DIRECT SEEDING ALONG HIGHWAYS OF WOODY PLANT SPECIES UNDER A WOOD-CHIP MULCH

DURING HIGHWAY CONSTRUCTION NATURAL COMMUNITIES OF PLANTS ARE COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE BARE ROAD BANKS ARE SUBJECTED TO FULL EXPOSURE TO THE SUN, FLUCTUATIONS IN TEMPERATURE, CHANGES IN MOISTURE CONDITIONS, AND EROSION. THESE ADVERSE CONDITIONS MAKE IT DIFFICULT FOR MOST PLANTS TO BECOME ESTABLISHED. HOWEVER, WITH THE USE OF WOOD-CHIP MULCHES AND THE SEEDING OF SELECTIVE WOODY PLANT SPECIES, VEGETATION WOULD QUICKLY HEAL THE SCARS OF CONSTRUCTION. AS SOME STATES PROHIBIT THE BURNING OF TREES, BRUSH, AND TRASH, WOOD CHIPS BECOME A VALUABLE BY-PRODUCT OF CONSTRUCTION THAT CAN BE USED BOTH TO MULCH SEEDLINGS AND TO CONTROL SLOPE EROSION. THE RESEARCH REPORTED HERE WAS INITIATED IN 1964. IT WAS FOUND THAT LARGE SEEDS WERE ABLE TO EMERGE THROUGH 2 INCHES OR MORE OF WOOD-CHIP MULCH, WHEREAS SMALL SEEDS EVIDENTLY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH STORED ENERGY, IN THE FORM OF CARBOHYDRATES, TO PUSH A SPROUT THROUGH SUCH A THICK LAYER. THE TABLES PRESENT STATISTICS ON EMERGENCE AND ON PLANT COUNTS WITH VARIOUS TREATMENTS. TESTS IN WOODEN FLATS WERE SUPPLEMENTED BY A ROADSIDE EXPERIMENT. RESULTS FOR THE VARIOUS SPECIES---INDIGO BUSH, BAYBERRY, AUTUMN OLIVE, BLACK LOCUST, RED CEDAR, SUMAC, SPANISH BROOM AND ORIENTAL BITTERSWEET---ARE REPORTED.

• Record URL:
  http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrr/1972/411/411-004.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309020832
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by Committee on Roadside Maintenance. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Zak, John M
  • Troll, Joseph
  • Hyde, Leslie C
• Conference:
  • 51st Annual Meeting of the Highway Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1972-1-17 to 1972-1-21
• Publication Date: 1972

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 24-27
• Monograph Title: Planting and managing highway roadsides
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Record
  • Issue Number: 411
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Chippings; Mulches; Planting; Road construction; Seeds; Shrubs; Trees; Wood; Wood chips
• Old TRIS Terms: Chips
• Subject Areas: Design; Environment; Highways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00205228
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309020832
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: May 7 1973 12:00AM