Spring 1999

Greener Roadsides archive

Categories

I. Planted native plants:

This category is limited to the native wildflowers and grasses known to be native in your area. Consult your State's natural heritage program or Native Plant Society if you need help in identification.

II. Planted nonnative wildflowers:

This group spotlights planted wildflowers that are annual or perennial garden flowers introduced into a region in which they are not native. Species like cosmos and day lilies fit here. California poppies grown in an Eastern State are not native there and do not fit this category.

III. Protected native vegetation:

More and more highway agencies recognize the value of existing natural remnants. Many States sign these sites and manage them differently. This category focuses on the native vegetation characteristic to the regions that roads cross.

IV. Public awareness:

This category has elicited a range of responses from photos of volunteers to printed educational tools. When pictures do not easily tell your story, consider a packet of material.

V. Close-ups:

It is simple. When you stop to click one of the above categories, remember to zoom in on the details. Both native and nonnative vegetation are allowed here.

VI. Vegetation Management:

This involves restoration and management projects like woodland regeneration, grassland re-creation, wetland mitigation. These are the projects whose goals include erosion control, reduced maintenance, habitat and/or beautification purposes.

Vegetation includes all green and growing things on the right-of-way, trees, shrubs, vines, forbs, and grasses. Equipment and personnel on the project are allowed. Before and after photos are encouraged.