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I think it would probably be more effective to just provide seeds for native flowering plants to them directly, as well as sowing county/city/state parks and in

I think it would probably be more effective to just provide seeds for native flowering plants to them directly, as well as sowing county/city/state parks and interstate/highway greens with some. I've had the idea for years of playing Johnny Appleseed by being "Ryan Flowerseed" and driving around throwing hand fulls of seeds from native flowering species off the shoulder/into the medians of interstates and highways but it would actually be quite expensive to do it even over relatively short distances and I'd probably get a ticket for littering facepalm.

RosanaAnaDana 7y ago
So a couple of complicating factors with that. Typically maintainers of 'right-of-way' spaces (transportation corridors), are pretty heavy users of herbicide and manage in a manner which is fairly antagonistic towards plant/ animal life. Likewise, whenever you are running a program to do some kind of home-owner outreach/ change in behavior, its pretty important to have some training, professional educators, validation components to the work. Otherwise the program will get accused of just handing out freebies with no return on investment. As well, you'll want to quantify the residual impact of the program. Typically the goals of these programs is to try and create an overall shift in how people manage their spaces and a 'keeping-up-with-the-joneses' effect. For that to work however, the impact needs to be visually appealing. Leaving it to homeowners is probably a bad idea.
- ryanmercer 7y ago
  >So a couple of complicating factors with that. Typically maintainers of 'right-of-way' spaces (transportation corridors), are pretty heavy users of herbicide and manage in a manner which is fairly antagonistic towards plant/ animal life. Here in Indiana many have signs that say something along the lines of "wildflowers, do not cut" so I would presume this means do not spray either.
duxup 7y ago
Depending on where you are those spaces along highways are often available for farmers to use for heying... so while it flowers can can grow there, it's not a sure thing that they'll be there consistently depending on use.
HeyLaughingBoy 7y ago
This is kind of a thing, at least at the county level. The county I live in has an annual sapling/seed sale where bunches of Minnesota-appropriate saplings are sold at low cost (average $25 for 2 dozen tree saplings) along with packets of various types of prairie grass and wildflower mixes. My main problem is laziness, so a lot of my plants end up dying before I get them in the ground, or I forget to take care of them after I do. I've planted a bunch of seedlings from the program over the last 10 years and a couple are already over 12' tall. I planted about a half-dozen swamp oaks last year and most of them are doing fine so far. Part of the problem (as always!) is people. There is the Roadsides for Wildlife program, meaning that the county will not spray herbicide in areas with the sign in order to promote wildlife habitat. But a lot of people will take the signs down. I guess because "dandelions ugly." Since my "lawn" is already mostly clover and other wild plants anyway, I'm definitely going to look into this program.
ptah 7y ago
try this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_ball https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_ball
kawsper 7y ago
National Trust have a guide on how to make wildflower seed balls: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/how-to-make-wildflower-seed-balls https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/how-to-make-wildfl...

RosanaAnaDana 7y ago

So a couple of complicating factors with that. Typically maintainers of 'right-of-way' spaces (transportation corridors), are pretty heavy users of herbicide and manage in a manner which is fairly antagonistic towards plant/ animal life. Likewise, whenever you are running a program to do some kind of home-owner outreach/ change in behavior, its pretty important to have some training, professional educators, validation components to the work. Otherwise the program will get accused of just handing out freebies with no return on investment. As well, you'll want to quantify the residual impact of the program. Typically the goals of these programs is to try and create an overall shift in how people manage their spaces and a 'keeping-up-with-the-joneses' effect. For that to work however, the impact needs to be visually appealing. Leaving it to homeowners is probably a bad idea.

ryanmercer 7y ago
>So a couple of complicating factors with that. Typically maintainers of 'right-of-way' spaces (transportation corridors), are pretty heavy users of herbicide and manage in a manner which is fairly antagonistic towards plant/ animal life. Here in Indiana many have signs that say something along the lines of "wildflowers, do not cut" so I would presume this means do not spray either.

duxup 7y ago

Depending on where you are those spaces along highways are often available for farmers to use for heying... so while it flowers can can grow there, it's not a sure thing that they'll be there consistently depending on use.

HeyLaughingBoy 7y ago

This is kind of a thing, at least at the county level. The county I live in has an annual sapling/seed sale where bunches of Minnesota-appropriate saplings are sold at low cost (average $25 for 2 dozen tree saplings) along with packets of various types of prairie grass and wildflower mixes. My main problem is laziness, so a lot of my plants end up dying before I get them in the ground, or I forget to take care of them after I do. I've planted a bunch of seedlings from the program over the last 10 years and a couple are already over 12' tall. I planted about a half-dozen swamp oaks last year and most of them are doing fine so far. Part of the problem (as always!) is people. There is the Roadsides for Wildlife program, meaning that the county will not spray herbicide in areas with the sign in order to promote wildlife habitat. But a lot of people will take the signs down. I guess because "dandelions ugly." Since my "lawn" is already mostly clover and other wild plants anyway, I'm definitely going to look into this program.

ptah 7y ago

try this https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_ball https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seed_ball

kawsper 7y ago

National Trust have a guide on how to make wildflower seed balls: https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/how-to-make-wildflower-seed-balls https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/how-to-make-wildfl...