Michigan is going green; greener than any of us wanted it to, in fact:
When it comes to Michigan's freeways, cost-cutting is in and grass-cutting is out.
To save as many greenbacks as possible, the Michigan Department of Transportation is making fewer trips to state roadways to mow the slopes, trim trees and pare bushes.
Grosse Pointe resident Suzi Padilla, who does most of her east-side driving on Interstate 94, understands the reason; she just doesn't like the results.
"It bothers me because it makes our city look bad," Padilla said. "For people coming in from Metro Airport, it's their first greeting to the city. It looks terrible. There's probably a lot of garbage caught in the high grass, so that when they do cut it, all this garbage is going to show up."
For MDOT, doing next to nothing has become the economical thing to do. The agency hopes to save up to $30 million this year in labor and fuel costs by mowing and trimming less often.
"The economy is in terrible shape, plus we've had two really tough winters in a row," said MDOT spokesman Bill Shreck. "I think we ended up going $30 million over budget for last winter's maintenance, which means our summer budget is much tighter. We will still concentrate on safety issues -- such as trimming and mowing to maintain good sight distances -- rather than mowing for cosmetic reasons."
I was just asking myself the other day while driving on a local state highway that cuts through where I live why the grass was so much taller than usual. It looks terrible, and at some corners, you can barely see over the grass.
But, here's the other side of it, which I'm in some agreement about:
Besides the financial savings, there is another upside, according to Heidi Coates, development and marketing director of "The Greening of Detroit," a group that has promoted urban agriculture and horticulture in southeastern Michigan for the past two decades.
"More naturalized areas along the freeways is far better for the birds and bees, plus it looks prettier, even if it is unintentional," Coates said.
"We love our manicured lawns here in Michigan, but those berms aren't supposed to look like golf courses. We could gradually switch over to a more naturalized look, utilizing wildflower stands and greenery that grows naturally on the plains, like poppy and buffalo grasses.
"It takes a lot of time and money to mow the grass and it would take time to switch over, but in the long run it would cost less to maintain it."
I'm a big supporter of going back to a naturalized look...so long as it's native Michigan plant species and well-kempt. That said, they shouldn't pose a threat to pedestrians, cyclists, or motorists.
Finally, we're not alone in this:
A number of states have recently decided to cut back on their mowing, including Delaware, Kentucky, Maryland, New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. Because there are no federal regulations concerning roadside landscaping, states can mow -- or not -- as they please along the 12 million acres of federal highway corridors they maintain across the United States.
All-in-all, it just seems like another example of defeatism. This isn't being planned as some magnanimous gesture, rather it's happening because we're told we simply don't have the money.
How are these "green shoots" for ya'? We got the real thing.
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West Virginia
- which has much better interstates than neighboring, richer Pennsylvania thanks to Sen. Byrd - landscapes in part with wild flowers. It looks stunning. I don't know how a plant ecologist would rate it for sustainability and so forth, but it shows you don't have to do the conventional things in order to make it look good.
Policy not party!
Here in Texas we've been doing the wildflower thing for years
and there are sections of the highway rights-of-way that look like parkland.
I'm all for less mowing where the native plants are well-established; not only does it save money but it really is better for the environment.
It also makes for far livelier wildlife viewing on car trips.
Here are the actual TxDoT guidelines:
Mowing and Trimming
Follow these guidelines for mowing and trimming along Developed Urban highways.
Establish non-mow or natural areas at appropriate locations within the right of way, to provide for wildflower preservation, regeneration of native plant species and establishment of nesting habitat for wildlife. Clearly mark these areas to prevent accidental mowing during modified full-width mowing.
After maximizing the use of non-mow areas, use modified full-width mowing on the remaining right of way.
Set cutting height at five inches as determined for strong regeneration of grasses.
Limit the frequency of modified full-width mowing cycles in developed areas to the fewest number of cycles practical.
Mechanically trim.
In those areas where herbicides have been applied for the control of taller, weedy plant species, delay mowing for a minimum of 14 days after herbicide application for maximum control of unwanted plant species.
Wildflowers
Large stands of wildflowers should be avoided when mowing unless safety concerns arise.
Anchor: #i1001069
Ornamental Plantings
Maintain ornamental landscape plantings and irrigation systems in an acceptable condition. (See Chapter 4, Landscape Inspection Guide.)
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Erosion Control
Implement erosion control measures as necessary (slope stabilization, seeding, mulching, soil retention blankets, etc.). Refer to 2004 Edition of A Guide to Roadside Vegetation Establishment, Chapter 5.
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Wildlife Habitat and Native Plant Conservation
Areas which receive frequent mowing seldom support the establishment of significant wildlife habitat or provide for the regeneration of native plants. This is common in urban areas.
In those areas which may be designated as non-mow or natural areas, significant nesting cover for wildlife and strong regeneration and preservation of native plant species can be achieved.
Anchor: #i1001111
Endangered and Threatened Plants and Animals
Contact the District Environmental Coordinator, the Vegetation Management staff of the Maintenance Division (MNT), or the Environmental Affairs Division (ENV) for information concerning the location of protected species of plants and animals in each county.
Protected species of plants and animals known to exist in or adjacent to TxDOT right of way may require special mowing and trimming procedures.
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Invasive Species
Follow the mowing guidelines as outlined in Special Provision 730-003 (Roadside Mowing) for areas containing invasive species, which calls for pressure washing of mowing equipment before the equipment enters or leaves designated areas.
Targeted plants may require treatment with selected herbicides. Contact the Vegetation Management staff, MNT, before treating these areas.
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Rural Highways
Conduct vegetation management on roadways designated as Rural according to the following guidelines for each activity or situation.
Anchor: #i1001155
Mowing and Trimming
Follow these guidelines for mowing and trimming along Rural highways.
Establish non-mow or natural areas at appropriate locations (see Chapter 2, Section 7, Non-Mow or Natural Areas and Acreage Evaluations) within the right of way. These areas offer the best opportunity for wildflower propagation, native grass regeneration, and establishment of nesting cover for wildlife. Clearly mark these areas to prevent accidental mowing during modified full-width mowing.
After maximizing the use of non-mow areas, use modified full-width mowing on the remaining right of way. Generally, non-mow areas would begin at the toe of the slope in fill areas of the back of the ditch for cut sections, as long as clear zone requirements are met.
Use two modified full-width cycles per year. The first modified full-width cycle should be scheduled to allow wildflower seeds to mature and reset in the late spring. The second modified full-width cycle should be scheduled for the late fall to provide maximum regeneration of native grasses, maintain nesting cover for wildlife and reduce vegetative competition with spring-blooming wildflowers. Strip mowing may be used in lieu of modified full-width mowing cycles.
Set cutting height no lower than seven inches to preserve wildflowers, create residual nesting cover, and to provide for strong regeneration of native grasses.
Mechanically trim if necessary.
In those areas where herbicides have been applied for the control of taller, weedy plant species, delay mowing for a minimum of 14 days after herbicide application for maximum control of unwanted plant species.
Perform strip or spot mowing during the year when necessary for safety or control when taller vegetation is present.
We can admit that we’re killers … but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! ~ Captain James T. Kirk, Stardate 3193.0
1 John 4:18
Hay
There is a better choice - hay those berms. Around here, hay has value and I would be willing to bet that is not unusual. Put the farmers to work and let them sell the product. They will pay the state for the privelege. As in most agricultural products, the effect of litter and the safety issues will be handled in what will be about as close to a perfectly competitive market as we can find.
No, Salmo -- YOU DO NOT WANT HAY off the highways!!!
the deposits of sediment from the car exhaust makes it, in effect, very bad for animals, and since hay is fed to dairy and feedlot cattle, you'd be putting those exhaust products (diesel waste, gasoline additives, and variants of carbon) straight into the food chain. NO. NO. NO.!!!!!
We can admit that we’re killers … but we’re not going to kill today. That’s all it takes! ~ Captain James T. Kirk, Stardate 3193.0
1 John 4:18
There is some data
Take a look at the data on deposition and uptake of highway contaminants in vegetation. Here's a sample: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/research/reports.... This researcher describes retention and uptake of highway contaminants by vegetation as complex and poorly understood, and it is. It is not clear to me that the risk these contaminants pose to livestock could not be mitigated by how roadside hay is cut and how it is fed, if at all. Right now mulch hay is selling for over $2 per square bale around here.
It may be that high rain areas like western Washington, and for that matter Michigan and Maine, have a different contaminant distribution and retention pattern than relatively arid areas like West Texas. I was primarily interested what might happen around here and wasn't thinking about other parts of the country. The impetus for this thought process was that when I was in North Dakota recently, I noticed that they were haying the highways (the bales were the big round kind that would be a bad thing to hit at highway speeds). A few quick calculations showed why that is worth thinking about. Here in Maine, our highways occupy very large areas, mostly kept in grass, and mostly lightly traveled (not unlike North Dakota). We are cutting budgets for all sorts of things where the needs that will be unmet are heart rending. Yet, we are still spending a lot of money on cutting the highway grass. It seems worthwhile to me to see if we can find value in that grass instead of just expense.
Insulate round your house with the hay
And I don't know how hay becomes straw, but if it does, you can build a house with it.
So there are other potential uses for the hay than feeding it to animals.
"First they ignore you, then they ridicule you, then they fight you, then you win." -- Mahatma Gandhi
Straw, and husk panels
Straw is the stems after the wheat has been harvested. Yes, you can build a building with it. We have a very innovative guy a couple of miles away who has been a traditional builder (post and beam, straw bales, etc.) for decades. He has built a small compound for his school highlighting some of these techniques. The straw bale structure he built there does not inspire me to duplicate it, but I did build my house from his design for a timber frame.
I used to insulate a previous house's rock foundation with bales, and then use the hay as mulch in the garden the following summer. It works, and so did cutting and splitting the wood needed to heat the house. It was a lovely old New England cape but what a lot of work. That house is now someone else's problem.
There are some very interesting possibilities with Ag wastes like straw. For example, I recently came across the idea this award winning business plan is aimed towards developing (http://www.bus.umich.edu/NewsRoom/ArticleDisplay.asp?news_id=16433). I do not know why they want to limit the panels to refrigerators. A structural insulated panel (SIP) house is truly a wonder. You can actually heat them with a couple of candles, the heat from cooking diner, and the body heat from some people. Figuring out how to retrofit houses with relatively thin, high performance, sustainable insulated panels like those UMICH's students are developing on the inside to duplicate the effect of a SIP structure would make a lot of homeowners very happy.
Personally it sounds good to me
Those manicured lawns and trees are like deserts to wildlife. The more they are left to nature, the more will move in. We have found that in our yard, where since I gave up trying to beat nature back, we have seen all kinds of wildlife running around. It's really great to see them. The frogs and toads really like the cover of the weeds, along with the chipmunks and birds.
I should mention we live in the mountains in a heavily wooded area, so beating back the woods is a full time job if you want manicured lawns and gardens.
"A little knowledge is a dangerous thing. So is a lot." - Albert Einstein