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The "Giving Nature a Hand" education kit was designed and produced by
Environmental Affairs for science teachers of 7th- and 8th-grade
students in Texas. The lessons tell how and why TxDOT manages vegetation along
more than 800,000 acres of non-paved highway right of way so that it supports
hundreds of animal species and thousands of plant species, including spectacular
wildflowers. The kit was produced with support from the Environmental Protection
Agency
Each kit includes:
- A teacher lesson plan book of three lessons geared for 7th and 8th grade
students and designed to meet TAAS goals.
- One copy for students (suitable for photocopying) of "Giving Nature A
Hand" that describes roadside ecosystems.
- "Grow Native" bumper stickers.
- A videotape of three programs about TxDOT's roadside vegetation
management (17, 28 and 10 minutes).
- Wildflower posters.
- Cards with diagrams to identify birds and plants found along the right
of way.
- "A Green Guide to Yard Care" booklet.
To receive your free kit, send your name, name of your school and address to:
Texas Department of Transportation
Attention: Communications
Environmental Affairs Division
125 E. 11th Street
Austin, TX 78701-2483
Or e-mail us. Please specify which materials you want.
Background
TxDOT's policy calls for less mowing and the use of drought-resistant native
and adapted plants to conserve water and protect water quality. It also makes a
distinction between two zones on the right of way: the active, which is mowed
for safety reasons, and the passive, which is allowed to flourish in as close to
a natural state as possible, ensuring vivid wildflower displays and benefiting
wildlife such as ground-nesting birds and small mammals who make their homes in
the right of way.
While Texans and tourists enjoy the showy spring wildflowers along the
state's roadsides, they are reluctant to give up the appearance of a
well-manicured lawn in exchange for taller varieties of native grasses. As a
result of past department practices, which included mowing roadsides beyond what
was required for safety, the public came to expect the look of a well-manicured
lawn along rights of way. Unnecessary mowing leads to loss of desirable
vegetation, fills drainageways with silt and accelerates erosion. Mowing only
when plants are dormant in winter, after the breeding seasons of birds and small
mammals, ensures the greatest seed production for wildflower crops in both fall
and spring. This also produces food for small animals who find refuge along the
more natural roadsides. The ever-changing displays of wildflowers and grasses
attract tourists and Texans alike to small communities all over the state.
The use of native grasses and other native plants along the right of way also
reduces dependence on chemical and mechanical control methods, thus fostering a
biological approach to vegetation management. Vigorous native vegetation crowds
out noxious plants and improves water quality by reducing erosion and filtering
runoff. Mowing less decreases exhaust emissions from mowers and saves money.
Proper use of this land represents a major opportunity to protect and enhance
the environment. By creating a prairie look" through use of native grasses and
wildflowers along Texas roadsides, TxDOT can help prevent erosion, reduce the
need for mowing and herbicide use and save money on maintenance. Additional
benefits include the scenic attraction that wildflowers provide and habitat for
ground-nesting birds and small mammals.
"Giving Nature a Hand" was developed to teach middle school and junior high
school students throughout the state to appreciate the more natural,
prairie-look" areas along state highways and reinforce the wisdom of working
with nature. |
