Cost analysis of a specialized gypsy moth management program for suburban parks

The development of efficient and improved management programs for the gypsy moth requires detailed data on the benefits and costs of various treatment alternatives and program options. The objective of this study was to provide a cost analysis of a specialized gypsy moth management program for suburban parks. Cost data from the Maryland Department of agriculture were used to perform a cost analysis of a hypothetical suburban park situation. The egg mass survey was assigned a cost of $24.68 per point. Most of the nonsurvey costs can be attributed to application (44% or $26.93/ha). Treatment material was the least costly component at 15% of total nonsurvey cost ($8.95/ha). Support and overhead accounted for the remaining 41% ($25.24/ha). The hypothetical suburban park would incur S2,158 in survey costs and $40,473 in application costs (roughly one-third from second applications). On the average, a suburban park had treatment costs of $42.85/ha (total park area, treated and untreated)