Roadside Vegetation Community Descriptions under three different vegetation management plans (W. Whelan, Rhode Island Department of Transportation, pers. comm.; Brown and Sawyer 2012).
| Management Approaches | Description |
|---|---|
| Mowed | Mowed completely 3-6 times a year. Medians are mowed pavement to pavement; shoulders are mowed in the operational and transition zone. Dominated by short grasses. |
| Restored | The operational zone is mowed 1-2 times annually, while the transition zone is not mowed at all. These areas have not been mowed for 5-8 years. Characterized by tall grass, shrubs, and small trees. Early successional. |
| Reference | Areas that were historically clear-cut for agriculture, but have since afforested. These communities have never been managed by RIDOT through mowing, except for a narrow operational zone. Characterized by self-sustaining communities dominated by trees. “Young” forest. |