[PCA] Roadside refugia in Nevada, 444 more miles of the 1997 Megatransect

[Craig Dremann]

Dear All,

Regarding Native Plant Conservation, and the importance of Roadside
Refugia---plus the impacts of weeds on those refugia, especially weeds
intentionally sown by State DOTs---here's the second part of the Nevada
portion of my 1997 Megatransect: 

US 93 and US 6, total miles 444
Jackpot NV to Wells to Ely to Warm Springs to Tonopah to Cal. border

NATIVE GRASSES ABSENT = 196 miles (44%), 
---Native grasses should have be present in 180 of those miles.
TOWNS, riparian, playas, lava = 17 (3.8%)
CHEATGRASS = 37 (8.3%)
CRESTED WHEATGRASS sown along roadside by DOT = 26 (5.8%)

NATIVE GRASSES PRESENT = 248 miles (55.8%)
Oryzopsis found only within R/W = 84 (19%)
Oryzopsis on other side of fence = 48 (11%)
Oryzopsis solid prairies = 6 (1.3%)
Hilaria grasslands = 22 (4.9%)
Mixed native grasses, Stipa, Poa etc.= 59 (13.2%)
Great Basin Wild Rye, found only within R/W = 13 (2.9%)
Great Basin outside of R/W = 21 (4.7%)
Great Basin Wild Rye solid beautiful prairies = 7 (1.5%)

You can see for two of the native grasses, the roadside fences and thin
strips of the Federal highway right-of-ways, were protecting nearly 100
miles of the only remaining stands of grasses, that used to occur
abundantly in those areas. 

I think that everyone will agree, when Roadside Megatransects are done
across the United States in many of the other States,  we will begin to
see clearly, how important and to what degree roadside right-of-ways are
the last safe harbor and refugia for many of the local native perennial
grasses, native herbaceous perennials, and native insect nectar plants?

Sincerely,  Craig Dremann, Redwood City, CA (650) 325-7333