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    <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <copyright>Copyright © 2026. National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.</copyright>
    <docs>http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss</docs>
    <managingEditor>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</managingEditor>
    <webMaster>tris-trb@nas.edu (Bill McLeod)</webMaster>
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      <title>Research in Progress (RIP)</title>
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    <item>
      <title>Evaluating Mowing Practices for Pollinator Habitat Enhancement: Highway Vegetation Management and Its Impact on Endangered Polinator</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2724815</link>
      <description><![CDATA[ORS 634.045 requires several state agencies, including Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), to maintain and revise a bee pollinator safety plan to educate the public and increase pollinator habitat. It is not clear to ODOT how to document habitat on their properties, if current mowing practices enhance or reduce pollinator habitat, and how to prioritize areas for compliance of conservation practices. The US DOT has guidelines for vegetation management for right-of-ways (ROWs), but there have been contrasting results for key practices, such as mowing and efforts at establishing pollinator-attractive plants have not resulted in long lasting habitat and may result in costly landscaping. Finally, there are concerns that the habitats near roadway locations with vehicles and environmental pollutants may result low mortality rates to pollinators. Consequently, it is unclear how ODOT routine mowing practices, which covers an estimated 20,000 acres annually, enhances the vegetation that is important to threatened or endangered pollinators. This research seeks to identify mowing practices that encourage these plants and to help meet protection targets without increased costs.
The research will study pollinator activity in three geographic regions and develop “high benefit” pollinator vegetation management practices with a neutral (or lessened) cost to ODOT. The research will be conducted over three seasons and have three parts: (1) In-field vegetation documentation using new app and method analysis; (2) Cost-Benefit Analysis; and (3) Feasibility analysis. 
The in-field tasks include selecting 27 site locations on ODOT secondary or tertiary roads, with appropriate ROWs, across three ODOT regions (i.e., 9 per region).  The study will have three levels of mowing intensity: high (at least once per year), medium (once every other year) and low (less than once every two years). Each location will be monitored for plant diversity and density and bee pollinator activity during the appropriate seasons – with particular measurement directly before and after mowing. The research will determine if mowing intensity and date of mowing influences the density of plants of highest value to pollinators by: (1) relating plants found to Melittflora records filtered for the region; and (2) calculating the richness of bee species found at each site. The research will also use historic estimates of average seasonal traffic volume at each site as a covariate to investigate the impact of traffic on the diversity of the bee community for a given plant community. Site characteristics will also be documented (e.g. distance from the roadway). The cost-benefit analysis will focus on detailing normal vs pollinator staff/resource costs, timing for mowing, and comparing to outcomes of high pollinator activity. The feasibility analysis will compare normal maintenance resource availability and use compared to recommended optimal mowing for pollinator benefits.

Finally, the project would result in a regional pocket guide of the most important plants for pollinators that vegetation management crews will encounter, as well as new continuing education trainings for vegetation management staff. This information could be used in future construction (or Maintenance) locations to identify plant species that are both of high value to pollinators and known to persist under ROW conditions that could help inform how to modify seed blends following road construction.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 08 Jul 2026 11:39:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2724815</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Monarch Conservation Strategies for Texas Roadways</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2135533</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) supported federal listing of the monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) in December 2020, but listing is currently delayed due to other higher priority listing actions. Texas roadways play a critical role in the successful spring and fall migrations of the eastern monarch butterfly population. TxDOT project 0-7022, “Evaluating Fall Monarch Butterfly Roadkill Hotspot Incidence and Potential Roadkill Mitigation” has revealed perennial hotspots for fall monarch butterfly roadkill in Texas. Yearly roadkill can comprise up to 2.5% of the Mexican overwintering population. Spring and fall roadside milkweed and monarch-preferred nectar plant hotspots have also been identified which provide critical resources to monarchs in terms of both milkweed larval food and flower nectar for adults.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Thu, 09 Mar 2023 17:08:38 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2135533</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>RES2023-08: Beautifying Tennessee's Roadways and Enhancing Its Ecology By Strategizing Pollinator Habitat Potential </title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/2006277</link>
      <description><![CDATA[As of January 2022, Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) manages 3,670 miles of roadway which 
suggests that the rights-of-way along these segments offer a great 
advantage to supporting Tennessee’s vast native plants and pollinators 
species. Likewise, the cost to maintain these rights-of-way is minimized. 
TDOT has a few publications that addresses native species planting 
along its roadways, but a statewide guidance document that offers 
identifying species for planting based on site conditions, targeted 
maintenance specifications, an evaluation process to measure success, 
and a public outreach program about these areas is missing. To 
address this, a less academic route has been chosen that instead 
includes expertise from botanic gardens, native plant groups, and 
pollinator specialists within Tennessee to work with university faculty 
to develop these guidance protocols]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 12 Aug 2022 12:09:16 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/2006277</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>NCHRP Implementation Support Program. Implementing NCHRP Project 20-119: Evaluating the Suitability or Roadway Corridors for Use by Monarch Butterflies</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1957077</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The implementation project focuses on NCHRP Report 942 Evaluating the Suitability of Roadway Corridors for Use by Monarch Butterflies published in 2020. The implementation (1) offers training to state departments of transportation (DOTs) for use of the landscape prioritization model, rapid assessment protocol, and roadside habitat evaluator tool, and (2) technical support and tool refinement for participating DOTs. Each training is tailored for the specific needs of the DOT, depending on how they wish to utilize or customize some or all of the tools. DOT training events occur over a one to two-day period, using lecture-style presentations and hands-on field activities targeted for management, landscape architects, geographic information system (GIS) experts, vegetation managers, or some combination. Trainings are being conducting for a minimum of four states across different regions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Fri, 27 May 2022 11:46:27 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1957077</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Synthesis of Information Related to Airport Practices. Topic S10-18. Considerations for Establishing and Maintaining Successful Bee Programs on Airports</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1668959</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Global reports of bee declines have fueled efforts to reduce threats to pollinators and raise public awareness of bees as pollinators of our food crops and native plants. Some airports have implemented pollinator-friendly practices and programs that restore habitat for bees and bring public awareness and appreciation to these fascinating insects.

The TRB Airport Cooperative Research Program's ACRP Synthesis 119: Considerations for Establishing and Maintaining Successful Pollinator Programs on Airports summarizes experiences and best management practices of pollinator-friendly programs at airports, particularly beekeeping programs and pollinator habitat management programs.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 25 Nov 2019 17:28:06 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1668959</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Effects of a Modified Mowing Regime in NYSDOT ROWs on Pollinators and Vegetation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1589223</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Recently, roadside rights-of-way have been proposed as habitat for pollinating insect conservation, such as in the US federal pollinator plan focused on monarch butterflies. However, whether highway roadsides are an effective site of biological conservation of monarchs or other pollinating insects has yet to be rigorously tested. Moreover, the as of yet limited research of road impacts on invertebrates indicates that roads may be harmful.

Some research drawing comparisons to roadside rights-of-way was done in grasslands that simulate the vegetation, but not actually located along roads. Yet other research does not use realistic management scenarios. For example, the federal pollinator plan presumes state departments of transportation will till roadsides and transplant milkweed seedlings – yet an analysis found that this would require an estimated billion milkweed seeds and be very costly. As such, there is a critical need to understand how cost-neutral or other less expensive methods of modifying roadside management practices could potentially serve to promote pollinator habitat and pollinator conservation, and whether these modifications would not also promote the proliferation of invasive and noxious species. The objectives of this research are:

Research Objective 1: Determine if and how insect abundance, diversity, and function vary in highway rights-of-way managed under control (current NYSDOT mowing management practices, NYSDOT Vegetation Mowing Policy TMI 14-10) and experimental (modified mowing regime of mowing every two years after a plant-killing frost) conditions.

Research Objective 2: Determine if and how noxious and invasive terrestrial plant abundance, regeneration, and rate of spread vary under the control and experimental conditions.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 27 Feb 2019 17:15:18 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1589223</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Biological Control of Invasive Pale and Black Swallow-Worts in New York State - Field Evaluation of Hypena opulenta</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1589302</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Swallow-worts (Vincetoxicum spp.) are aggressive invasive plants imperiling the biological diversity and impacting the economy of New York. These plants threaten rare and endangered species, alter ecosystem function, interfere with commodities, and can dominate state highway rights-of-way. Beyond local scales, mechanical and chemically based control approaches are largely ineffective, impractical, and expensive for swallow-worts. Thus, biological control represents the only cost-effective approach available for permanently reducing the impact of this well-established invasive species on a landscape scale. In addition, well-planned biological control has little or no impact on native species and is appropriate for even the most environmentally and conservation sensitive areas. Several candidate biological control agents were identified from the native ranges of black swallow-wort (BSW) and pale swallow-wort (PSW). Of those identified, the moth Hypena opulenta was thought to be the most promising and was subjected to an extensive battery of host-range tests to ensure safety of native plant species and was granted approval by the US government and NY State for field release in 2017.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Wed, 27 Feb 2019 16:58:49 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1589302</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Evaluate Replacement of Current Post-Construction Groundcover with Pollinator Beneficial Groundcover

</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1532955</link>
      <description><![CDATA[The monarch butterfly is arguably one of the most iconic and popular butterflies in North America. Its annual multigenerational migration is considered one of the most spectacular natural phenomena on the planet.  Unfortunately, estimates from the overwintering colonies in Mexico have documented a steady population decline over the past few decades and prompted a petition to list the butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. Much attention has focused on the loss of breeding habitat, with recent estimates indicating that 1.8 billion milkweed stems nationwide would be needed to return monarch populations to a more viable size. The Presidential Memorandum Creating a Federal Strategy to Promote the Health of Honey Bees and Other Pollinators and the resulting Pollinator Research Action Plan specifically identify roadsides as priority areas where habitat could be expanded. In response, ODOT has identified, and is currently implementing proactive strategies designed to stabilize and ultimately reverse this population collapse, including converting existing right-of-way to roadside pollinator habitats. Unfortunately, conversion requires significant site preparation to control weed pressure including at least three applications of herbicides spanning up to two calendar years.

Some native wildflowers, grasses, and legumes can thrive in poor and compacted soils, are salt-tolerant, and have extensive root systems that range from 5 to 15 feet, lending themselves to being an inexpensive and ideal solution to soil erosion, slips, and slides. By directly seeding new construction projects with pollinator-beneficial wildflowers, native grasses, and legumes, ODOT could (1) Establish hundreds of acres of new pollinator habitat each year benefiting species like the monarch butterfly, the honeybee, and the rusty patched bumble bee, (2) Reduce roadside maintenance costs through mowing and herbicide reduction, and (3) Meet or exceed storm water runoff requirements by creating vegetative bio-filters. 

The Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is seeking to create a specification to supplement, or more preferred to replace current post-construction groundcover (Kentucky bluegrass, tall and fine fescue, annual and perennial ryegrass, and the legume crown vetch) with pollinator-beneficial wildflowers, native grasses, and legumes. 

The objective of this research is to conduct an in-depth analysis of ODOT's current post construction groundcover and provide recommended specifications for native, pollinator beneficial groundcover that are cost effective, conservation minded, and readily available in order to update ODOT's Construction and Material Specification book. The primary objective of this research is to find Ohio native grasses and forbs that can thrive in poor and compacted soils, are highly salt tolerant, provide sediment and erosion control following ground disturbances from construction projects, filter storm water runoff, provide food and nesting habitat to pollinators which will increase their populations, and are aesthetically pleasing.   ]]></description>
      <pubDate>Mon, 20 Aug 2018 11:29:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1532955</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Pollinator Habitat Conservation Along Roadways</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1516188</link>
      <description><![CDATA[Pollinating insect populations are declining. As a result, there is increased interest in protecting pollinators along roadways. State departments of transportation (DOTs) and other transportation agencies are being encouraged by, and proactively partnering with, many right-of-way (ROW) stakeholders to establish or conserve pollinator habitat. This can result in a significant change in ROW management and will require new or updated practices for planning, designing, constructing, and maintaining habitat, as well as staff training. If widely distributed insect populations continue to decline they may be considered for listing under the Endangered Species Act. If listed, capacity improvement projects and ROW maintenance practices may have a greater potential to negatively affect or for “take” of these listed species.
 
The purpose of this research is to share knowledge of successful practices and lessons learned from states where pollinator species have been listed, and to show how to implement integrated pollinator habitat programs.
 
 
The objective of this research is to develop a guidebook for state DOTs and other ROW owners and operators to make informed decisions and implement tailored programs to maximize the potential to improve insect pollinator habitat. The guidebook should consider geographical, adjacent land use and ecological contexts, roadway characteristics and safety, and public benefits.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 19 Jun 2018 13:01:50 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1516188</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Identification and Characterization of Insect Cellulolytic Systems for Plant Biomass Degradation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1368086</link>
      <description><![CDATA[No summary provided.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2015 10:06:52 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1368086</guid>
    </item>
    <item>
      <title>Identification of Insect Digestive Enzymes for Biomass Degredation</title>
      <link>https://rip.trb.org/View/1368084</link>
      <description><![CDATA[No summary provided.]]></description>
      <pubDate>Tue, 08 Sep 2015 10:01:56 GMT</pubDate>
      <guid>https://rip.trb.org/View/1368084</guid>
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