Rethinking the way we landscape
Alex Arango
Since 2016 Brad Davis, an associate professor and MLA coordinator for the College of Environment and Design at UGA, has been working alongside The Ray and the Georgia Department of Transportation to change the way we utilize highways.
Davis has been directly involved in the perennial meadows research taking place near Exit 6 on I-85.
Using a mix of native forbs and grasses, Davis’ research is working to strike a balance between aesthetics and ecological function.
*Why it’s newsworthy: The clash between aesthetics and ecological function is a topic not discussed often in the media. The research done by The Ray and Brad Davis shows that we can have landscapes that have both function and form.
Overcoming Aesthetic Barriers
When it comes to sustainable landscapes there is a tendency for the general public to favor form over function.
“Our taste collectively is for eco nonfriendly landscapes such as turf dominated landscapes, with maintenance that is focused on keeping everything [vegetation] too controlled,” Professor Davis said.
Although the neat and tidy look of turfgrass is appealing, it causes more harm than good.
Davis notes that turfgrass requires constant maintenance and can result in “ecological dead zones” that are not suitable for pollinating insects to thrive.
Turf dominated landscapes also waste a significant amount of water and money.
Landscape water irrigation accounts for nearly one-third of all residential water use. That’s about 9 billion gallons of water used every day; 50% of which is wasted from inefficient methods and systems according to the EPA.
Jeniffer Ceska, the conservation coordinator of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, says the Georgia Department of Transportation gets push back if vegetation around highways gets too messy.
Ceska says that GDOT receives calls and complaints when roadsides and medians are not “high and tight.”
“We want them to not mow so much so that plants can flower and produce nectar but they [GDOT] gets push back because it looks messy and uncared for,” said Ceska.
For safety reasons, GDOT is required to mow vegetation around highways but having designated zones of vegetation like those seen on Exit 6 of I-85 are a way for highways to remain safe while still having spaces reserved for vegetation.
Landscaping along the Highway
In 2019, 29% of greenhouse gas emissions in the US came from transportation. Along with the pollution caused by stormwater runoff, highways are not the most environmentally friendly form of infrastructure.
By placing meadows along roadways, Davis’s research is helping to create greener highways that are still aesthetically pleasing to the public by using a mix of native forbs and grasses.
The meadows planted by Davis and The Ray emphasize the use of native perennial forbs, or flowers, that provide a colorful aesthetic that Davis says the general public favors.
Native forbs and grass used in the meadows project boast an extensive root system that helps stop erosion, restore soil nutrients and attract pollinator insects that are essential for the environment.
“The ultimate goal is to achieve that same level of visual satisfaction by using more ecologically friendly plant mixes,” said Davis.