Roadside Opportunities Lost

A special committee of representatives of stakeholder organizations met in a series of meetings over a period of several months several years ago and recommended changes in the timing of mowing to benefit native grasses, wildflowers, butterflies, grassland birds, water quality and aesthetic values. One of the recommendations was for KDOT to hold off on the complete "mow out" until after November 1 to allow native grasses and wildflowers to flower and produce viable seeds to further enhance the composition of the plant community of our state's roadsides. Some of the native wildflower seeds would otherwise cost as much as $100 to $200 per pound to include in seeding mixtures. Transportation departments in some states (including Iowa) take pride in their prairie heritage and invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to establish the type of prairie plant communities that "come with the landscape" in the Flint Hills, Smoky Hills and Red Hills of Kansas.

Unfortunately, we in Kansas are destroying the potential for the greatest roadside display of prairie grasses and wildflowers in the country. Excessive and ill-timed mowing, planting of bromegrass and fescue in seed mixtures or included in mulch, and broadcast herbicide spraying (as opposed to spot spraying) are the three destructive management practices that are resulting in degrading of our state's roadside plant communities.

The series of before and after photographs featured in this communication, and other photographs included, illustrate the devastation resulting from September and October mowing (complete "mow out") practices along I-70 within the Flint Hills. It is unfortunate that we are destroying this opportunity to feature natural displays of native prairie grasses and wildflowers along Interstate 70 in the Flint Hills. Along with a great section of the Kansas Turnpike it is the most visible of all possible places. At the same time we are striving to promote attraction to the Flint Hills with the impressive entrance monuments recently erected, publications and the many initiatives of the Flint Hills Tourism Alliance.

Unfortunately, the same loss of prairie resources is occurring along thousands of miles of state highways throughout Kansas. KDOT manages 10,000 miles of state highways-with 20,000 miles of parallel-vegetated rights-of-way tolling approximately 146,000 acres. Tremendous expanses of Maximilian's Sunflowers in full bloom along Highway 96 between Wichita and Hutchinson were mowed out last year at this same time. A delay to November would have been much better.
September is one of the most spectacular months for native prairie wildflowers in Kansas and the extensive fall flowering season extends into October. Currently, as illustrated in part by these photos, there are spectacular displays of Willow-leaf Sunflowers, Maximilian's Sunflowers, Goldenrods of various species, Pitcher's Sage (also know as Blue Sage and Blue Salvia), New England Asters, Gayfeathers, Jerusalem Artichokes, Prairie Sunflowers and the Kansas State Flower--the Common Sunflower (an annual).

The last photos taken on September 26 illustrate the attractive setting offered at the Scenic Overview along Highway 177 south of Manhattan. Flowering Stiff Goldenrod, Pitcher's Sage, Indian Grass and Switchgrass were "on display". Obviously folks enjoy seeing this type of native prairie plant community. Kansas could and should provide a glimpse of this great resource to millions of resident and visiting travelers all along our roadways. Kansas can feature our pride in native prairies (including wildflowers and grasses) in ways that parallel the efforts that have been undertaken in Iowa, are featured by the Texas DOT relative to the spring wildflowers of Texas, and are promoted conceptionally in Arizona Highways magazine.

Sunset Sept. 26 at Scenic Overlook on Hwy 177.

This is the last native wildflower show of the year, but not the last scenic display. In the early fall, the array of native grasses, if allowed to remain unmowed, take on beautiful colors of their own and provide a scenic resource that persists throughout most of the winter. Stands of native grasses and the stems of wildflowers are very effective at holding snow during the winter, thereby reducing the many hazards associated with blowing snow, the costs of snow removal on the road surface, icing on the surface and the glare of sunlight from exposed snow on the rights-of-way. They also provide filter strips/ buffer strips that help to slow runoff and improve water quality. Twenty thousand miles of state roadside "ditches" translate into a significant "filter strip" resource potential.

The "Best Management Practice" for most of the 146,000 acres of vegetated roadsides along the state highway system would be the adoption of "Integrated Roadside Vegetative Management" (IRVM) practices. This approach would expose the many benefits of a limited mowing policy that focuses on periodically mowing out about 15 feet from the shoulder and around approaching intersections for maximum safety, but then allowing and encouraging native grasses and wildflower to flourish beyond the 15 feet distance with mowing beyond normally limited to alternate, every third or forth year as needed to preserve plant vigor. The dates of primary mowing to the fenceline should also occur between November 1 and March 31.

Fencline Contrast: These photos were made Sept 26 100 yards W of Exit 338. They illustrate the wildflowers (mostly willow-leaf sunflowers) apparent across the fence. They were absent on the KDOT right-of-way-side because of frequent mowing this year and in the past.

There are many other benefits of these approaches. One will note in the photos that migrating Monarch butterflies and other species are utilizing these fall wildflowers as the wildflowers are being eliminated along our Kansas roadways. At this same time folks volunteering as part of the Monarch Watch organization at the University of Kansas are tagging these butterflies for research as part of the continental wide concern for Monarch conservation.

Audubon of Kansas and many other organizations have, for many years, advocated changes and improvements in management of the largest state-owned system of potential "grassland habitat" and grassland educational resource. Many grassland nesting birds, migratory (including the Meadowlark, our state bird) and year round resident species (including Bobwhite Quail), species that come here to winter (including Harris's Sparrows and several hawk species) utilize wide vegetated roadside areas for nesting, escape and roosting cover, and/or for feeding purposes. These habitats are most critical in parts of the state that are intensively cultivated with little remaining undisturbed habitat.

Other potential benefits of reduced mowing include conservation of hundreds of thousands of gallons of diesel and gasoline fuel, cost savings of millions of tax dollars, and/or alternative opportunities for staff to devote more attention to road surface improvements or to improve the vegetation of existing roadsides with control of brome grass and planting of more desirable seed mixtures.

We are pledged to continue to work with the Kansas Department of Transportation, and seek the active involvement of other organizations and agencies, to find solutions for the many challenges that must be addressed if Kansas is to establish a culture of conservation devoted to our state's roadside and other prairie resources.