• ♦Manual Notice 2018-1
• ▼1. Vegetation Management Guidelines
  • ►1. Introduction
    • ♦Background
    • ♦Purposes of Guidelines
  • ►2. Determining Levels of Vegetation Management
    • ♦Purpose of Levels
    • ♦Who Determines the Levels?
  • ►3. Guidelines for Levels of Vegetation Management
    • ♦Overview
    • ♦Developed Urban Highways
    • ♦Mowing and Trimming
    • ♦Herbicide Application
    • ♦Wildflowers
    • ♦Ornamental Plantings
    • ♦Erosion Control
    • ♦Wildlife Habitat and Native Plant Conservation
    • ♦Endangered and Threatened Plants and Animals
    • ♦Invasive Species
    • ♦Acreage Mowed
    • ♦Mowing by TxDOT Employees
    • ♦Exceptions and Variances
    • ♦Rural Highways
    • ♦Mowing and Trimming
    • ♦Herbicide Application
    • ♦Wildflowers
    • ♦Ornamental Plantings
    • ♦Erosion Control
    • ♦Wildlife Habitat and Native Plant Conservation
    • ♦Endangered and Threatened Plants and Animals
    • ♦Invasive Species
    • ♦Acreage Mowed
    • ♦Mowing by TxDOT Employees
    • ♦Exceptions and Variances
  • ►4. Special Situations
    • ♦Overview
    • ♦Manicured Areas
    • ♦Grass Establishment
    • ♦Native Grasses
• ►2. Mowing Standards
  • ►1. Types of Mowing
    • ♦Overview
    • ♦Modified Full-Width Mowing
    • ♦Exceptions to the 30 Foot Modified Full-Width Mowing Policy
    • ♦Strip Mowing
    • ♦Spot Mowing for Safety
  • ►2. Transitions
    • ♦When Required
    • ♦Rate
  • ►3. Special Mowing Situations
    • ♦Rural Medians and Outer Separations
    • ♦Rural Intersections
    • ♦Urban Intersections
    • ♦Cut and Fill Sections
    • ♦Rest Areas and Picnic Areas
  • ►4. Mowing and Herbicide Application
    • ♦Need for Coordination
    • ♦How Overspray Herbicide Works
    • ♦Guidelines
    • ♦More Information
  • ►5. Mowing and Litter Pickup
    • ♦Guideline
    • ♦Explanation
  • ►6. Other Precautions
    • ♦Overview
    • ♦Delay Mowing When Soil Is Wet
    • ♦Avoid Mowing Steep Slopes
    • ♦Use Appropriate Cutting Height
    • ♦Coordinate Mowing with Grass Seed Production
  • ►7. Non-Mow or Natural Areas and Acreage Evaluations
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Establishing Non-Mow or Natural Areas
    • ♦Calculating Acreage to be Mowed
• ►3. Native and Introduced Grasses, Wildflowers and Legumes
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Background
    • ♦Benefits
    • ♦General Nature of Information
  • ►2. Native and Introduced Grasses
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Establishment and Growth
    • ♦Maintenance
    • ♦Erosion Control and Soil Stabilization
    • ♦Wildlife Habitat
  • ►3. Obtaining Seeds
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Nursery Grown Seed
    • ♦Stockpiling Topsoil from Roadway Construction Sites
    • ♦The Outdated use of making “Flower Hay”
  • ►4. Wildflower Propagation
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦ Sun or Shade
    • ♦Soil Condition
    • ♦Moisture
    • ♦Germination Time
  • ►5. General Wildflower Planting Guidelines
    • ♦When to Plant
    • ♦Selecting Seeds
    • ♦Determining Planting Rate
    • ♦Pure Live Seed (PLS)
    • ♦Preparing the Soil
    • ♦Sowing the Seed
    • ♦Watering
  • ►6. Bluebonnets and Other Legumes
    • ♦Introduction
    • ♦Blooming Date
    • ♦Obtaining Seed
    • ♦Where to Plant
    • ♦Planting Time
    • ♦How to Plant
    • ♦Special Precautions
    • ♦Need for Rhizobium
    • ♦Important Points
  • ►7. Selecting Wildflowers by Natural Vegetative Region
    • ♦Natural Vegetative Regions
  • ►8. USDA Hardiness Zone Map
    • ♦USDA Hardiness Zone Map with Districts Outlined
• ►4. Pruning Guidelines
  • ►1. Reasons for Pruning
    • ♦Safety
    • ♦To Accommodate Utilities
    • ♦Health of the Vegetation
    • ♦Aesthetic Considerations
    • ♦Tree-Specific Reasons
  • ►2. Pruning Guidelines
    • ♦Introduction
    • ►Aesthetic Principles
  • ►3. Oak Wilt
    • ♦Background
    • ♦ Affected Area
    • ♦How it Spreads
    • ♦Symptoms
    • ♦What Can Be Done?
    • ♦More Information
  • ►4. Trees and Utility Lines
    • ♦Locating Utility Lines
    • ♦Texas Administrative Code
    • ♦When Trees Are Not Pruned on the Right of Way
    • ♦Examples of Severe, But Acceptable Tree Modifications by Utilities
    • ♦Examples of Unacceptable Tree Modifications
  • ►5. Texas Administrative Code for Utility Accommodation
    • ♦Texas Administrative Code §21.38
• ►5. Vegetation Management and Wildlife Habitat
  • ►1. Overview
    • ♦Background
    • ♦Threat of Habitat Degradation
    • ♦Extent of Habitat Degradation
    • ♦Significance of Roadsides
  • ►2. Preserving and Enhancing Habitat
    • ♦Strive for Diversity
    • ♦Mow Wisely
    • ♦Use Trees and Shrubs
    • ♦Nurture Seeds
    • ♦Encourage Wildflowers
    • ♦Roadsides and Endangered Species
  • ►3. Changing Attitudes
    • ♦Wildlife Density and Safety
    • ♦Public Perceptions of Unmowed Roadsides
    • ♦Sample News Release

Chapter 1: Vegetation Management Guidelines

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Section 1: Introduction

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Background

Executive Order 1-92 states:

The department will maintain highway vegetation in an environmentally sensitive and uniform manner consistent with the special conditions presented by local climate, topography, vegetation, and level of urbanization.

This manual was conceived in the spirit of that policy.

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Purposes of Guidelines

The purposes of the vegetation management guidelines contained in this manual are to:

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• enhance the safety of the traveling public
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• enhance environmental protection
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• promote and preserve native wildlife habitats and native flora throughout the state
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• mitigate erosion while providing adequate drainage
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• promote coordination and efficiency in maintenance activities.

These principles must be held above all other considerations, with safety being most important.