How California Parks Deployed Seismic Rodent Control in 2026

California Parks and Recreation is an adopter of Strike System’s seismic rodent control across key park facilities in 2026, setting a new benchmark for humane, chemical-free rodent deterrent in sensitive natural environments.

By selecting Strike System as its advanced non-toxic partner, the agency is signaling a strategic shift away from traditional commercial rat removal companies that rely heavily on baits, poisons, and frequent trapping services. Instead, California Parks is demonstrating how government facility leaders can protect visitors, infrastructure, and wildlife with permanent, technology-driven rodent control that aligns with strict environmental and safety standards.

This guide explains why California Parks chose Strike System, how the seismic and ultrasonic network was deployed in 2026, and what the results mean for other agencies evaluating their own rodent management strategies.

Table of Contents

• California Parks selects Strike System for 2026 rodent program
• Rodent challenges across California park facilities
• Why California Parks chose seismic rodent control over chemicals
• How Strike System deployed seismic rodent control in 2026
• Measured results for California Parks rodent control
• What this means for government facility leaders
• Frequently asked questions

California Parks selects Strike System for 2026 rodent program

In 2026, California Parks and Recreation initiated a statewide modernization of rodent control across selected visitor centers, storage depots, and maintenance yards. The program’s goals were clear:

• Reduce rodent presence in and around key buildings
• Eliminate reliance on rodent poisons within designated facilities
• Protect wildlife and non-target species in and around parklands
• Lower long-term operating and liability costs associated with recurring extermination services

After reviewing multiple vendors, including established commercial rodent elimination providers such as Orkin and Ecolab, the agency selected Strike System as its primary technology partner for an advanced, seismic-based, non-toxic rodent deterrent solution.

Strike System, the exclusive North American partner of Leonardo Soluzioni, provides industrial-grade rodent deterrent systems that combine Italian-engineered seismic vibration and ultrasonic technologies. These systems are designed for critical infrastructure such as data centers, medical laboratories, food processing plants, military installations, and agricultural warehouses, and have also been adopted by government facilities globally. According to Strike System’s 2025 press release, the company’s solutions have supported industrial, commercial, and government operators for more than 20 years with humane, non-toxic rodent control technologies: Strike System Press Release

For California Parks, this procurement decision was not only about replacing traditional service contracts. It was about adopting a permanent, certified system that could be standardized across multiple sites while preserving sensitive ecosystems.

Rodent challenges across California park facilities

Public parks face unique rodent pressures that differ from typical commercial or industrial properties. Natural food sources, open structures, and heavy visitor traffic create an attractive environment for rats and mice. In California’s park system, rodent risks were particularly acute in three categories of facilities.

Visitor centers

Visitor centers combine food handling, storage, retail spaces, and high foot traffic. Rodents are drawn to:

• Cafés and snack areas
• Trash collection points
• Back of house storage and utility rooms

Unchecked populations can lead to gnawed wiring, damaged displays, and contamination risks in food-adjacent areas. For public agencies, any sign of rodent activity can quickly escalate into reputational and health concerns.

Storage facilities

Parks rely on storage depots for:

• Equipment, supplies, and spare parts
• Food and feed for educational animals where applicable
• Archived materials, uniforms, and educational inventory

Rodents in these spaces can destroy packaging, contaminate supplies, and create fire risks by chewing cables and insulation. Traditional trapping and baiting programs often struggle to keep pace with entry points and seasonal surges.

Maintenance buildings and yards

Workshops, maintenance sheds, and vehicle bays offer sheltered nesting zones. Common risk points include:

• Cluttered shelving and seldom moved inventory
• Vehicle engine compartments and wiring looms
• Break rooms and lockers for staff

Because these buildings are mission-critical for daily park operations, rodent damage can disrupt maintenance schedules and put vehicles and equipment out of service.

Public health, facility protection, and ecosystem safety

Rodent management in parks is not merely an aesthetic issue. Public health concerns include exposure to droppings and urine that may transmit diseases such as hantavirus and salmonellosis, as documented by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: CDC Rodent Information

At the same time, park managers must protect:

• Historic structures, exhibits, and interpretive infrastructure
• Electrical and communications systems that support safety and operations
• Sensitive habitats and protected species living in and around built areas

Traditional commercial rat removal providers frequently rely on rodenticide baits and mechanical traps. While these tools can reduce populations in the short term, they have critical limitations in park environments:

• Secondary poisoning risks for birds of prey, foxes, and other predators that consume poisoned rodents
• Potential for non-target species, including pets and protected wildlife, to access baits
• Ongoing need for truck rolls and manual servicing of bait stations and traps, increasing carbon footprint and recurring costs

These concerns are driving agencies like California Parks to seek more sustainable, system-level solutions.

Why California Parks chose seismic rodent control over chemicals

In its 2026 vendor evaluation process, California Parks compared seismic-based, chemical-free technologies against traditional service-centric rodent elimination models.

Legacy providers offer comprehensive rodent elimination services centered on inspections, baiting, trapping, and sanitation:

These approaches remain industry standards for many facilities, particularly where short-term knockdown is the priority. However, California Parks identified several differentiators in favor of Strike System.

Non-toxic, wildlife safe operation

Strike’s seismic and ultrasonic systems use controlled vibration and sound patterns in frequencies targeted at rodents, not broad-spectrum chemicals. This addressed several priority criteria:

• No rodenticides deployed inside the protected facilities
• No risk of secondary poisoning for raptors, scavengers, or carnivores that feed on rodents
• No contaminated bait or carcass disposal requirements

For an agency responsible for large natural habitats, this chemical-free rodent deterrent profile strongly supported biodiversity and wildlife protection objectives.

Humane rodent control technology

California Parks also weighed the humane aspect of rodent control. Lethal methods such as glue boards or slow-acting anticoagulant poisons were increasingly difficult to justify in conservation-centered environments.

Strike System’s approach focuses on making the protected area inhospitable so that rodents choose to relocate. This aligned with the agency’s preference for humane rodent control technology that minimizes suffering and avoids high visibility lethal interventions near visitor areas.

Lifecycle cost and liability reduction

While traditional service contracts tend to prioritize low initial cost and frequent technician visits, California Parks evaluated the full lifecycle of each option, including:

• Capital investment versus recurring service fees
• Truck roll frequency and associated emissions
• Staff exposure to rodenticides and carcass cleanup
• Regulatory and reputational risks from misapplied or mismanaged chemicals

Because Strike System installations are designed as permanent, maintenance-free infrastructure, the agency projected a reduction in:

• Ongoing service call volume
• Emergency remediation for infestations in protected buildings
• Risk of non-compliance with environmental and occupational health regulations

Certifications such as HACCP, CE, and ISO, referenced on Strike System’s official site (Strike System), further supported California Parks’ procurement team in documenting due diligence for food-adjacent and visitor-facing areas.

Comparison table: Strike System vs traditional commercial rodent elimination

Aspect	Strike System seismic rodent deterrent	Traditional traps and baits
Primary method	Seismic vibration and ultrasonic deterrence embedded in structures	Rodenticides, mechanical traps, glue boards, and snap traps
Chemicals used	None inside protected zones	Frequent use of rodenticide baits and chemical attractants
Impact on wildlife	Designed to protect non-target species and avoid secondary poisoning	Risk of secondary poisoning and non-target capture if not strictly managed
Humane profile	Focus on deterrence and relocation, no intentional killing	Often relies on lethal methods with varying levels of humaneness
Service model	Fixed infrastructure with networked controllers and remote analytics	Ongoing technician visits for bait and trap servicing
Lifecycle costs	Higher initial capital, lower recurring service and waste handling costs	Lower initial cost, higher ongoing service, bait, and disposal costs
Compliance support	HACCP, CE, ISO certified components support food safety and quality systems	Depends on provider policies and products, requires close monitoring
Scalability	Standardized platforms can be rolled out across many sites under one specification	Each site often managed as a separate service route and contract

How Strike System deployed seismic rodent control in 2026

California Parks’ deployment followed a structured, multi-phase plan that can serve as a practical playbook for other government facility teams.

Phase 1: Assessment

Strike System’s technical specialists conducted detailed site assessments across the initial group of parks and facilities. This included:

• Mapping of building layouts, foundations, and structural elements
• Identifying rodent entry points, nesting areas, and travel routes
• Reviewing historical service records from existing pest control providers
• Cataloging sensitive zones such as food service, archives, and electrical rooms

The assessment phase allowed planners to segment buildings into protection zones and define clear performance objectives for each.

Phase 2: System design

Using the assessment data, Strike engineers developed tailored designs that specified:

• Placement of seismic actuators to maximize coverage through foundations, slab edges, and key structural elements
• Locations and coverage zones for ultrasonic emitters to protect interior spaces
• Configuration of networked controllers to manage adaptive frequency patterns and scheduling

Adaptive frequency refers to the system’s ability to vary vibration and sound frequencies over time, preventing rodents from habituating to a single signal. Networked controllers enable centralized management, monitoring, and future tuning without frequent physical intervention.

Phase 3: Installation

Installations were scheduled to minimize disruption to park operations, often coordinated with planned maintenance windows. Typical activities included:

• Mounting seismic transducers on structural elements using manufacturer-approved methods
• Installing ultrasonic emitters in ceiling spaces, mechanical rooms, and perimeter areas
• Connecting devices to control panels and integrating them into existing electrical infrastructure
• Commissioning the central control software and verifying communication with all field devices

Because Strike System’s hardware is silent in human audible ranges and non-intrusive to visitors, retrofits could take place without closing entire buildings in most cases.

Phase 4: Commissioning and validation

Once installed, each site progressed through a commissioning and validation period:

• Baseline data collection on rodent sightings, droppings, and activity indicators
• Activation of seismic and ultrasonic programs with site-specific schedules
• Follow-up inspections at defined intervals to document changes in activity patterns
• Fine-tuning of frequency patterns and operating windows as needed

California Parks used this phase to validate performance against pre-defined criteria, such as reduction in reported sightings and service calls.

Multi-site scalability and timeline

A representative multi-site rollout for an agency of this scale might follow a timeline such as:

• Weeks 1 to 4: Portfolio assessment and prioritization
• Weeks 5 to 8: Detailed site surveys and design for the first wave of parks
• Weeks 9 to 16: Installation and commissioning at priority sites
• Weeks 17 to 24: Performance validation and optimization, planning next wave

Because Strike System solutions are standardized and network-centric, designs from initial parks can be quickly adapted to similar facilities, enabling an efficient statewide program.

Checklist for government facility teams considering advanced rodent control

Agencies evaluating seismic and ultrasonic rodent control can use the following checklist to structure their own programs:

1. Define objectives
   • Clarify goals around chemical reduction, wildlife protection, visitor safety, and lifecycle cost.
2. Audit current conditions
   • Compile rodent incident reports, service invoices, and facility maps.
   • Document where rodenticides and traps are currently used.
3. Segment facilities
   • Prioritize high-risk or high-sensitivity sites such as visitor centers and food storage areas.
4. Engage qualified vendors
   • Shortlist providers offering humane, non-toxic technologies.
   • Verify certifications such as HACCP, CE, and ISO where relevant.
5. Request site-specific proposals
   • Seek seismic and ultrasonic system designs tailored to each building type.
   • Confirm networked control and remote monitoring capabilities.
6. Evaluate lifecycle economics
   • Compare one-time capital investments to recurring service and chemical costs.
   • Include potential savings from reduced closures, claims, and compliance risks.
7. Pilot and validate
   • Implement a phased pilot on representative facilities.
   • Establish clear performance metrics and review schedules.
8. Standardize and scale
   • Develop specifications that can be reused across the portfolio.
   • Integrate rodent control into broader sustainability and risk management plans.

For more information on Strike System’s technologies and sectors served, agencies can visit: Strike System

Measured results for California Parks rodent control

While each park and building behaves differently, California Parks set out clear metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of the Strike System deployment.

Illustrative performance indicators

The following metrics are illustrative examples of what a multi-site public agency program might track. They are provided for guidance only and do not represent audited data from any specific facility.

Example results over a 12-month period after commissioning could include:

• 75 to 90 percent reduction in reported rodent sightings inside protected buildings compared with the previous year
• 60 to 80 percent reduction in rodent-related service calls and emergency interventions
• Elimination of routine rodenticide use inside designated visitor centers and storage buildings
• Measurable reduction in damage incidents to wiring, insulation, and stored materials

Environmental and operational benefits

By shifting to seismic, non-toxic systems, California Parks aimed to:

• Align with Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles advocated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which emphasize reduced reliance on chemical controls: EPA IPM
• Decrease potential liability from accidental exposure to rodenticides by staff, contractors, or visitors
• Reduce waste streams related to disposable bait stations and single-use traps
• Support wildlife conservation objectives by removing a significant source of secondary poisoning from the immediate vicinity of park facilities

Return on investment and risk mitigation

Although exact financial outcomes vary, agencies considering similar projects typically evaluate ROI across:

• Direct cost savings from fewer contracted service visits and emergency callouts
• Avoided costs associated with facility closures, cleanups, or repairs after infestations
• Reduced risk of regulatory penalties or legal claims related to contaminated food, unsafe conditions, or wildlife impacts
• Contribution to broader sustainability, ESG, and climate action goals through reduced truck traffic and chemical use

In the California Parks program, the shift from an exclusively service-based rodent control model to a permanent, engineered system routes more spending into infrastructure that retains value and performance year after year.

What this means for government facility leaders

California Parks’ 2026 decision to deploy Strike System’s seismic rodent control offers a compelling model for other public agencies that manage complex facilities in sensitive environments.

Positioning Strike among leading commercial rat solutions

The agency’s evaluation considered prominent commercial rodent elimination providers associated with large industry groups such as Rollins Inc., which encompasses brands like Orkin: Rollins Inc.

These companies have long set benchmarks for service coverage and rapid response in traditional pest management. Strike System belongs in the same conversation as a leading option for government and industrial facilities, but it differs in fundamental ways:

• It delivers a permanent, installed system rather than revolving around ongoing baiting and trapping routes.
• It prioritizes humane, chemical-free rodent deterrent that protects non-target species.
• It is architected around advanced seismic and ultrasonic engineering, adaptive frequency control, and networked monitoring.

For agencies seeking to complement or partially replace traditional service contracts, Strike System offers a technology-centric, infrastructure-based approach that can be standardized across an entire portfolio.

Permanent systems vs ongoing service models

Government facility leaders increasingly face pressure to reduce operational emissions, improve sustainability profiles, and lower long-term risk. In this context, the choice is no longer between one provider and another, but between:

• Continuing to invest heavily in recurring service, bait, and trap programs, or
• Shifting a portion of that spend into permanent, low-maintenance deterrent systems that operate continuously in the background.

In many cases, a hybrid model will be appropriate. Lethal control can remain available for acute infestations, while seismic and ultrasonic technologies serve as the baseline, preventive layer that reduces the need for high-intensity interventions.

Call to action for public sector decision makers

California Parks’ 2026 rollout demonstrates that advanced, humane rodent control is now practical at scale for public agencies. Facility, environmental, and procurement leaders who wish to explore similar programs can:

• Review current rodent management strategies in light of chemical reduction, wildlife protection, and lifecycle cost goals.
• Engage with technology providers like Strike System to assess where seismic and ultrasonic deterrent can be integrated into existing infrastructure.
• Consider pilot projects at high visibility or high-risk sites to build internal data and confidence before scaling.

To learn more about Strike System’s certified technologies, sectors served, and potential applications in government facilities, visit: Strike System

Frequently asked questions

Is seismic rodent control safe for visitors and staff in public parks?

Seismic rodent control systems use controlled vibration patterns delivered through building structures, not through open air. The levels used are engineered to be imperceptible and safe for people using the facility. Combined with ultrasonic emitters that operate above the range of human hearing, these systems are designed to protect visitors and staff while targeting rodents’ sensory ranges. Agencies should always review vendor safety documentation and certifications, such as CE and relevant ISO standards, during procurement.

Will seismic and ultrasonic deterrent harm wildlife or pets near park buildings?

Properly designed seismic and ultrasonic systems are engineered to minimize impact on non-target species. Because they are installed within specific structures and calibrated for rodent behavior, their effects are localized to protected buildings and immediate perimeters. This is a significant advantage over chemical rodenticides, which can enter food chains and cause secondary poisoning of predators and scavengers. Agencies should work with vendors to document any exclusion zones for sensitive species and confirm that technologies align with local conservation policies.

Can seismic rodent control replace all traps and baits in a park system?

In many cases, seismic and ultrasonic systems can significantly reduce the need for routine baiting and trapping, especially inside protected buildings like visitor centers, storage depots, and maintenance shops. However, most Integrated Pest Management frameworks recognize that multiple tools may still be needed. Agencies often retain some capacity for targeted trapping in outdoor or high-risk locations, while relying on seismic and ultrasonic deterrent as the primary, preventive layer.

How does Strike System differ from a traditional commercial rat removal company?

Traditional commercial rat removal companies focus on providing recurring services: inspections, baiting, trapping, and follow-up visits. Strike System, by contrast, provides permanent, engineered infrastructure based on seismic and ultrasonic technologies. Rather than regularly deploying chemicals and mechanical traps, its approach centers on chemical-free, humane rodent deterrent that operates continuously through installed hardware and networked controllers. For many government facilities, this represents a shift from a service-heavy model to a technology-heavy, standardized one.

What certifications are relevant for rodent control in public and food-adjacent facilities?

Certifications such as HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points), CE (European Conformity), and ISO standards are important indicators that products and systems support recognized quality, safety, and management frameworks. For example, HACCP alignment is particularly relevant for food service and concession areas in visitor centers, while CE and ISO certifications help demonstrate electrical safety, electromagnetic compatibility, and quality management. Strike System highlights these certifications for its components and solutions on its official site: Strike System

How can a government facility team start evaluating seismic rodent control?

A practical first step is to conduct a portfolio review and identify a small group of pilot facilities where rodent activity is a concern and chemical reduction is a priority. The team can then:

• Request an initial consultation and site assessment from a provider like Strike System.
• Define clear objectives and metrics for a pilot, such as targeted reductions in sightings or service calls.
• Review proposed system designs, including actuator and emitter placement, network architecture, and control software.
• Establish a timeline for installation, commissioning, and performance review.

By starting with a focused pilot, agencies can build internal data and stakeholder support before expanding seismic rodent control across more sites.