Influencing public perception of sustainable roadside vegetation management strategies
Date
2010
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Publisher
University of Delaware
Abstract
Sustainably managed roadsides limit non-native turf grass and include meadows of native warm season grasses and flowering perennials, native shrubs, and trees. Sustainable roadside vegetation management strategies contribute to a matrix of economically conservative, environmentally responsible and aesthetically pleasing landscapes. Implementation of sustainable strategies result in cost savings, better water quality and conductivity, increased diversity of insect life and benefits to the socioeconomic health of the state. Lacking an awareness of associated benefits, the public is often hesitant to accept sustainable, but less manicured roadsides, causing many Departments of Transportation to revert to traditional management regimes. This research assessed perception and determined that acceptance could be increased with an awareness of associated benefits. An Internet survey was administered to three groups of participants. A control group rated eleven roadside images from least to most desirable and completed a brief survey. An experimental group read a list of information about traditional and sustainable strategies of roadside vegetation management before rating the images and completing the survey. Another experimental group viewed a 6 ½ minute video that delivered the same information as the list, but engaged the respondent differently. This group then rated the images and completed the survey, as did the previous two groups. Among those who read the list, a significant change in perception occurred for three of the images when compared to those in the control group. Among those who viewed the video, a significant change in perception occurred for four of the images when compared to those in the control group. When all images were compared to the baseline image (mown turf), Delaware’s current default vegetation management strategy, each response distribution was significantly different than that of mown turf. Respondents rated images of flowering meadows, meadow with a mown turf margin, turf with a wooded edge, shrubs and trees more desirable than mown turf and images with grassy meadows less desirable. When strategies were grouped according to similar attributes and compared to mown turf, respondents rated images with flowers (flowering meadows, shrubs & trees), and images with a mown turf margin more desirable than turf and grass meadows less desirable.