RIDOT’s Landscape Architecture Unit (RIDOT LAU) provides project support with technical expertise and guidance from conceptual design through construction and maintenance. As part of the multi-disciplinary team, the LAU intertwines vegetation, aesthetics, sustainability and environmental components.
RIDOT's Pollinator Initiative aims to support pollinator habitats along state roadways as an innovative way to enhance biodiversity and promote environmental health. By transforming roadside areas into pollinator-friendly environments, the program provides essential resources such as nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, and beneficial insects, while also raising public awareness about the importance of pollinators in our ecosystems. This initiative not only beautifies highways but also helps address the decline of pollinator populations, such as the monarch butterfly.
In the initial phase, RIDOT revised its native grass and wildflower seed mix for roadside pollinators. The recommended mix and optimal installation techniques were developed and tested in collaboration with the University of Rhode Island. RIDOT has also produced signage to identify and promote these conservation areas.
RIDOT has selected I-295 to pilot the conservation mowing initiative in 2025. Regular mowing will continue in the clear zone immediately adjacent to maintain safety and visibility. Designated conservation areas beyond the clear zone will be mowed once annually, in late fall, to protect pollinator habitats. This once-a-year mowing will benefit pollinators by not only allowing flowering plants to bloom uninterrupted and go to seed. It also reduces the risk of mower-related mortality to larval stages of pollinators. RIDOT will continue to monitor conservation mowing practices and expand the program to additional locations. Pollinator-friendly plants will establish naturally and may be supplemented with RIDOT's specialized seed mix as needed. The cost of seeding, monitoring, and reporting will be offset by reduced mowing frequency, providing both ecological and economic benefits to the state.
The project, completed in 2020 was made possible by a partnership between ERICD, Thrive Outside, RIDOT and Melville School, which came together as an Outdoor Learning Activity Zone, with a circular design including stone benches, a small wooden bridge and multiple plantings. RIDOT provided funding for the rain garden.
In collaboration with Professor Rebecca Brown, RIDOT’s Landscaping Department assisted in the plantings of pollinator plantings along Interstate 95.
