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Committee and Portola Valley School District agree to coordinate on herbicide use and grounds maintenance
Summary
After a Feb. 19 site walk with district maintenance staff, the Conservation Committee agreed to provide information on alternatives as the school district seeks cost- and safety‑balanced approaches to weeds and rodent control; the district reported limited, targeted use of cholecalciferol for rodents and plans turf replacement at Cordadea.
Committee members reported a Feb. 19 site walk with Jeff Miller, the Portola Valley School District facilities and maintenance manager, to discuss weed control, rodent management and other grounds issues at the Corte Madera campus.
Jeff Miller told the committee that the district and schools face the same invasive-weed and gopher issues as private properties and that, while they prefer to minimize herbicide use, cost and child-safety considerations sometimes drive limited application. The district described its current rodent-control product as cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) and said it is seeking alternatives where feasible.
Committee members and school staff agreed to share information and pilot low-impact options such as targeted groundcovers, testing alternative control methods, and improved coordination with neighbors (for example, regarding goat grazing feasibility or other mechanical controls). Members also noted Cordadea School will replace the soccer field and add a track, which requires a temporary campus closure during construction.
The committee will supply technical context and tested recommendations to help the district minimize pesticide use where it is practical and consistent with safety and budget constraints.
