IVM Partnerships: NCDOT and NCSU
The North Carolina Department of Transport have had considerable success using integrated vegetation management practices. North Carolina has the nation’s largest State Maintained Highway System consisting of 125,500 kilometres of highways. This equates to over 133,950 hectares of rights of way maintained in three general forms: turf, natural areas, and landscape plantings.
North Carolina Department of Transport (NCDOT) has developed a system for coordinating the management of roadside vegetation to maximize the effectiveness of both operations while increasing cycle times between mowing operations.
The Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management (IRVM) system is a decision-making and quality management process for maintaining roadside vegetation that integrates cultural, biological, mechanical, and chemical pest control methods to economically manage roadsides for safety plus environmental and visual quality.
In developing the IRVM system the following factors are also considered:
• needs of local communities and highway users
• knowledge of plant ecology processes
• design, construction, and maintenance considerations
• monitoring and evaluation procedures
• government statutes and regulations
• technology
IRVM is a spin-off of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) concept used in agriculture, horticulture, and forestry. IPM is a term used to describe a system of managing pests whereby all possible methods of reducing pests are integrated to maintain and manage pest levels below economically damaging levels. IPM employs proven practical and least costly methods in a plan designed to exclude pests from the management unit.
IPM and, more specifically, IRVM are used to manage vegetation by simply applying logical information, communication, technology, planning and research.
An effective IRVM program improves safety for the public and employees, satisfies long range economic goals, maintains or improves quality, provides aesthetically pleasing facilities, and improves public relations. The highest priority for NCDOT employees is supplying safe transportation corridors that have the features of hazard free safety clear zones, low growing vegetation in the operational zone and open sight distances.
NCDOT’s Roadside Environmental Unit, works in cooperation with 14 divisions State-wide, covering three climate zones: coastal, piedmont and mountain, which include multiple cool and warm season grass species, as well as varying soil conditions. The professionalism, dedication and commitment of the team were clearly apparent as were the results of their hard work.
With strong partnerships with researchers from North Carolina State University (NCSU) and significant levels of funding allocated for research and development, NCDOT has implemented innovative roadside vegetation strategies that have not only saved millions of dollars, they have also significantly improved the safety levels for road users and those who maintain these road networks.
NCDOT have taken a long term view with their roadside vegetation management strategies. They have been prepared to invest significant funding in the short term knowing that in the longer term the benefits will outweigh the initial investment.
Australia can learn a lot from the efforts of NCDOT in the management of roadside vegetation.
As the cost of maintaining road networks continues to increase, funding for roadside vegetation management is under increasing pressure. Innovative ways to reduce the triple bottom line cost of managing roadside vegetation is more essential than ever and funding dedicated towards this cause will pay handsomely in the future.
North Carolina Department of Transport (NCDOT) has developed a system for coordinating the management of roadside vegetation to maximize the effectiveness of both operations while increasing cycle times between mowing operations.
The Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management (IRVM) system is a decision-making and quality management process for maintaining roadside vegetation that integrates cultural, biological, mechanical, and chemical pest control methods to economically manage roadsides for safety plus environmental and visual quality.
In developing the IRVM system the following factors are also considered:
• needs of local communities and highway users
• knowledge of plant ecology processes
• design, construction, and maintenance considerations
• monitoring and evaluation procedures
• government statutes and regulations
• technology
IRVM is a spin-off of the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) concept used in agriculture, horticulture, and forestry. IPM is a term used to describe a system of managing pests whereby all possible methods of reducing pests are integrated to maintain and manage pest levels below economically damaging levels. IPM employs proven practical and least costly methods in a plan designed to exclude pests from the management unit.
IPM and, more specifically, IRVM are used to manage vegetation by simply applying logical information, communication, technology, planning and research.
An effective IRVM program improves safety for the public and employees, satisfies long range economic goals, maintains or improves quality, provides aesthetically pleasing facilities, and improves public relations. The highest priority for NCDOT employees is supplying safe transportation corridors that have the features of hazard free safety clear zones, low growing vegetation in the operational zone and open sight distances.
NCDOT’s Roadside Environmental Unit, works in cooperation with 14 divisions State-wide, covering three climate zones: coastal, piedmont and mountain, which include multiple cool and warm season grass species, as well as varying soil conditions. The professionalism, dedication and commitment of the team were clearly apparent as were the results of their hard work.
With strong partnerships with researchers from North Carolina State University (NCSU) and significant levels of funding allocated for research and development, NCDOT has implemented innovative roadside vegetation strategies that have not only saved millions of dollars, they have also significantly improved the safety levels for road users and those who maintain these road networks.
NCDOT have taken a long term view with their roadside vegetation management strategies. They have been prepared to invest significant funding in the short term knowing that in the longer term the benefits will outweigh the initial investment.
Australia can learn a lot from the efforts of NCDOT in the management of roadside vegetation.
As the cost of maintaining road networks continues to increase, funding for roadside vegetation management is under increasing pressure. Innovative ways to reduce the triple bottom line cost of managing roadside vegetation is more essential than ever and funding dedicated towards this cause will pay handsomely in the future.
posted by Steve Hampton at
12:35 PM
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