Momorangi Bay, on Queen Charlotte Drive, is the location of a partnership between Kathmandu and the Department of Conservation.

Commercial input from high-profile businesses is helping to protect and preserve more of New Zealand's assets than the Department of Conservation can do on its own.

DOC commercial partnership unit member David Ross said partnerships with businesses were a way the department could operate outside its normal budget, but they didn't mean DOC had fewer resources.

"Conservation is a big task, a big part of New Zealand, too big and important to be left to DOC itself. Partnerships are about engaging and working with other people, not about saying 'we don't have enough money'."

Commercial partnerships were not new, Ross said. The kakapo recovery programme partnership with New Zealand Aluminium Smelters dates back to 1990.

DOC had working relationships with many businesses, such as outdoor pursuits company Kathmandu which supplied equipment, and commercial partnerships often developed from these, Ross said.

"It's quite an organic process," he said. "We don't sit here with a list of companies making cold calls."

Kathmandu is one of two partners in Marlborough, working with the Marlborough Sounds Restoration Trust, mainly in the Momorangi area. The deal is worth $25,000 per year for three years with a review.

"Camping is a key part of their business and so it was natural for them to get involved in something like this," Ross said.

"We have a programme of conservation planned for Momorangi and as it develops there will be signs and Kathmandu will have opportunities to engage with the public on site. There's also media recognition and Kathmandu communicates with its customers through newsletters and its staff."

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Business backing keeps DOC on track

Concerns at how plans to move services - including bin collections - out of full council control in Middlesbrough are being handled have been expressed by unions.

Middlesbrough Councils executive approved yesterday a proposal to form a joint venture company (JVC) with a public sector partner - Norse, owned by Norfolk County Council.

The plans would affect 1,400 workers in environment, property and commercial services.

It is part of the councils Change Programme devised to deal with budget cuts but councillors have stressed that the move does not mean the services will be privatised.

Unison branch secretary Ian Campbell said unions were aware of plans under consideration but raised worries over Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallons call for it to be implemented before he leaves office in May.

Tony Parkinson, executive director of commercial and corporate services has said the process would normally take six months but could be done in six weeks with the appropriate level of resources.

Ian Campbell, Unison branch secretary, said: We understood that given the financial circumstances, what was being considered was the best option for the town and for the staff.

We believed that this idea was at its early stages of consideration and much more work was needed before there would be a final decision - that it was too early for details to be shared with us.

The apparent report of a need for this to be done before Mayor Mallons departure in May has come as a shock and we need further details from the employer to be able to make a more informed comment.

The services to be considered for inclusion are: building maintenance, building cleaning and caretaking, bus station management, security and CCTV, pest control, bereavement services, Ayresome Industries, school catering, Tees community equipment service, waste disposal contract management, environmental education and enforcement, dog wardens, refuse collection, green waste collection, kerbside recycling, area care (grounds maintenance and street cleaning), parks management and maintenance, cemetery and crematorium maintenance, burials, highways inspection, highways maintenance, winter maintenance, fleet maintenance, vehicle maintenance, strategic property management, commercial property management and valuations. Others may be added.

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Union's fears over handling of plans to move Middlesbrough Council services out of town hall control

Deformed vegetables, organic weed control and kiwi production among topics

A pesticide used to control broadleaf weeds in hay pastures can survive in composted straw and manure for years, possibly causing injury to tomatoes and other garden vegetables, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert. (Photo by Dr. Joe Masabni, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service vegetable specialist)

Writer: Robert Burns, 903-312-3199, rd-burns@tamu.edu

NACOGDOCHES Commercial vegetable growers are facing a new problem: Some commercial composts can contain herbicide residues that will cause mutant tomatoes and other vegetables, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service horticulturist.

The herbicide aminopyralid is primarily used for control of broadleaf weeds in pastures, said Dr. Joe Masabni, AgriLife Extension vegetable specialist, College Station. The problem arises when growers use straw mulch composted from hay pastures or composted manure from animals grazing on treated pastures.

This is a very serious concern for all growers, he said. The herbicide can survive the animal digestive system and for three years or longer in the compost pile.

Masabni is one of the featured speakers at the East Texas Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Conference, set Feb. 24 at the Nacogdoches Expo Center, 3805 NW Stallings Drive, Nacogdoches.

Registration before Feb. 20 for the conference is $30 per person, $50 for couples. There will be a $5 late fee added to registration after Feb. 20. Lunch is included with the registration. Registration will start at 8:30 a.m., with programming beginning at 9 a.m. The conference will adjourn at 3 p.m.

To register or for more information, call the AgriLife Extension office for Nacogdoches County at 936-560-7711. Checks should be made out to Nacogdoches Master Gardener Association and mailed to: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, 203 W. Main St., Nacogdoches, TX 75961.

Masabni will discuss the latest research results on using activated charcoal to neutralize aminopyralid herbicide in soils. He will also discuss how to calculate herbicide rates for a small volume like a backpack sprayer when labeled amounts are only shown for large acreages. And, he will discuss the finer points of both organic and conventional weed control. Morning topics and speakers will include:

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Commercial Fruit and Vegetable Conference set Feb. 24 in Nacogdoches

Concerns at how plans to move services - including bin collections - out of full council control in Middlesbrough are being handled have been expressed by unions.

Middlesbrough Councils executive approved yesterday a proposal to form a joint venture company (JVC) with a public sector partner - Norse, owned by Norfolk County Council.

The plans would affect 1,400 workers in environment, property and commercial services.

It is part of the councils Change Programme devised to deal with budget cuts but councillors have stressed that the move does not mean the services will be privatised.

Unison branch secretary Ian Campbell said unions were aware of plans under consideration but raised worries over Middlesbrough Mayor Ray Mallons call for it to be implemented before he leaves office in May.

Tony Parkinson, executive director of commercial and corporate services has said the process would normally take six months but could be done in six weeks with the appropriate level of resources.

Ian Campbell, Unison branch secretary, said: We understood that given the financial circumstances, what was being considered was the best option for the town and for the staff.

We believed that this idea was at its early stages of consideration and much more work was needed before there would be a final decision - that it was too early for details to be shared with us.

The apparent report of a need for this to be done before Mayor Mallons departure in May has come as a shock and we need further details from the employer to be able to make a more informed comment.

The services to be considered for inclusion are: building maintenance, building cleaning and caretaking, bus station management, security and CCTV, pest control, bereavement services, Ayresome Industries, school catering, Tees community equipment service, waste disposal contract management, environmental education and enforcement, dog wardens, refuse collection, green waste collection, kerbside recycling, area care (grounds maintenance and street cleaning), parks management and maintenance, cemetery and crematorium maintenance, burials, highways inspection, highways maintenance, winter maintenance, fleet maintenance, vehicle maintenance, strategic property management, commercial property management and valuations. Others may be added.

Read more:
Union expresses 'shock' at plans to develop new business model for Middlesbrough services

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Manchester United have issues this season. But this time its not about Louis van Gaal or the players on the field.

Its a rodent problem. A big one.

The mouse infestation at Old Trafford has gotten so bad that the team has called in pest control services. A hygiene report, per Sportsmail, reveals that the club have hired a company to help monitor problems with rodents in the North and South stands.

The furry creatures have also reportedly been spotted in the staff offices. Theyre a nightmare and they struggle to get rid of them, a source told the Daily Mirror.

The Daily Mirror adds:

"Manchester United implements a robust pest control system throughout Old Trafford," said a club spokesperson. "As the report acknowledges, weekly checks are made in all catering areas and stringent measures are taken to ensure high levels of hygiene and cleanliness wherever food is stored, prepared and served. If incidences of this nature do occur at the stadium, immediate and appropriate action will be taken."

Lets hope Manchester United gets their act together and gets thingssqueaky clean.

(h/t Daily Mail)

The rest is here:
Pest control called in at Old Trafford to deal with mouse problem

Manchester United have reportedly turned to pest control in order to deal with consistent hordes of mice infesting Old Trafford.

As reported by Mike Keegan of the Mail Online, the Theatre of Dreams is one of only three Premier League grounds currently failing to receive full marks in its set of hygiene reports, the others being Stoke City's Britannia Stadium and Burnley's Turf Moor.

It is suggested the rodent problem has spread to the North and South stands, an annoyance rooted in the stadium's positioning along a canal. Keegan's report indicates Manchester United are "working with pest control contractors to monitor problems" which have allegedly plagued the building over the last decade.

The Mail Online's full rundown of United's report can be seen below:

Keegan's article provides images of mice being spotted on the pitch during the 2006 FA Cup victory over Burton Albion. Snaps from the 2010 clash with West Ham and 2013 match against Arsenal also feature the pesky infiltrators, who continue to cause problems at one of the world's most famous stadiums.

Another example can be seen here:

A Red Devils spokesman addressed the ongoing issue, reported by Keegan:

Manchester United implements a robust pest control system throughout Old Trafford. As the report acknowledges, weekly checks are made in all catering areas and stringent measures are taken to ensure high levels of hygiene and cleanliness wherever food is stored, prepared and served. If incidences of this nature do occur at the stadium, immediate and appropriate action will be taken.

Interestingly, the aforementioned report details individual problems found during inspections at each Premier League ground. A 100 percent score doesn't signal perfection, however, with minor problems still needing to be addressed across the country.

For example, catering staff at Liverpool are said to have not cleaned their probe thermometer "effectively" between each use, while Arsenal's food staff "were spotted not changing gloves as often as they should." These are minor details, but no risks can be taken when thousands of people arrive each matchday.

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Manchester United Reportedly Call in Pest Petrol to Cure Mice Infestation

ATLANTA, Jan. 21, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --Chicago tops the 2014 Bed Bug Cities List for the third year in a row. The list, released by pest control leader Orkin, ranks the cities by the number of bed bug treatments Orkin performed from January to December 2014. Bed bugs were in the news throughout 2014 in the Windy City, with reports of the blood-sucking insects on public transit and inside several downtown office buildings, as well as in police headquarters, a fire station, school, library and movie theater.

"Bed bugs are a serious issue across the country, and they're very difficult to control," said Orkin Entomologist and Technical Services Director Ron Harrison, Ph.D. "Bed bugs are not limited to any level of cleanliness or income, which means they can be found in any home or hotel. They're great hitchhikers, and people often bring them inside on their clothes or in their luggage."

Seven cities made double-digit jumps on Orkin's Bed Bug Cities List compared to 2013, including Omaha, Neb. (+16), Lexington, Ky. (+16), Sacramento, Calif. (+14), Grand Rapids, Mich. (+13), Buffalo, N.Y. (+12), Charleston, W.Va. (+11) and Louisville, Ky. (+10). Several cities also dropped significantly in the past year, including Syracuse, N.Y., San Diego, Miami, Greenville, S.C. and Atlanta. Four cities made the Bed Bug Cities List for the first time including Myrtle Beach, S.C., St. Louis, Bowling Green, Ky. and Ft. Wayne, Ind.

Bed bugs are in every region of the country, and Orkin has treated for bed bugs in all 50 states. Rollins, Orkin's parent company, saw an 18 percent increase in bed bug revenue in 2014. The problem is growing nationwide as well. According to an annual report on the pest control industry, Americans spent $446 million to get rid of bed bugs in 2013, the latest data available, compared to $70 million in 2004.

While the cities above topped Orkin's list, homeowners, tenants and travelers across the country should take the following precautions to help prevent bed bugs:

At Home:

During travel, remember the acronym S.L.E.E.P. to inspect for bed bugs:

Bed bugs are not known to spread human disease like many other pests, but can leave itchy, bloody welts on skin, and they are active year-round. Because every bed bug scenario is different, it's important for homeowners to call a professional who can create a solution tailored to their home's needs.

About Orkin, LLCFounded in 1901, Atlanta-based Orkin is an industry leader in essential pest control services and protection against termite damage, rodents and insects. The company operates more than 400 locations with almost 8,000 employees. Using a proprietary, three-step approach, Orkin provides customized services to approximately 1.7 million homeowners and businesses in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, Central America, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Asia, the Mediterranean and Africa. Orkin is committed to studying pest biology and applying scientifically proven methods. The company collaborates with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and eight major universities to conduct research and help educate consumers and businesses on pest-related health threats. Learn more about Orkin at http://orkin.com. Orkin is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rollins Inc. (NYSE: ROL).

About Rollins Rollins Inc. is a premier global consumer and commercial services company. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries, Orkin LLC, HomeTeam Pest Defense, Orkin Canada, Western Pest Services, The Industrial Fumigant Company, Trutech LLC, Rollins Australia, Waltham Services LLC, PermaTreat and Crane Pest Control, the company provides essential pest control services and protection against termite damage, rodents and insects to more than 2 million customers in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, Central America, the Middle East, the Caribbean, Asia, the Mediterranean, Africa and Australia from more than 500 locations. You can learn more about our subsidiaries by visiting our web sites at http://orkin.com, http://pestdefense.com, http://orkincanada.ca, http://westernpest.com, http://indfumco.com, http://trutechinc.com, http://www.allpest.com.au/, http://walthamservices.com, http://www.permatreat.com, http://cranepestcontrol.com and http://rollins.com. You can also find this and other news releases at http://rollins.com by accessing the news releases button.

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Chicago Tops Bed Bug Cities List for Third Year in a Row