Innovative and Environmentally Responsible Methods for Controlling Invasive Woody Plant Species in North Carolina Rights of Way

摘要

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) maintains approximately 78,000 miles (600,000 acres) of roadside rights-of-ways. In 2008, the NCDOT spent $30 million controlling woody brush. The primary method of woody vegetation control is mowing. Mowing only provides temporary control and is expensive in the long term. Traditional alternatives to mowing are using broadcast foliar applications of herbicides and cut-stump or basal herbicide applications. Broadcast foliar applications can have environmental and public relations concerns. Cutstump and basal herbicide applications are expensive. The purpose of this research was to test the effectiveness of two brush mowers with built in herbicide applicators, the Diamond Wet-Blade and the Brown Brush Monitor. The Diamond Wet-Blade mower applies low volume herbicide applications directly to the cut surface of stems simultaneously while cutting. The Brown Brush Monitor is similar to a normal brush mower; however, it has a spraying chamber mounted on the back of the mower unit. The mower cuts and discharges the debris through a side door. The spray chamber consists of spray nozzles that apply herbicide to a brush which wipes the herbicide to the cut stem.