[PCA] Fw: [Pollinator] Roads and pollinators - again

Lewis_Gorman at fws.gov Lewis_Gorman at fws.gov
Thu Aug 31 16:53:13 CDT 2006


Renee,
Are there highway areas that have plant species that need to be kept in 
grassland and others that could be allowed to return to forest?
Lew




Renee Scagnelli <pbfiddler at yahoo.com> 
Sent by: native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
08/31/2006 02:05 PM

To
Bill Stringer <bstrngr at CLEMSON.EDU>, penny at pinenut.com, 
native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org
cc

Subject
Re: [PCA] Fw: [Pollinator] Roads and pollinators - again






I think it is extremely important to recognize that mowing is necessary in 
many cases--but that the frequency could be substantially reduced (yearly, 
every other year, or every 3 years, etc., depending on the target area and 
the associated plant species, etc), and that the mowing schedule needs to 
be sensitive to the maturation of seeds, plant rarity, etc.

In some places, complete cessation of mowing would be disastrous to the 
populations-- but yearly or every other year would be more than 
sufficient.

In our area, preserves held by one well known nature conservation 
organization have lost a number of rare plant species due to *lack* of 
mowing. Previous to their acquiring of the property one preserve in 
particular was mowed once a year, late season. Unfortunately, the lack of 
mowing has caused a once fabulous botanical preserve to lose a number of 
fabulous species.

In this area, late October/early November works well for areas that need 
to be mowed.

In fire prone areas, like the pine barrens, another factor in necessity of 
mowing is the height of grasses & vehicles pulling off roadside, and the 
potential for fire. (Or so I have been told. Doesn't seem to me to be 
enough to warrant mowing several times a year!)

Mowing doesn't seem to me to be as simple as should we mow or shouldn't 
we--at least not here. 

It seems to be a combination understanding of the desired outcome, the 
necessity of management for that outcome, and the frequency and timing of 
the mowing if mowing is necessary, plus any number of variables that a 
habitat. 

Some plants need disturbance in order to thrive--Stylisma pickeringii var. 
pickeringii, being a local example. On the other hand, though, too much 
disturbance will destroy the population.



Renee



Bill Stringer <bstrngr at CLEMSON.EDU> wrote:
I am regularly frustrated by the poor timing exercised by the folks in 
charge of mowing roadsides.  It seems when the blooming maxes, or the 
native grasses are peaking, or seeds are maturing, along come the mowers.

This probably represents an opportunity for us conservation types to do 
good, by providing information and training about the best times and 
frequencies of mowing, and recognition of important native species.

Thanx

Bill Stringer
Sometimes Roadside Weeper

At 11:04 AM 8/31/2006, penny at pinenut.com wrote:
 I live in an area that is the second largest for beef production in the 
U.S. Our native Ozark  biodiversity has been converted to monoculture 
fescue 
in large sections of  this county. The fence rows and roadsides are the 
only 
areas- frequently for miles -with  seed heads or berries. These are dirt 
roads with very little traffic, yet over the last couple of weeks these 
were 
all mowed.  The elderberries, summac and buckbrush are gone because of the 

mowing and I wonder just how and where the birds, rabbits, racoons and 
deer 
will find the food they need in addition to the pollinators.  Makes no 
sense 
at all.

Penny Frazier

nal Message ----- 
From: "mangodance" <bmn at iglou.com>
To: <>
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 9:17 AM
Subject: Re: [PCA] Fw: [Pollinator] Roads and pollinators - again


> Lewis_Gorman at fws.gov wrote:
>
>>
>> It's hard to believe that managing Interstate and limited access
>> highways, clover leaves, etc. by merely not mowing them (except for
>> safety requirements) would not be of overall advantage to all wildlife.
>>  Is a study really required to determine an overall benefit?  Increased
>> biodiversity alone should justify supporting a reduced mowing policy on
>> highway lands.
>> There must be millions of acres being mowed at great cost, petroleum
>> energy use, and associated air pollution that would be significantly
>> reduced by halting mowing, except as minimally required by federal
>> highway safety specifications.
>
> I've been carping about not mowing for years (even before I got there).
>  Mowing is basically a jobs program.  The contracting for mowing is as
> ugly as any defense contracting.  The safety aspect is ridiculous.  They
> tell me they're afraid people will go off road and hit a tree.
> Apparently all the rock walls, drop-offs to creeks, and similar things
> are not dangerous to people leaving the road.
>
> Additionally, if it was REALLY safety they were after, they wouldn't put
> all that optimum deer browse next to the roads.
>
>
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>
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> posting the message; they are not official opinions or positions of the 
> Plant Conservation Alliance.
>
>
> 



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Renée (Brecht) Scagnelli
Associate Director
Citizens United to Protect the Maurice River and its Tributaries 

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services Volunteer Coordinator: Adopt-a-swamp pink 
population and Knieskerns monitoring program
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