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<font size=3>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.<br><br>
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.<br><br>
Thanx<br><br>
Bill Stringer<br>
Sometimes Roadside Weeper<br><br>
At 11:04 AM 8/31/2006, penny@pinenut.com wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite=""> I live in an area that is
the second largest for beef production in the <br>
U.S. Our native Ozark biodiversity has been converted to
monoculture fescue <br>
in large sections of this county. The fence rows and roadsides are
the only <br>
areas- frequently for miles -with seed heads or berries. These are
dirt <br>
roads with very little traffic, yet over the last couple of weeks these
were <br>
all mowed. The elderberries, summac and buckbrush are gone because
of the <br>
mowing and I wonder just how and where the birds, rabbits, racoons and
deer <br>
will find the food they need in addition to the pollinators. Makes
no sense <br>
at all.<br><br>
Penny Frazier<br><br>
nal Message ----- <br>
From: "mangodance" <bmn@iglou.com><br>
To: <><br>
Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 9:17 AM<br>
Subject: Re: [PCA] Fw: [Pollinator] Roads and pollinators -
again<br><br>
<br>
> Lewis_Gorman@fws.gov wrote:<br>
><br>
>><br>
>> It's hard to believe that managing Interstate and limited
access<br>
>> highways, clover leaves, etc. by merely not mowing them (except
for<br>
>> safety requirements) would not be of overall advantage to all
wildlife.<br>
>> Is a study really required to determine an overall
benefit? Increased<br>
>> biodiversity alone should justify supporting a reduced mowing
policy on<br>
>> highway lands.<br>
>> There must be millions of acres being mowed at great cost,
petroleum<br>
>> energy use, and associated air pollution that would be
significantly<br>
>> reduced by halting mowing, except as minimally required by
federal<br>
>> highway safety specifications.<br>
><br>
> I've been carping about not mowing for years (even before I got
there).<br>
> Mowing is basically a jobs program. The contracting for
mowing is as<br>
> ugly as any defense contracting. The safety aspect is
ridiculous. They<br>
> tell me they're afraid people will go off road and hit a tree.<br>
> Apparently all the rock walls, drop-offs to creeks, and similar
things<br>
> are not dangerous to people leaving the road.<br>
><br>
> Additionally, if it was REALLY safety they were after, they wouldn't
put<br>
> all that optimum deer browse next to the roads.<br>
><br>
><br>
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