Roadside Use of Native Plants
Originally published by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), Office of Natural Environment to promote the planting and care of native plants along highway rights-of-way, this unique handbook provides managers of roadsides and adjacent lands with the information and background they need to make site-specific decisions about what kinds of native plants to use, and addresses basic techniques and misconceptions about using native plants. It brings together in a single volume a vast array of detailed information that has, until now, been scattered and difficult to find.
The book opens with eighteen short essays on principles of ecological restoration and management from leading experts in the field including Reed F. Noss, J. Baird Callicott, Peggy Olwell, and Evelyn Howell. Following that is the heart of the book, more than 500 pages of comprehensive state-by-state listings that offer:
- a color map for each state with natural vegetations zones clearly marked
- comprehensive lists of native plants, broken down by type of plant (grasses, forbs, trees, etc.) and including both scientific and common names, with each list having been verified for completeness and accuracy by the state's natural heritage program
- contact names, addresses, and phone numbers for obtaining current information on invasive and noxious species to be avoided
- resources for more information, including contact names and addresses for local experts in each state
The appendix adds definitions, bibliography, and policy citations to clarify any debates about the purpose and the direction of the use of native plants on roadsides.
Roadside Use of Native Plants is a one-of-a-kind reference whose utility extends far beyond the roadside, offering a toolbox for a new aesthetic that can be applied to all kinds of public and private land. It can help lead the way to a cost-effective ecological approach to managing human-designed landscapes, and is an essential book for anyone interested in establishing or restoring native vegetation.
Contents
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
Part One: Roadside Restoration and Management Essays
Introduction
Defining a Native Plant
Preserving Roadside Habitats
Explaining Plant Communities
Designing Roadsides with Native Plants
Incorporating Grasses into Clear Zones
Preventing Wildflowers from Becoming Weedy
Specifying a Native Planting Plan
Working With Succession
Integrating All the Management Tools
Implementing Prescribed Burns
Controlling the Spread of Weeds
Gaining Public Support
Restoring Grassland Ecosystems
Utilizing the Ecotype Concept
Choosing Non-Invasive Plant Materials
Pulling Together
Reassessing Beautification
Introducing a Roadside Land Ethic
Part Two: Plant and Resource Lists
Individual States
(Note: Color maps showing potential natural vegetation zones for each state are
gathered in a section following page 316)
Part Three: Appendices
A. Policy
1998 Revised Guidance for Wildflowers
Native Wildflower Q&A
Wisconsin Exception
1999 Guidance Material for Treeways
Treeways Q&A
1995 Executive Memorandum on Landscaping Guidance
Landscaping Q&A
Guidance Implementing Executive Order on Invasive Species
1999 Executive Order 13112 on Invasive Species
Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies of April 26, 1994
Policy Statement on Invasive Alien Species by Secretary Slater
Dept of Transportation Policy on Invasive Species
Federal Highway Administration Guidance on Invasive Species
Invasive Q&A
B. For More Information
Contributors
Suggested Reading
National Organization Resources
Related Web Sites
History of Roadside Use of Native Plants
C. Vegetation Types
129 Types or Plant Communities
Indicator Species Composition of Types
All Plant Species Listed
An Invasive Plant List"
You may purchase this title at fine bookstores across the United States. Outside the USA, see our international sales information.
