Schools – Update
We're getting alot of comments about the letter the schools sent out. We indirectly caused this to happen via a state inspection. It's a move in the right direction, and we're glad the schools are learning about sgars and rodents.
We accepted an MDAR offer to have the schools inspected, regarding their violations of state laws around sgars and kids, when it became clear they were not accepting our offer of information and support. On 3/17 they informed us they plan to stick with sgars.
We're happy to see that the letter was finally sent to guardians 4/4. Though it doesn't say that the sgars are in the black boxes, so guardians/parents might not know that still.
They added two poisons so now may use some mix of fgars and cholecalciferol on top of the sgars. Fgars are anticoagulants, they take a bit longer to work, many rodents have developed immunity to them, and they have secondary effects.
Cholecalciferol may or may not have secondary effects, it has not been fully tested as such yet.
All three; sgar, fgar, cholecalciferol have devastating primary effects on non target species. Both can be cured if caught early. But the point is not to have them out there to begin with, but to do proper ipm and use other methods, such as trapping, contraception, gassing, etc.
You can read the recently updated school ipm reports on the mdar school ipm site, go to m, click on Maynard.
And remember to vote at town meeting Monday May 19th 2025 7pm, Fowler on the citizen's petition to ban sgars on town owned property!
!GOTV!
(The townhall has 12 bait boxes, (the schools' 113). The town side has shown willingness to read the data we've provided them about alternatives, and has secure trash to begin with. The entire town won't be free of it's rat problem until all businesses and homes comply with ipm practices and stop using sgars. Our public ban vote 5/19 is the start of reaching the entire town. There are many more legal issues involved in a private ban, so most towns vote, as we are, on their own property first. If passed, this helps gain momentum for a private ban.)