraging.
Much of Lake Sammamish’s littoral zone is dominated by invasive aquatic plants, primarily Eurasian milfoil and Brazilian elodea, which provide extensive refuge and habitat for nonnative warmwater fish. While aquatic weed management is typically implemented to address navigation, recreation, and water quality concerns, it also has implications for salmon recovery. Building on guidance from the Kokanee Work Group, Trout Unlimited and King County partnered from 2021 through 2025 to evaluate how aquatic weed removal influences nearshore fish communities. Treatment methods have included Diver Assisted Suction Harvesting and herbicide applications of Diquat, ProcellaCOR, and fluridone. Results show an 84–95% reduction in warmwater gamefish abundance in treated areas, demonstrating strong potential for aquatic weed management as a complementary kokanee recovery strategy, with continued work focused on refining treatment effectiveness.
David is the King County Program Manager for Trout Unlimited and has been doing fisheries work in the basin for nearly a decade. David’s program focuses on supporting habitat improvement, conservation supplementation, outreach & education, and research to address significant sources of mortality for Chinook, Coho, Sockeye, and native Kokanee salmon.
Managing Emerald Ash Borer Through a Money, Arboricultural, and Urban Forestry Context by Dr. Richard Hauer
Maybe you are wondering what to do when faced with the emerald ash borer (EAB)? Maybe you have a plan but are questioning if you are on the right track. Well, jump on board the EAB train and head to a destination to learn from the rich experience of municipalities and their responses to EAB. The first premise of EAB is that whether you like it or not, it will cost you money. However, as a municipal manager or practitioner, your job is to best manage costs, but, as important as that is, also realize the benefits. Learn from the models we initially developed and that have since been replicated by several other research teams: retaining ash trees makes sense. We know that the benefits of ash trees far outweigh the costs of EAB treatment programs. You will also learn about a 20-year tree canopy and retention study in Wisconsin that shows ways to plan long-term for retaining tree canopy today, while also planting today for future canopy. The EAB train left the station 20 years ago. But along the way, it has attracted many academics and practitioners thanks to a plan that’s easy to implement. It really is no different than the many municipal tree decisions you currently make, such as removing low-value trees, while finding ways to best manage your healthy ash tree population.
Richard Hauer is the Director of Urban Forestry at Eocene Environmental Group and an Emeritus Professor of Urban Forestry at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point. He was honored as the 2023 Alex L. Shigo Award for Excellence in Education and the 2018 & 2024 L.C. Chadwick Award for Arboricultural Research. He has published over 200 publications and presented over 500 talks throughout the world.
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Session 2: Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 8 – 11:30 AM
Entomology Basics and Insect ID Tips by Thomas Whitney, PhD
Insects are ubiquitous in our urban forests and, depending on the type, can promote or hinder our arboricultural goals. They are also super weird and cool. A basic understanding (and appreciation!) of these cryptic but important creatures can go a long way in our industry.
This presentation will introduce arborists and gardeners to important principles of entomology, as well as some quick identification tips for major insect groups associated with woody plants. We will (1) dip our toes into insect taxonomy, physiology, and ecology, (2) discuss some common pest, beneficial, and neutral insect groups, and (3) pay special attention to the true bugs, sawflies, moths/butterflies, beetles, and true flies.
Dr. Thomas Whitney is a Technical Advisor with the Davey Tree Expert Company, providing support for the Pacific Northwest US and Western Canada. He has a BS in Biology, an MS in Entomology, and a PhD in Forestry & Natural Resources. He specializes in insect pests of trees.
Urban Coyotes – Conflict and Coexistence by Kevin O’Connor, Wildlife Conflict Specialist, WDFW
Coyotes in urban environments provide valuable ecosystem services, but they can also overlap with human communities in undesirable ways. This presentation explores coyote ecology and behavior in urban settings, common causes of conflict, attractant management, humane hazing techniques, and what to do if you are approached by a coyote.
We will also briefly discuss raccoon conflict, diseases, and conflict mitigation strategies.
Large Carnivores in Seattle? It’s happened. We’ll touch briefly on black bears and bobcats in urban environments and discuss ways to reduce conflict.
Kevin O’Connor has worked in human–wildlife conflict for more than a decade. He holds a Master of Science degree from the University of Idaho and has worked with black bears in the Sierra Nevada, wolves in eastern Washington, and a diversity of wildlife species in both urban and remote environments. His current position focuses on reducing human–wildlife conflict through public education, landowner engagement, and the management of carnivore and ungulate species in King and Snohomish Counties.
Understanding the Importance of Local Bats in Integrated Pest Management by Niki Desautels
Bats are one of the most misunderstood groups of mammals on earth. Myths and misconceptions often overshadow the important pest control, disease prevention, pollination, and seed dispersal services bats provide worldwide. Locally, bats contribute to the health and well-being of our own communities. Learning about their long and complex lives, their slow reproduction rates, and annual life cycles will help us better protect and preserve bats in all their habitats.
Niki Desautels (she/her) is a naturalist and educator focused on bat conservation who holds a Master’s Degree in Science Communications and Public Engagement from Miami University. She currently serves as the president of the board of directors at Bats Northwest, a local non-profit dedicated to welfare of bats in the Pacific Northwest. She is also the author of For the Love of Bats which will be published by Mountaineers Books in October 2026.
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Session 3: Thursday, March 19, 2026, 8 – 11:30 AM
Rise of the Secondaries: Drought Stress and Opportunistic Insect Attacks in Western WA Forests by Glenn Kohler, DNR
Presentation will cover effects of drought stress and extreme temperatures in western Washington forest trees. This will include direct abiotic damage caused by extreme weather events but will primarily focus on the types of forest insects that can opportunistically attack drought-stressed trees. These are known as “secondary pests” because they are rarely capable of killing or damaging healthy trees on their own. Some emerging examples of concern include secondary bark beetles and flatheaded fir borer in Douglas-fir, fir engraver in true firs, California five spined Ips in pines, and bark beetles in western red cedar.
Glenn Kohler is a forest entomologist with the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Glenn received his master’s degree from Oregon State University where he worked on biological control of hemlock woolly adelgid. At DNR, Glenn assists private landowners and state land managers with forest insect concerns. He also conducts annual monitoring of forest insect and disease conditions throughout Washington.
Pesticide Applicator Safety and PPE by Brittny Jones, WSU Extension, Puyallup
This presentation will focus on different types of pesticides, their modes of action, and risks. It will then transition to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and why different types of PPE are needed for safe pesticide applications.
Brittny Jones is the Senior Extension Coordinator for the Pesticide Resources and Education Program (PREP) at WSU Extension. She focuses on IPM tactics for pests in commercial and residential settings.
She received her PhD in Entomology and worked in the states of Texas and Oregon before moving to Washington. Her goals are to conduct IPM outreach and to network with many agencies and organizations as possible and continue to learn as much as possible about the state of Washington so she can assist with any exciting and/or challenging things that come our way!
Native Bee Habitat: Virtual Ground Nest and Pollinator Tour of a Seattle Park Area by Will Peterman, Ben Lee, and Tony Dickey, Washington Native Bee Society
Native bees and other pollinators are essential animals. They support a wide variety of crucial ecosystems. Urban environments have turned into one of the most important resources for them for many reasons. The Pacific Northwest contains some of the most diverse environments on the planet. The 600 or so native bees found across Washington reflect that diversity. City parks are where many people experience the outdoor world. The way parks are managed to support and increase beneficial insects makes them a very important resource.
This presentation will virtually recreate a tour of native bee habitats in Seattle’s Jefferson Park area, including the Beacon Food Forest and Bill Wright Golf Complex. The hosts/presenters, Native Bee Society of Washington’s board members Ben Lee, Will Peterman and Tony Dickey, each bring a large skill set and considerable experience tracking native bees and other pollinators in urban areas. They will emphasize how to spot habitat areas that support the 70% of bee species that nest in various types of soil. They will also point out other habitat for various pollinators and best practices to protect them. Please note that while we understand and support IPM, we are not trained in that field. We focus on native bees and how to keep them healthy and prosperous. Our goal is to provide the foundation that gardeners, foresters, grounds crews, and landscapers can use to spot and improve pollinator habitat across relevant areas.
Will Peterman, is a lifelong geek who stumbled into pollination ecology in graduate school and remained fascinated by native bees even as he was drawn into the attractive nuisance that is the Seattle software industry. He was an early adopter of digital insect photography and used that as leverage to gain entry into the UW biology community, where he spent a decade learning bee taxonomy and population monitoring techniques from Dr. Evan Sugden. He is currently trying to establish and maintain a reference collection of the bees of Western Washington and can be found from time to time assisting with identifications on iNaturalist. He would like to remind everyone that bees need dirt!
Growing up in Hong Kong surrounded by nature, Ben Lee developed an interest in insects from a young age. He moved to Seattle for school in 2014, attending Shoreline Community College, and eventually graduated from the University of Washington. Over the years, he cultivated a specific interest in Hymenopterans and, after reaching out to Lincoln Best, joined the Master Melittologist program in 2021. In addition to bees, Ben is also fascinated by their closest relatives, including non-bee apoid wasps and the native social wasps of Washington, such as yellowjackets and paper wasps. He’s always down for a chat about all things related to insects and taxonomy!
Tony Dickey lives in Seattle, where he moved to from Philadelphia in 1992. He spends most of his time in West Seattle, where he learned to deeply appreciate bees and other pollinators. A short attempt at beekeeping made him realize the importance of the connection between pollinators and what we grow. A core volunteer at Beacon Food Forest in Seattle, Tony oversees the Pollinator Plus effort there. He loves chasing bees around to photograph, which helps him appreciate all pollinators and other invertebrate species. He urges people to think of food and shelter as something all of us need, even the smallest species on our planet. Tony is also an astrologer, a historian and happily retired from regular employment. He enjoys golf, cycling and playing racing games on his PC.
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Reminder: Up to 3 WSDA Pesticide License Credits and 3 ISA credits per session (credits are under review.)
Questions?
Contact IPM and Wildlife Coordinator, Bridget Kelsh, at Bridget.Kelsh@seattle.gov.
Event Fliers
Below are print (with a QR code) and digital (with clickable links) fliers to download and share.