IRVM

THE IRVM AppnoacH ro CoururyRoaosrnE MaxacrvENT rN Iowe

Alan M. EhleyU.S.D.A. Soil Conservation Service

Jdy, 1992

INTRODUCTION

Roadsides exist for a variety of leasons, but their primary function is tohandle the concentrated flow of surface water from adiacent land and theroad sur{ace. Because of steep-sloping land and poor soil conditionswithin many roadsides, weed invasion and soil irosion are constantproblems across Iowa. In 1985, a Roadside Vegetation ManagementCommittee was established in Black Hawk County, Iowa, to address theseproblems. The committee concluded that the cause of weed invasion andpersistence may not be marginal edaphic conditions, but rather theimproper establishrnent and maintenance of Eurasian grasses andlegurnes. They proposed the establishment of native prairie vegetation inroadsides, and the integration of various vegetltion managementlechniqgeg to maintain the plant community. Hence the name, IntegratedRoadside Vegetation Management, or IRVM.

IRVM was started in Black Hawk County in 1985 as a new concept used oncounty rural roadsides. IRVM integrates native vegetation withappropriate management techniques to produce a roadside that is resistantto weed invasion and soil erosion, yet requires little or no maintenance.Following Black Hawk County's lead, many counties across Iowa havea_dopted IRVM techniques and hired County Roadside Managers to directtheir roadside programs. Managers also work with rural landownerswilling to use IRVM techniques on roadsides adjacent to their farmland.Today, this approach to roadside management is being implemented bystate transportation departments across the upper Midwest and isattracting interest throughout the nation.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The primary objective of IRVM is to establish and maintain a safe, stable,low maintenance roadside that is attractive and healthy for all life.Whenever and wherever possible, native prairie grasses and wildflowersare used to fulfill this oblective. Since 1985, thirty-nine counties acrossIowa have implernented an integrated approach to prevent weeds andcontrol soil erosion in their roadsides. The Iowa Department ofTransportation and transportation departments in Wisconsin, Mirmesota,Nebraska and Missouri are using similar programs in managing roadsideson their state and federal highways.

IRVM TECHNICAL MANUAL - 1-02

Instead of the traditional practice of seeding new or regraded ruralroadsides with non-native smooth brome (Bromus inermus Leysser),Kentucky 31 tall fescue (Festuca arundinacer Schreber), or Kentuckybluegrass (Poa pratmsis Linnaeus), IRVM counties are using a mixture offive to seven natiye prairie grasses and an equal or greater number ofnative prairie forbs. Native Iowa prairie vegetation has been shown toprevent the invasion of perennial and annual weeds while reducing woodyspecies encroachment (Landers 1970). A diverse cornmunity of prairiegrasses and forbs will also reduce surface runoff within the roadside, thus,reducing the chance for damaging soil movement and resultant gullies orsiltation-

Counties utilizing an integrated approach to roadside management hire aprofessional roadside manager or biologist to oversee roadside activities.Comrnonly called County Roadside Managers, these employees areresponsible for all facets of their county's integrated roadside program. Inaddition to seeding and maintaining rural roadsides with prairie grassesand forbs, they develop and implement annual and long range roadsidemanagement plans.

Roadside managers use various vegetation management techniques tomaintain a vigorous stand on both prairie and non-prairie rural roadsidesto prevent weed invasion and control soil movement. A roadside burnevery three to five years will increase native plant diversity, recyclenutrients, and retard the growth of any non-native competing vegetation.The roadside bum season typically begins in late April and lasts until mid-or late June. To maintain traffic safety, special bum equipment and crewsare used, and extra precautions are taken. Established perennial weeds areeradicated with one or more spot applications of a selected herbicide. Afterweeds are eliminated, the site is reseeded with a mixture of native prairieseed. Periodic mowing of road shoulders and dangerous intersections maybe necessary to maintain tlaffic safety and allow adequate vehicular sightdistance. As part of the roadside planning process, all managementtechniques are carefully used and later evaluated by County RoadsideManagers.

In addition to weed prevention and soil erosion control, the use of nativeprailie vegetation also provides excellent wildlife habitat along lowa's228,000 hectares of rural roadside. Rural roadsides with well- developedprairie will create corlidors allowing native wildlife to move from onenatural area to another. Also, Iowa travelers will experience the diversevegetation, beauty, and scenic grandeur that greeted early settlers as theyentered Iowa more than a century ago.

One aspect of Iowa's County Roadside Program that separates it fromother state roadside programs is the emphasis on working with locallandowners. In Iowa, most of the land in county roadside is owned by theadjacent landowner, but responsibility for roadside maintenance remainswith the County Engineer or County Roadside Manager's office. CountyRoadside Managers spend considerable time talking to and working withrural landowners. In some cases, the landowners may already be involved

IRVM TECHNICAL MANUAL. 1.03

with managing their own roadsides. It is not unusual to witnesslandowners spraying weeds or mowing grass in the roadside adiacent tothet cropland and 3-5% of the rural landowners, in Iowa bum theirroadsides in the early spring. However, many landowners do not useproper management techniques for roadside vegetation. Often, the grass ismowed too short and too frequently; herbicides are sprayed in theroadside as if it were a field of corn or soybeans; or roadsides are burnedat the wrong time, with little or no fire safefy equipment. In thesesituations, the County Roadside Manager contacts the rural landowner,explains the integrated approach to roadside management, and guides thelandowner through the proper timing and use of roadside techniques.

In other cases, a rural landowner may have a fairly good stand of nativevegetation already existing in the county roadside. The County RoadsideManager will conduct a follow-up visit with the landowner to explainthe integrated roadside program and possibly volunteer to manage theroadside. Regardless of the situation, County Roadside Managers arestriving to wolk with landowners in thei! county.

FUTURE PROSPECTS

As counties use an IRVM program on their roadsides, they realize thattraditional high maintenance and high costs are not necessary. Onceestablished, Iowa's native prairie vegetation has proven to be effective inweed prevention and soil erosion control. County Roadside Managers,using appropriate management techniques, can maintain roadsidevegetation while providing wildlife with excellent habitat and travellers acolorful and scenic drive.

As IRVM gains in popularity across Iowa, County Roadside Managers arefinding new challenges and asking more questions. For instance, solutionsneed to be found for temporary soil erosion control that occurs while thenative vegetation becomes established; the best formulas for prairie seedmixes and seeding rates need to be determined for specific roadside sites;the use of widely available cultivars of warm season forage grasses needsto be compared to limited, locally grown native prairie seed; and manymore. Those who support IRVM and plomote the use of prairie species inroadsides can provide valuable assistance as questions and challengessurface and new tesearch needs to be done.

The forecast for the future of IRVM is favorable. Daily, an increasingnumber of county, state, and federal roadsides are being protected andmanaged with IRVM techniques. More County Roadside Managers arebeing hired. They, in turn, involve more landowners, interestedindividuals, and agencies in Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management.

Landers, R. Q. 1970. The use of prairie grasses and forbs in Iowaroadside and park landscapes. Proceedings of the Second NorthAmerican Prailie Conference, University of Wisconsin, Madison,Wisconsin.

IRVMRonosrnE VscErATroN Mal{,c,cEMENT

DnulNpsnN INrrcRnrno AppRoAcH

Bill Ha)'woodWildlife Conservationist, Black Hawk Co. Conservation Board

Weed Commissioner, Black Hawk CountySeptember, 1988

Herbicides have been the only tool utilized in roadside management forthe past 30 years. It was believed that their use would eradicateundesirable plant species from perennial stands of roadside grasses.Ironically, strict herbicide use has contributed to an increase in populationsof undesirable plant species by removing beneficial, cornpetitive broadleafplants from the roadside vegetative community.

There are two reasons why herbicides failed. The first is because they havebeen utilized with a lack of understanding of their negative side effects.Herbicides are plant poisons. They were formulated to kill vegetation.Even though certain formulations are selective broadleaf killers, they siillhave a negative stress effect on desired vegetation such as the perennialgrasses. When a favored vegetation received an herbicide application, itwas left in a weakened condition and more subject to invasion by otherplant species.

The second reason for the failure of herbicides is the major contributor.Managers utilized herbicides exclusively as their only tool. A set ofprinciples guiding the management of natural vegetation was ignored andthus supporting management tools were abandoned. The re-institution ofthose principles into the management plan will make cautious use ofherbicides a valuable tool stored in an integrated tool chest.

There are three principles which govern the management of natural,perennial vegetation:

1) Nature does not allow bare soils to exist.2) Bare soils are revegetated by successions of plant groups until a

"most fit" community of plants develops on the site.3) Disturbance of the vegetative cover reverses the succession of

revegetation back to the bare soil starting point.

PRTNCTPLEI-BARESoTLS

Bare soils are defined as any area of the soil surface that is not vegetated.Nature provides a vast supply of plant species to initiate revegetation atthe first opportunity. On bare soils, in full sunlight without the presence ofcompetition, annual weeds literally explode in growth. Annual weeds aregpified by being very unspecific about soil properties. In the absence ofcompetition, they are capable of growing on virtually any soil. Their solemechanism for perpetuation is to produce seed for other bare soil siteswithin their seed dispersal zones. Prolific seed production compensates forthe lack of a perennial root system. It also explains why annual weeds arevery weak competitofs for moisture and nutrients.

IRVM TECHMCAL MANUAL. 1.06

PRrNcrpLE 2 - SuccrssroN

Unless the surface of a previously bare soil site is stirred or disturbed eachyeat annual weeds are replaced by biennial and perennial plants.Successful colonizing plants develop in the shade of the annuals duringthe first year. The following year they utilize their biennial or perennialroot system to out-compete the annual weeds. This replacement representsthe first stage of succession. The new plants that successfully occupy thespace are generally better adapted to utilize the moisture and nutrientsprovided by the soils of the site. (Bear in mind that an almost continuousintroduction of plant seed is being made onto all possible sites.) Because ofthis, succession continues as some of the previously successful species arereplaced by others that are even more favored by the site. An ;dditionalparameter affecting succession develops because each group of successfulcolonizers are not only more suitable to the site, but are also morecompatable with existing plants. Eventually, a most-fit communiqv ofplants develops on the original bare soil site.

The mosi-fit community contains enough different species that allavailable spaces above and below ground will become occupied. Thecommunify also provides active vegetative cover during all possiblegrowing days. Because they are so site-specific, these late successional,most-fit species generally will not be prolific, seed producers. They spreadonly to the limits of the site where they are most competitive. The bulk oftheir energy is directed towards maintaining a vigorous, perennial rootsystem. In Iowa, the tall-grass prairie is the most-fit community.

A_monoculture is defined as planting all of one area with a single speciesof plant. With a rnonoculture there are too many blank spaces abovi andbelow the ground throughout the growing season. For example, frorn the1930's on into the 1960's, newly constructed and regraded county roadshad their right-of-ways planted with a smooth brome grass monoculture.These right-of-ways have gradually been invaded by broadleaf, grass andwoody plant species. The situation continues to deteriorate becauie bromeis not a late successional, most-fit species on heavy soils - an invitation formany- alien species and invading noxious plants to successfully developpopulations in the brome stands.

PRINCIPLE 3 - DrsruRBANcEs

Disturbances of a parcel of vegetation reverses succession. The size andseverity of a disturbance can range from a small area surrounding a badgerhole to a huge exposure of bare ground as crews excavate silt from roadditches.

The introduction of silt into a roadside by wind or water erosion is adisturbance. Although very extensive, these silt disturbances are not longterm because the existing perennial vegetation is usually not killed.However, it does result in a crop of annual weeds growing among theperennial vegetation during the siltation year. Dense stands of giantragweed along field margins and down backslopes of road right-of-waysare prime exanples. If the silt deposit is halted, the site will revert back todominance by the perennial vegetation in a few years. The time required

IRVM TECHNICAL MANUAL. 1.07

can be reduced significantly through management.

Broadleaf herbicides are disturbances in themselves. Irregardless ofwhether or not the target species is killed, herbicides stress the grasses anddamage perennial, broadleaf components. The entire community isweakened and seed from less fit species can become established, Onetreatment on Canada thistl€ \ /ith a broadleaf herbicide does not kill itsextensive root system. The thistle responds by producing sucker plantsfrom the root system. As the adjacent and intermingled plant communityis stressed by the herbicide treatment, the thistle patch often becomes morevigorous than before treatment.

THE INTEGRATED PRoGRAM

Success demands a change in the philosophy guiding the management ofroadside vegetation from one of weed eradication to weed prevention.This necessitates the protection and husbandry of existing, perennial,herbaceous vegetation. The native, tall-grass prairie community must bedesignated as the preferred form of roadside cover. Managementtechniques utilizing prescribed burning, prescribed mowing and closelyre8ulated herbicide applications are instituted in an integrated manner toestablish, invigorate and spread the prairie composition within theroadside.

Initial action requires an inventory of all roadsides to determine thedominant Brass species within each suitably sized segment (usually 1,/10mile). The inventory should also include data on sites of erosionsedimentation, agricultural encroachment, areas lacking vegetation due tochemical or mechanical removal and degree of infestation by noxious andnon-noxious weeds.

Prairie roadsides should be put under management to invigorate, spreadand connect existing prairie conmunities.

All regraded roadsides should be seeded with tall-grass prairie species.Mixtures generally contain five warm-season grass species and eight to tenbroadleaf species.

Roadsides previously established with a brome monoculture will be themost difficult to manage. Unless the soil is l/ell drained, any number ofundesirable noxious species and/or woody vegetation will be present. Ifwarrn season prairie grasses have initiated succession onto the site, latespring buming will help eliminate some of the noxious species and woodyvegetation while stimulating the spread of the prairie. Herbicides may berequired to eradicate certain persistent noxious species such as Canadathistle. Evaluate each noxious plant species before attempting to eradicatewith herbicides:

a) Based on the plant community they are in, will their plantpopulation be expected to increase or decrease?

b) Are they a serious threat to agricultulal production or pasturemaintenance?

IRVM TECHNICAL MANUAL - 1.08

c) Are they promoted by ongoing disturbance that can be rectified?d) Will prescribed burning or tirnely mowing eliminate them?e) What herbicides are they susceptible to and when are they the

most susceptible?f) Do the negative effects of herbicide outweigh any benefits gained?

Based on this information, management decisions are made for eachsegment of roadside. Given time, the effects of the decisions will slowlyresult in elinination or reduction of undesirable plant species whileincreasing the most-fit plant community.

A dramatic decrease in annual weeds can be made through an educationprogram. Farmers should be encouraged to properly manage their fieldborders next to the upper backslope of the ditch. A buffer strip of perennialgrasses a foot or fi^/o wide should separate the cultivated field from theupper backslope. Tillage should be done in a manner that does not throwsoil onto the buffer strip. End rows should be planted so weed control willextend to the buffer strip and not allow a border of annual weeds todevelop between the crop and buffer strip. Under no circurnstances shoulda herbicide that kills perennial grasses be applied to the buffer strip orupper backslope. Brush and trash should not be piled in the ditch andburned. Trees should not be sprayed for eradication, but rather cut and thestumps treated. The existence of a vigorous perennial cover will preventmost reinvasion by woody plants.

In summary, by following the three principles of nature lelated tornanaging perennial vegetation, the existing vegetative cover is managedto succeed to the most-fit communiry Seeding, burning, along with somemor /ing, and spraying are the plimary management tools. They areintegrated into a management plan designed to maintain, invigorate, oralter the existing cover. The success of the program no longer pivots onkilling noxious plant species, but rather on encouraging the latesuccessional, most-fit plant community to prohibit the establishment ofundesirable plant species.

IRVMRoRosroE

VncnmrroN MnNncEMENTRoger Q. Landers, PhD.

Rangeland SpecialistTexas A&M Research and Extension Center

September 20,1972

People see the roadside from very different eyes. To some the roadside isan ext€nsion of their lawn, thus it is kept in the neat trim of closely mowedbluegrass. To others the roadside is an extension of their fields, and it isclosely mowed to €mphasize the care and attention that has gone into thegrowth of the crop.

Or the roadside may by viewed as an extension of the road itself providingclearer views for the driver, often $rithout regard for the health of theplants that grow there, looking upon them more as a nuisance than as avaluable cover.

Or the roadside may appear in sharp contrast to the intensive cultivationand the bare road surface as a bit of nature, v/ith tlees growing in from theadjacent forest, prairie grasses from the old railroad right-of-way whichpreserved remnants of the original expanse of Iowa prairie grasses such asthe hairy grana and 2 7 /2' llrIle bluestem or the prairie rose, or speciallyselected species to quickly cover slopes and roadcuts and fill, here hairyvetch and rye, sudan grass, smooth brome, the tall vegetation providing ahaven for pheasants.

It would be nice to have all these possibilities, to please everybodt not onevery section of road, but at least within the range of normal driving. Allthese possibilities have a valid purpose--what are the problems ofmanagement with each one?

A neatly "trimmed lawn" appearance this past year would have requiredweekly mowing during the growing season. Few of us can afford that. Wedo well to mow twice or so on most of the roadsides to keep the view clearof tall grasses and weeds. Because Iowa has such a good climate for thegrowth of plants, the short lawn grasses cannot hold their own against thenatural occurrence of taller species. Mowing works against the climate toproduce a short grass vegetation that is naturally found far to the westwhere the climate suppolts the short grasses best. Close mowing of tallplants in Iowa can be detrimental because a scabbed-off slope will shownext season an abundance of weeds.

The natural species for Iowa are tall prairie grasses, flowers, or trees.We can manage the roadside with minimum effort if these conditions areunderstood. Weeds thrive in openin8s created by disturbances; plowing,close mowing, excessive spraying, ruts from heavy .equipment, animaldigging, overgrazing, €tc.. Because the prairie species and the selections ofstandard roadside species are perennial, they come back each spring fromthe old root system, and most of the tine, unless disturbances occur, cancontrol the growth of weeds which must start up each year from seeds.Once a vigorous nafural roadside is established, it needs no mowing,

IRVM TECHNICAL MANUAL. 1.10

spraying, or replanting except for spot attention where disturbances haveallowed the entrance oI weeds. The real problem comes in convincingpeople that what they are seeing is desirable, saving them maintenancecosts, reducing the spread of weeds, providing more area for wildlifewithout cost to landowners, and providing a varie$r of interesting shapesand colors of plants along the roadside.

Because of the many different views of the roadside, it seems unrealistic todepend on one general treatment, blanket spraying, to manage it. Thereshould be areas mowed, spot spraying where specific weeds have gottenout of control, and areas left completely untouched except for safetymowing.

It is our proposal to reduce county blanket spraying of roadsides, topromote spot spraying only those noxious weeds required by law, toeducate people on the recognition of valuable, harmless and harmfulroadside species, and to set up ar€as as a demonstration of the ner /ertechniques of roadside management.. Following ditch work, areas should be seeded to proven mixtures or

species and protected from erosion. Roadsides have variable soil conditions and one plant species cannot

possibly cover all conditionso Roadsides already in plant cover should be managed according to a

classification procedure whereby most areas are left unmowed andunsprayed, disturbances are kept to a minimum and spot treatments ofproblem species are cared for on the spot rather than with a blanketspraying.

How Do WE GrraN INTEcRATED RonpsIPE

Vrcruttoru MaNn cEMENT PnocnnvrSranrEo?

Al EhleyState Roadside Specialist

Using a question-answer format, I will attemPt to answer that ag€ oldquesiion troubling counties and their citizens: How do we get an IRVMprogram started?

Beginning as simply and cheaply as Possible, gei iogether a group of like-minded people cbncerned about roadside vegetation and how it's beingmanaged. Silect a recorder to write down comments and any otherpertin-ent information. Now for the fun Part, hold a gripe session andixpose all the flaws of the present system. Tear it aPart. After you've listedalithe problems with current roadside management Practices, Prrt togethera list;f solutions to balance out the list of problems. When listingsolutions, don't be bound by current situations (ie budgets, manPowetexpertise, etc.), explore the limits. This may be difficult, but try to Prioritizeth; list of solutions; put to8ether a plan of action, that will be about it forthe first meeting. Collect a buck or two from everyone who would like toreceive a copy of this information for review and preparation for the nextmeeting.

To your second meetinS, invite several key decision-makers (CountySupervisors, County Conservation Board Members (CCB), Soil &WaterConservation District Commissioners (SWCD), etc.) and other countyofficials (County Engineer, Weed Comnissioner, CCB Director, NaturalResources Conservation Services (NRCS) District Conservationist, etc. ).Hopefully some of these people attended the first meeting. Regardless,open the meeting with a review of the minutes and briefly discuss the Pastmeeting. Plepar€ a new document that will cover the following:

1. Present a list of grievances on current roadside managementpractices.2. Suggest a list of alternatives that will satisfy roadsidemanagement needs without ieopardizing road safety or the roadst!ucture.3. Write up a proposal to the County Supervisors having thernappoint an IRVM Committee. The IRVM Checklist has a ljst ofsuggested members for an IRVM Committee. Include zuggestedduties and responsibilities from the handout, "What Should anIRVM Committee Do?".4. When the County Supervisors aPPoint an IRVM Committee,you'll be ready to get started on a new approach to better, safetmore scenic, and, in the long term, cheaPer county roadsidevegetation management. Remember, this committee is NOTappointed iust to get a Program started, this committee should existfulfilling its duties, as long as there is roadside management

IRVM TECHNICAL MANUAL - 1.14

What do we do after appointing a committee?

Write a plan so you will be eligible for Living Roadway Trust Fund (LRTF)money through the Iowa Department of Transportation. There are severalcounties with excellent plans to guide you in writing your plan.

When do we do a roadside inventory?

With a plan in place, you'll be eligible for LRTF money to do a roadsideinventory. The best time to complete an inventory is late summer to earlyfall. Review our handout on conducting a roadside inventory for moreinformation.

Does the IRVM Committee hire a Counlr Roadside Manager?

No, the IRVM office supervisor should. The County Supervisors mayestablish a County Roadside Manager (CRM) position within either theCounty Engineer's office, County Conservation Board system, orsomewhere in the county personnel structure where supervision andresponsibility are consistent with roadside vegetation management. Mostactive IRVM counties have the CRM with the CCB system, but severalcounties have excellent programs with the CRM in the County Engineer,soffice. The office supervisor will probably hire the CRM, bua the CountySupervisors or office supervisor should allow the IRVM Committeisufficient input in the hiring process.

Who should supervise the County Roadside Manager?

Probably the CCB Director or the County Engineer. Either one seems towork quite well. Regardless of the supervisor, there should be goodcommunication between all involved departments and groups. The CRM,County Engineer, CCB Director, County Supervisors, Weed Comrnissioner,and others should meet weekly or bi-weekly on roadside projects andother issues, especially during the spring and early summer. Goodcommunication is essential to a successful program.

One ihing to keep in mind, a good roadside program needs an effectivepublic relations campaign. This would include newsletters, new articles,media coverage, landowner training clinics, working with school groups,printing brochures, etc.. Traditionally, CCB Directors, Naturalists, andother conservation personnel have developed and used these publiceducation techniques. A county may be able to tap into an existing publiceducation network with the roadside program in the CCB office.

How uruch money should be allocated to IRVM?

Most programs are between $50,000 and $125,000 depending on the levelof activity assigned to the roadside program. Some programs are close to$200,000 annually, but IRVM in those counties include tree removal, shrubcontrol, mowing, weed commissionet and roadside soil erosion control. Agood starting point would be $50,000 annually with one full-time CRMand part-time help during the busiest times.

Equipment budgets vary according to what equipment is alreadyavailable. Generally, about 9100,000 is needed for equipment where noother equipment is available. Renember, LRTF's can be used forequiprnent purchases.

IRVM TECHNICAL MANUAL - 1.15

How much money should a county roadside manager make?

Most counties look at the CRM position as an entry level job. Beginningwages tend to be between $22,000 and $25,000 per year, plus benefits.

What should be the minimum requirenents of a County RoadsideManager?

A four year degree in Conservation or Natural Resources OR equivalenteducation and experience. Personally, I bank hard on the combination ofeducation and experience over the four year degree. Some of the bestCRM's in Iowa do not have a degree, but possess the skills and initiativeto be excellent roadside rnanagers. Knowledge, skills and ability shouldinclude:

. Organized and able to develop and follow a plan.

. Work independentlt but able to work with others

. A leader

. Able to talk with and motivate local farmers with IRVM.

. Familiar with farm equipment and their use, including:- tractors - drills - sprayers- chemicals - mowers - tillage equipment

. Good writing and public speaking skills.r Familiar with, or at least interested in, native prairie grasses and

wildflowers.. Dedication and the desire to complete the job.

IRVMDurrns,q.Np RESpoNSIBILITIES

oF AN IRVM CovrurrrEE

Below is a list of general duties and responsibilities that most IRVMCommittees will be involved with. Items on this list may be appropriatefor your counry and there may be items omitted on this list that may beneeded for your county. Therefore, use this list as a general guide.

1. Develop a policy statement or statements to guide the county. Thisstatement should address:

- the use of native prairie seed versus cultivars

- development of seed plot versus purchase seed

_ extent of herbicide use_ portion of county to spray (whole, half, none)_ equipment (truck tank, back pack, etc.)_ weed selection to prioritize effort and control

- encouraging landowner assistance

_ buming as a management technique_ burning to control shrub invasion

- burning with landowners

_ conducting annual burn clinics

- sharing burn equipment with fire departments

_ burn training for roadside managers

- burn liability for rnanagers and landowners

_ shrub control_ equipment used, including herbicides_ prioritizing areas needing control_ involving landowners_ reducing or eliminating seed source

2. Assist in writing a County Roadside Plan, sign it, and forward iton to the Iowa Department of Transpoltation for eligibility of LivingRoadway Trust Fund money. Remember to include roadside budgetand review annually.

3. Annually review the County Roadside Plan for programevaluation and effectiveness.

4. Provide feedback on IRVM program to County Supervisors and tothe IRVM County Roadside Manager.

5. Participat€ in hiring a County Roadside Manager.

6. Meet quarterly as a committee and meet annually with CountySupervisors and the County Engineer for budget review

7. Assist in the decision as to where to house, and who willsupervise the County Roadside Manager.

IRVMCHrcr Lrsr

ron DrvnloPrNGa CouurY Roensror VscrrnrroN

MnNacEnrENr Pnocnlvr

Step 1: Have the County Board of Supervisors appoint a committee toexamine safe altemative weed control methods for use in roadsides. Thiscommittee should be composed of the following individuals:

{ one member from the County Board of Supervisorsi one member from the County Conservation Board! one District Commissioner fiom the SWCDV County Engineer! County Weed Commissioner! Countv Conservation Board Director./ tlnCSbistrict Conseryationist! Representatives from local conservation organizations

Step 2: Committees should meet regularly and develop a Long Range Planfor roadside activiiy. This plan would include a basic roadside obiectiveand operations/activities such as preserving a safe roadway while usingnative prairie vegetation to stabilize roadsides and prevent noxious weeds,keeping in mind the following:

! reduction of herbicide useJ control roadside disturbances{ work with landowners in developing Iocal roadside plans{ public education of the roadside proigram

Step 3: Assign a person to oversee roadside activity as outlined in theRoadside Long Range Plan. This individual may be one of the following:

i Weed ConmissionerJ employee of the County Engineer's office! employee of the County Conservation Board! newly hired Roadside Biologist or Roadside Manager

Step 4: Conduct an inventory of all county roadsides to determine:

{ patches of noxious weedsi disturbed sites{ current extent of native vegetationi site specific roadside information for landowner use

Step 5: Launch a public relations campaign to promote the CountyRoadside Vegetation Management program.

Step 6: Identify those landowners in the county who are willing to workwith the program on their own roadsides.

IRVMPosrrroN DrscnrprroN

Roadside Manager

DEscRIPTIoN

A permanent, full time position under the direct supervision of theConservation Board Director or County Engineer. shall implement anIntegrated Roadside Vegetation Management program for (name ofcounty) County. Responsibilities including but not limited to noxiousweed/brush control, prairie restoration/management, equipmentoperation and maintenance, maintaining records, writing Brants, and maybe appointed weed commissioner. This individual will have a seasonalemployee to supewise and help irnplement the program.

QuALIF!cATroNs

Must have a four-year degree in one of the following fields: naturalresource management, wildlife biology, biology, ecology, environmentalstudies or related field or a two-year degree in natural resources relatedfield plus two years of progressive experience. Ability to identify bothnative and introduced plants, including weeds. Ability to effectively applyknowledge and common sense to achieve work objectives and ability toroutinely stand, walk, sit, operate hand power tools, kneel, stoop, balanceand climb; ability to work outdoors in extreme weather conditions and beexposed to dust, fumes and loud noises; ability to routinely lift 75 lbs.Must possess a valid commercial p€sticide applicators license in category6, right-of-way pest control or be able to obtain within 30 days. Candidatesmust have a valid drivers license and be able to obtain a commercialdrivers license. Applicants must also understand Secondary Roadspractices and procedures and understand establishment and managementof prairie grasses and forbs. The ability to communicate both orally and inwriting with the public and have some basic computer knowledge.

SALARY

Starting salary range is $23,000 - $27,@0 depending on experience andqualifications with standard county benefits package.

APPLtcATIoN INFoRMATIoN

Send resume and cover letter to:

DEADLINE: