Roadside beauty is in the eye of the beholder

Some people prefer roadsides kept uniform by regular mowing.  Others view roadsides as an opportunity to restore our native landscape, one made up of many different plants of varying heights and colors.

Mowing is very expensive in terms of personnel hours, equipment hours and fuel consumption.  Before mowing, consider the purpose for mowing.  Except for the immediate shoulder and where dictated by safety considerations, mowing roadsides is an unnecessary practice.  Improper mowing height and frequent or poorly timed mowing can reduce root mass and plant vigor.  Operating heavy equipment on roadside slopes and wet ditch bottoms can tear up vegetation.  This overall weakening of the plant community makes the roadside more susceptible to weeds and erosion.

Areas that require periodic mowing to maintain a safe right-of-way are intersections, bridges, sharp curves and farm and field entrances.  In the rest of the right-of-way we are learning to appreciate the flowing beauty of tall grass as it bows before the wind.