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.
Foreword
Preface
Acknowledgments
PART I. 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 II. 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 III. 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
-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