School Grounds Case Study: Managing Tick Exposure Where Children Play and Run

How targeted treatments reduced reported tick encounters across two high-use outdoor environments at a North Carolina school

TickWarriors Field Case Study | 2018–Present

Executive Summary

Since 2018, TickWarriors has provided targeted tick management services for a central Piedmont North Carolina school with a one-mile cross-country running trail and an outdoor playground. Both areas presented recurring concerns about tick exposure, particularly during periods of elevated lone star tick activity.

Before treatment, runners regularly emerged from the wooded cross-country trail with ticks on their clothing or bodies. The playground presented a separate concern, particularly during May, when children encountered ticks during outdoor play. TickWarriors implemented a site-specific treatment program that evolved to address the distinct needs of each area. The cross-country trail is now treated annually in the fall, while the playground receives treatments in the spring when increased tick activity warrants intervention.

School personnel report that tick encounters along the cross-country trail, once routine, have become rare. At the playground, treatments requested during periods of elevated tick activity have produced an immediate, noticeable reduction in reported encounters. The program has continued since 2018, illustrating how targeted, seasonal tick management can help schools maintain outdoor recreational and athletic spaces.

Property Profile

Characteristic	Description
Property type	School and recreation area
Location	North Carolina
Program initiated	2018
Treatment areas	One-mile cross-country trail and school playground
Primary users	Students, athletes, coaches, and school personnel
Cross-country trail schedule	Annual fall treatment
Playground schedule	Spring treatment as needed, particularly during May
Reported outcome	Substantial reduction in tick encounters

 

The Challenge

The school's outdoor facilities provide valuable opportunities for athletics, recreation, and physical activity. However, wooded habitat, vegetation, and frequent student use created recurring concerns about tick encounters.

Cross-country trail

The school's one-mile cross-country trail runs entirely through wooded habitat, where athletes may encounter questing ticks along the trail and surrounding vegetation. Before the TickWarriors management program, runners regularly finished their runs with ticks on their clothing or bodies. Because the trail serves as an athletic facility, reducing these encounters while preserving access was a priority.

School playground

The playground presented a different exposure scenario involving younger children engaged in outdoor recreation. Tick encounters were particularly problematic during May, a period of significant seasonal lone star tick activity in North Carolina. When school personnel observed repeated encounters among children, they contacted TickWarriors to request treatment.

Intervention: Two Treatment Strategies, One Property

Beginning in 2018, TickWarriors implemented a site-specific treatment program addressing the different conditions associated with the wooded cross-country trail and playground.

Cross-country trail: Proactive annual treatment

The one-mile cross-country trail was initially treated in the spring and in the fall. After several years of reduced tick activity the trail now receives one annual treatment in the fall. Applications focus on appropriate tick habitat along the running corridor and surrounding natural areas. Field personnel also coordinates treatment with trail maintenance volunteers, who clear out brush once a year. This scheduled approach provides a consistent management framework for an outdoor athletic facility used repeatedly by students.

School playground: Responsive spring treatment

Unlike the cross-country trail, the playground is treated when conditions warrant intervention.

School personnel monitor tick encounters and contact TickWarriors when activity increases, particularly in early spring. Following treatment, personnel have reported an immediate, noticeable reduction in encounters. This responsive approach allows the school to address seasonal concerns without automatically applying the same treatment schedule to every outdoor area.

Results: Sustained Reduction in Reported Tick Encounters

What School Leadership Says

“We see fewer and fewer ticks each year”                

                            — School Administrator, North Carolina (name withheld upon request)

Cross-country trail

Before the treatment program, runners regularly emerged from the one-mile trail with ticks. After implementation of the TickWarriors program, reported encounters are rare. The school has continued annual fall treatments as part of its long-term management strategy.

School playground

During periods of increased spring tick activity, particularly in May, school personnel contact TickWarriors for treatment. Following applications, personnel report a prompt, noticeable difference in tick encounters.

Before-and-After Summary

Area	Before management	Following treatment
One-mile cross-country trail	Runners regularly emerged with ticks	Tick encounters now reported as rare
School playground	Tick encounters among children, particularly in May	Noticeable reduction following treatment
Trail management	Recurring tick exposure concerns	Annual fall treatment
Playground management	Seasonal increases in tick activity	Spring treatment when needed

Principal finding: Across two distinct recreational environments on the same school property, targeted tick management was associated with substantial reductions in reported tick encounters.

Discussion: Implications for School Tick Management

This case illustrates several practical principles for educational institutions.

Different environments benefit from different treatment schedules. The cross-country trail and playground present distinct exposure patterns and management needs. Annual fall treatment has become the established strategy for the trail, while the playground receives responsive spring applications.

Observed results can inform long-term management. The reported reduction in tick encounters along the trail and the noticeable improvement following playground treatments have helped guide the school's continued program.

Targeted management supports outdoor recreation. The objective is to reduce encounters in frequently used spaces while maintaining opportunities for students to participate in athletics and outdoor play.

 

Conclusion

Since 2018, TickWarriors has helped a North Carolina school manage recurring tick exposure concerns along a one-mile cross-country trail and school playground.

Where runners once regularly emerged from the trail with ticks, encounters are now reported as rare. On the playground, spring treatments requested during periods of increased activity have consistently produced noticeable improvements according to school personnel.

The school's continued use of two distinct treatment strategies demonstrates the practical value of adapting tick management to the specific conditions and needs of each outdoor environment.

Together with TickWarriors' recreational camp and residential case studies, this experience adds to its long-term record of targeted tick management in frequently used outdoor spaces.

 

 

Limitations

This case study is based on school personnel's observations and TickWarriors' operational experience rather than a controlled scientific study. Standardized pre- and post-treatment tick counts were not available. Therefore, the reported reductions cannot be expressed as percentages or attributed exclusively to treatment. Seasonal variation, weather, habitat conditions, and other environmental factors may also influence tick encounters. Reduced reported encounters do not establish tick elimination or a measured reduction in tick-borne disease incidence.