Greener Roadsides

Maryland's Office of Environmental Design

Category II: Planted garden wildflowers showing off throughout the summer on US 50/301

Ken Oldham
Environmental Manager

The role of the Office of Environmental Design is to support the Maryland State Highway Administration's mission in the areas of environmental mitigation, landscape development and roadside management. Major environmental programs include wetland mitigation, stream restoration, reforestation and noise abatement. Landscape development programs include the design and construction of a variety of landscape projects ranging from establishing wildflowers to planting urban streetscapes. We have recently initiated an expanded emphasis on context sensitive design in our highway design process. This initiative is part of our Thinking Beyond the Pavement approach where input from communities and a complete range of stakeholders is sought early in the design process. In this way we address community and environmental needs and provide for the transportation needs of the corridor. The results have been roadway improvements that were designed right the first time, and which are welcomed by communities. Our Partnership Planting Program is a public outreach program that also works with communities to make landscape improvements to highways. Civic groups and municipalities can sponsor plantings in their communities by volunteering their services or by contributing funds.

Category IV: A partnership planting in progress on MD 170, Anne Arundel County.

Our roadside management program includes the management of trees, control of invasive weeds and the management of turf and meadows. We continue to develop progressive programs that encourage the development of natural roadsides like those illustrated in our photographs. We are taking a fresh look at our roadside program to see how we do things better. Our experience has shown that the natural look is not for every area. Customers in more urban and suburban regions respect more highly managed landscapes. The wide expanses of interstate highways provide the greatest opportunities for natural landscapes.

Natural landscapes in Maryland mean trees. Trees are king here, so we plant them at every opportunity. Not only do we plant tress, but we also create conditions that encourage the natural succession of native trees on their own. The phasing out of crownvetch from our standard slope mix has gone a long way toward encouraging the regeneration of roadside forests.

Category III: Reduced mowing protects this native vegetation remnant on I-195.

That is not to say that native meadows do not have a place; they do. We are currently re-evaluating how we manage meadows. We are finding that meadows do not happen by themselves. There is too much competition from introduced and invasive species and many of the desirable native species do not come in on their own. As a result, we are evaluating new methods of establishing and managing native meadows. It is too early for results but we continue to expand our efforts. We are beginning to use species of native wildflowers and grasses of Maryland previously not used.

We are also placing greater emphasis on the control of exotic species that have invaded the roadside. In our management practices, we are placing greater emphasis on the control of the real "bad guys" such as Canada Thistle, Pragmites, and Ailanthus. We are also incorporating the control of introduced and invasive species into our landscaping and reforestation projects. The success or failure of these projects will depend on how well competitive species are controlled. If you are interested in more detail on our programs, please do not hesitate to contact us.

I would like to thank the editor of Greener Roadsides, Ms. Bonnie Harper-Lore, for her outstanding contribution toward the better management of roadsides throughout the country. FHWA's Photo Opportunity Contest is just one of the many creative ways used to promote good roadside management and development practices. I would also like to thank all the DOT's for their contribution toward making this competition such a success. Keep participating. Finally, I want to give the credit to our prize photographer, Amy Schmand. Amy took the lead on the photo contest and contributed many of the award-winning photographs. Without her, we would not have participated in the competition. Credit also goes to Bruce Knott and Leroy Jonas for their outstanding photographic contributions. Thanks to all.