Certainly contact with poison ivy can be a nuisance; for those especially sensitive, contact can ruin a vacation. Still, the National Park Service balances potential visitor aggravation against the plant's wildlife value. In National Parks the plant is managed as a "pest" when it threatens the public. What does this mean in practice? The National Park Service tries to eradicate all plants around developed areas: visitor's centers, playgrounds, campgrounds, marked trails, parking lots, and the like. On-the-other-hand, if you are trailblazing in the woods, there will be poison ivy

Talking to Park staff before setting off into undeveloped areas can spare you much irritation. Many visitors to Parks in the Northeast know what poison ivy looks like. They are then surprised to find that they are holding (and soon will be itching from) a plant that doesn't look like poison ivy at all. All poison ivy plants have basic commonalties, but visually what is growing in your own backyard and woods at home may look quite different from the poison ivy elsewhere.

All poison ivy plants have three leaflets on long, oppositely placed stems. This gives rise to the old adage 'leaves of three, leave be'. Beyond that poison ivy can be a shrub or a vine. It can have short leaves or ten-inch long leaves. Leaves can be glossy or dull; hairy or smooth; toothed or untoothed. Having someone knowledgeable point out the local variant(s) in situ>before venturing forth into the woods is advised.

When poison ivy moves into developed areas of Parks, Park managers are advised to totally annihilate the plants before they spread and develop significant root systems. With bigger properties to manage than the average home owner, this is a considerable 'pest' management challenge. The following advice given to National Park Service staff by the Northeast Integrated Pest Management Coordinator is applicable to poison ivy management everywhere.

Care should always be taken when removing Poison Ivy plant material. The employees working with the plants should always where protective gear and should take great care not to wash their clothes with other non-contaminated clothes. Tools should always be washed carefully after each use to prevent unnecessary skin outbreaks. Done correctly, safe management of poison Ivy can be accomplished. For protection, use various products such as MultiShield applied prior to anticipated exposure to Poison ivy oils or Tecnu Skin Cleanser to cleanse exposed skin

The treatment of poison ivy by the National Park Service depicts the challenge of the National Park Service mission in microcosm.

The National Park Service preserves unimpaired the natural and cultural resources and values of the national park system for the enjoyment, education, and inspiration of this and future generations. The Park Service cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.

The challenge of the National Park Service and its Integrated Pest Management program is to preserve unimpaired while visitors enjoy. With poison ivy it is the challenge of preserving the wildlife populations while not having kids and grandmas scratching poison ivy welts in their tents and RVs.