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National Park Service Working With District Of Columbia To Rout Rats From Parks

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By NPT Staff - October 3rd, 2016

National parks in the District of Columbia are going to the rats, literally, and the National Park Service hopes to reverse that trend through a partnership with the D.C. Department of Health.

Under the agreement, which took effect this past Saturday, DOH staff will inspect and treat national parks throughout the city. Residents can now report rats in any national park to request treatment by calling the Citywide Call Center at 311.

The NPS and DOH partnership will increase the frequency with which rats are treated in parks and improve the citywide coordination to control the rodent population. Additionally, DOH will also provide recommendations for making the parks less habitable for rats.

"The National Park Service is committed to ensuring safe, positive experiences for visitors in all of our parks, and this agreement with the D.C. Department of Health provides us better tools to control the rodent population,” said Robert Vogel, National Capital Regional Director for the National Park Service. “By simplifying the reporting process and decreasing the response time for treatment of affected areas, we are working together toward a rat-free D.C.”

“We are extremely excited to partner with the National Park Service and maximize our opportunity to protect the public health and safety of the District’s residents and visitors by reducing rodent activity through proactive surveys, inspections, baiting and enforcement,” said Dr. LaQuandra Nesbitt, Director, DOH. “This adds to our citywide ‘Rat Riddance’ efforts that work to minimize the city’s overall rat population.”

Residents can play an important role in the fight. Ways that residents can help include:

* Placing all trash and food waste in trash cans

* Reporting sightings of rats or possible rat burrows to 311

* Cleaning up after pets and making sure waste is disposed of in a trash can

* Keeping your dog on a leash

For more information on reducing the rodent population in the District, visit this site.

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