Many pollinators are in decline and roadsides can be valuable habitat for pollinators, as well as other wildlife. Roadside managers have an interest in pollinator conservation, and are seeking information about ways to adjust seed mixes, mowing schedules, herbicide use, and other strategies to support imperiled pollinators and avert future listings to the Endangered Species Act. NCHRP 25-59, “Pollinator Habitat Conservation along Roadways”, produced guidebooks that cover 16 regions of the United States, from Alaska to Florida. Each guidebook includes regional information about site selection, design, installation, and management of roadside pollinator habitat; the native plants and pollinators of each region; and guidance on Federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) regulatory compliance to reduce regulatory uncertainty and contribute to pollinator conservation and recovery. Supporting materials that accompany the guidebooks include videos for transportation agencies and the general public, a communications toolbox, monitoring and habitat assessment tools, and plant lists.

To help transportation agency staff to implement the conservation practices included in the guidebooks effectively, the following tasks are proposed: 

1.     Development of training materials based on the conservation practices included in the guidebooks.

2.     Conduct of 4 multi-day virtual workshops, one in each AASHTO region, to help to facilitate communications between environmental, maintenance, engineering, and landscape planning staff. Topics at each workshop would center around:

a.      conservation strategies described in the guidebooks,

b.     adaptation practices for key imperiled pollinators,

c.      ESA compliance,

d.     maintenance strategies,

e.      revegetation strategies, and

f.      other topics of importance to participants.

3.     Conduct of 1 national in-person peer exchange, to highlight opportunities for implementing conservation strategies. The meeting will also include a field trip to visit pollinator habitat and a demonstration of monitoring techniques and habitat assessments.