The use of the roadside for specialized environmental goals should be carefully considered to be sure that the safety, sustainability, and life-cycle costs of the project meet department goals and resources. The establishment of specialized environmental areas in the roadway will often entail specialized management techniques and scheduling that may require special specification and contracting procedures. These needs should be carefully considered in determining the appropriate use and design of these features. These areas of environmental focus are defined below.

Restoring a site to the topographic shape, hydrologic function, and plant community that existed in historical times before disturbance by man.

This practice is expensive and requires detailed knowledge and constant management.

For several decades TxDOT has encouraged urban reforestation on its state highway system. One example of this is through the

Green Ribbon Program

. Funds for the Green Ribbon Program, as described in , are allocated for Districts with non-attainment counties to plant and establish trees that help mitigate the effects of air pollution.

This is the designing and managing of plant communities for use as habitat by birds, mammals, reptiles, or insects.

Habitat creation involves providing one or all of cover, food, or water to a targeted species and requires detailed planning and development funding.

Where general habitat for wildlife is a goal, the preservation of existing sites is preferable to the development of new habitat.

The preservation or establishment of native plant communities either as an aesthetic program or as part of habitat creation.

Naturalization seeks to promote or re-introduce native plants to minimize maintenance or improve the aesthetics of the roadside.

This involves the seeding or planting of desirable plants and periodic management to assist in their survival, or it may focus on preserving threatened or endangered species.

Involves replicating critical habitat for pollinators, including monarch butterflies, and enhances the roadway conditions by allowing wildflowers to thrive.

Few prairie areas still exist within the roadway sections due to disturbance, but replication is possible on smaller scales with the right type of installation practices and management.

Once prairie areas are established, these are often less expensive to manage and require fewer resources to maintain as compared to traditional landscapes.

TxDOT is actively working to keep Texas Monarch Butterfly & pollinator habitats abundant, including the development and implementation of new ideas to expand habitats across Texas. Decreasing mowing and adopting mowing practices that utilize proper guidelines and timing in designated areas contribute to the success of this goal.

TxDOT has funded research to create new native plant species for specific seed mixes, while at the same time it has incorporated pollinator plant species into replanting seed mixes on its construction and maintenance projects.

Native, pollinator hosts and nectar plants are typically specified in planting projects.