1. Preserving
Roadside Wildflowers

2. Introduce Ladybird Johnson, wife of 36th President Lyndon Johnson. Mrs
Introduce Ladybird Johnson, wife of 36th President Lyndon Johnson. Mrs. Johnson used her influence to bring about the US Highway Beautification Act of The first US legislation recognizing the economic, social, and public health benefits of beauty and all that it encompasses. After returning to Texas, Mrs. Johnson established the National Wildflower Research Center named in her honor. The center carries forward and builds on Mrs. Johnson’s knowledge and interest in conservation of the nation’s natural resources and scenic beauty. Today, the fact that we, today, are here having this discus
sion about Florida native wildflowers, makes each of us and our community part of Ladybird’s legacy.

3. La Florida! Land of Flowers…
Ponce de Leon, 1513
Lanceleaf coreopsis
Coreopsis lanceolata
Coreopsis, Official state wildflower
Section , F.S. 
This wildflower story starts way before the 1960’s.
Nearly 500 years ago, Ponce de Leon arrived here. Inspired by the natural beauty, he named this great place; La Florida, land of flowers.
Now as the Florida’s Quincentennial celebration approaches, native wildflowers are becoming as iconic as palm trees, manatees, beaches, and sunsets. Increased understanding of what it means to be in Florida, the land of flowers, helps everyone reconnect with the state’s natural and cultural heritage.
Coreopsis is just one of many native wildflowers in this great state, named appropriately for its abundance of wildflowers.
[Presenter: Pass out wildflower seed packets to commissioners, staff, and audience.]

4. Roadsides in ___________ County can be safely and economically maintained while also helping native wildflower survive. This presentation is not about planting wildflowers, it is about caring for what lives here naturally. There is plenty of room for more wildflowers along roadsides. Other counties have asked FDOT and county staff to work together to reduce mowing frequency and extent, possibly mowing only one 6-10-foot strip along the edge of pavement during the growing season. Annually, in late fall, after seeds ripen, the entire right of way can be mowed. This simple roadside management routine should result in many more native wildflowers. Note in this picture that wildflowers are only found beyond the reach of mowers.

5. Date: Wed, May 6, 2009 Subject: Mowing County Roadsides & Preserving Native Wildflowers
County is celebrating National Wildflower Week by mowing all the Coreopsis (state wildflower) and other wildflowers…
Several people responded by pointing out that the county has recently been mowing native wildflowers at the height of their beauty, and BEFORE they have had time to seed. 
Ideally, mowing should be scheduled to allow native wildflowers to mature and disperse seeds… Please postpone these work orders until we have talked. 
…we can find a way to maintain county roadsides while also helping native wildflowers survive. 
Renewed interest in wildflowers was triggered by an unfortunate event in Wakulla County. Last May, when wildflower were at their most beautiful, mowing contractors were working on their routine schedule. Local business owners, land owners, and wildflower enthusiasts took action to stop the mowers and start a dialogue with county and state officials. This led to the first county resolution to reduce mowing along state roadsides for the purpose of conserving naturally occurring native wildflowers. Other counties, including Leon and Gadsden are now voluntarily requesting reduced mowing for the same purpose.
Note: National Wildflower Week is always the first full week in May

6. FDOT has a statewide wildflower program
FDOT has a statewide wildflower program. For the most part, the program is customer driven. Some communities and counties participate more than others, making their preferences and needs known to the Department of Transportation.

7. Greg Ouzts Gabriella Corbin
You are fortunate, state roads in this county are managed from the _____________ operations center. You are their customer, their partner if you like. The staff at FDOT are enthused and eager to hear your preferences and needs for a successful County wildflower program.. [Presenter: Contact to determine which FDOT operations center and staff are responsible for state roads in your county. Similar pictures are available for each operations center throughout the state. These experts should be consulted before the presentation, and invited to attend. Its important to have their support before going to the county commission.)
Greg Ouzts
Gabriella Corbin

8. Leon County area organizations
Leon Chamber of Commerce
Tallahassee Garden Club
Big Bend Scenic Byway
FDEP Office of Greenways and Trails
Florida Federation of Garden Clubs
Magnolia Chapter of Florida Native Plant Society
FAMU Landscape Architecture Department
FSU Herbarium & Friends of the Herbarium
Friends of Maclay Gardens State Park
Lake Talquin State Forest
Florida Communities Trust
FAMU Cooperative Extension
UF Cooperative Extension
UF Research and Education Center
Apalachee Chapter of the Florida Trails Association
Florida National Scenic Trail
Apalachicola National Forest
Statewide and nationally, these agencies and organizations share a common interest in Florida native wildflowers. Promoting wildflowers in _________ County is consistent with the missions of these locally based organizations. Representatives from many of these, your neighbors, are here today in support of wildflowers. [Presenter: on the second click of the mouse, the list of locally based organizations will appear over the statewide logos. Create a list specific to your county. Contact leaders of these organizations and ask for their support, for them to attend your presentation.]

9. Color and beauty make a difference.
The road less traveled…
Color and beauty do in fact make a difference…. In every aspect of our lives we value color and beauty. It comes naturally on roadsides. Florida has 19 designated scenic highways including the Big Bend Scenic Highway linking the natural beauty and history of Leon, Wakulla, Franklin and Liberty counties.. These roadways and others are successfully managed to maximize safety, mobility, and beauty. We can do even better.
Color and beauty make a difference.

10. Here we are in ________________ County with many roads suitable for wildflower to flourish. [Presenter: Tailor this slide for the appropriate county. A good county map can be found on most county websites or at ????

11. In ____________ County, these roads shown on the map, are good candidates to become pilot wildflower corridors. [Presenter: before the presentation, these candidate corridors should be identified by a mix of FDOT and local officials, and proposed to the county. Ask the county commissioners to pass a resolution designating these corridors as pilot wildflower corridors. See the model resolution.]

12. You can get here with good timing and good communication.
This picture is taken not far from here on a state highway where the timing and extent of mowing was deliberately planned to conserve these naturally occurring native wildflowers. With good communication and good timing, roads in ___________ County can look like this. [Presenter: use this slide to encourage the commissioners. Customize this slide with the logo of the appropriate county. Logos can usually be found on the county website.]

13. TIMING is right — right now.
FDOT and County leaders want more wildflowers
No additional funds, just carefully timed mowing
Increases the availability of resources for other important needs
Little or no known opposition
Good for the economy
Good for the environment
Good for agriculture
Compatible with forest and wetland management
Complementary with rural nature and beauty of Leon County!
Makes people happy
[Presenter: Read or paraphrase the slide quickly. Customize the list to include locally based benefits]

14. COMMUNICATION Inform the community about Commitment to safety
Commitment to conservation of native wildflowers
Improved mowing practices (frequency and extent)
Managed meadows… including litter pick up
Increased savings
Environmental & ecologic benefits
Inform the mowing crews about
Frequency and extent of wildflower areas
[Presenter: Read or paraphrase the slide quickly. Customize the list to include locally based benefits]

15. “Put away your mowers until after Thanksgiving dinner.”
— Angus Gholson, Weed man.
“Reduce mowing frequency to allow wildflowers to grow and set seed.”
— Jeff Norcini, PhD,OecoHort, LLC
These two wildflower experts, known throughout the state, each have a simple prescription for success with wildflowers. [Presenter: read or paraphrase the slide. Customize to include wildflower experts or enthusiasts from ___________ County. This slide is important to explain the simplicity of what really needs to be accomplished to have more wildflowers.]

16. Along this typical rural highway, its easy to see the extent of roadside mowing. There may be room for even more wildflower without impacting mobility or safety. These wildflowers are xxxx common in spring.

17. More native wildflowers outside the reach of mowers

18. Easy to see here where decisions were made to avoid wildflowers… to see what is possible.

19. Easy to see where the mowers have been.

20. Less mowing is possible in suburban medians.

21. County commissioners, you are the leaders with the authority to commit to, and encourage others to conserve roadside native wildflowers on state and county roads. This is possible along roadsides in your county.

22. Photo of Florida state line on US Hwy 17
“No other part of our country can show so great a variety in its wild flowers, and in no other state are there so many plants of strange habits and remarkable characteristics. More than three thousand species of flowering plants have already been listed as growing in Florida…”
— Florida Wildflowers by Mary Frances Baker, 1926
[Presenter: read the quote and cite the reference.]
La Florida is a very special place to live, and we are the ones to conserve and protect it.
Photo of Florida state line on US Hwy 17