ABSTRACT
7th International Symposium on Environmental Concerns in Rights-of-Way Management

TITLE:

Highway Rights-Of-Way As Rare Plant Restoration Habitat In Coastal Virginia

AUTHOR(S):

Phil Sheridan - meadowview@pitcherplant.org
Meadowview Biological Research Station, Woodford, VA and
Blackwater Ecologic Preserve, Dept. of Biological Sciences,
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA

Significant loss of rare plants and their habitats have occurred on the coastal plain of Virginia through urbanization, drainage of wetlands, fire suppression, and land use changes. Existing conservation practices such as easements and preserves have been somewhat successful in preserving biodiversity but have neglected the role that highway rights-of-way could serve as restoration areas for rare plants and their ecosystems. We propagated a number of rare plant species, many only still surviving on powerline rights-of-way, and reintroduced them in appropriate habitat on mitigation projects and cloverleafs along Virginia Department of Transportation highway rights-of-way. Key elements of our program include: utilization of indigenous plant stocks from the local area, registry of reintroductions with state authorities, management of sites through mechanical or chemical means, and monitoring of the population biology of introduced plants. Highway rights-of-way represent a potentially underutilized area for rare plant conservation and could augment species preservation and recovery efforts.

Ref#: Abs1-085