What is Mass Audubons position on mosquito control?
A. Mass Audubon supports a scientifically based approach to mosquito control focused on protecting human health and minimizing environmental impacts. Mass Audubon supports the Department of Public Healths (DPH) plan for management of mosquito-borne diseases, which emphasizes monitoring of mosquitoes and mosquito-borne disease, public education, personal protection from mosquito bites, and elimination of artificial mosquito breeding sites around developed areas. The DPH plan calls for limited use of pesticides, based on the levels of mosquito and disease activity in a specific location. Mass Audubon generally opposes most nuisance control practices, including spraying of pesticides to kill adult mosquitoes when there is a relatively low risk of mosquito-borne disease, because of the harmful environmental effects, human health risks of pesticide exposures, and unproven effectiveness of these activities. Mass Audubon supports legislative reform to improve the antiquated mosquito control l
