Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management Technical Manual
Table of Contents
About This Manual
The objective of this publication is to provide basic technical support for new and existing Iowa county roadside programs. The manual is also intended to provide guidance to policymakers and engineers interested in adopting or expanding integrated vegetation management in county right-of-way.
Producing a manual that accurately describes the various aspects of integrated roadside vegetation management is best accomplished through a collaborative, integrated effort. Many of Iowa’s current roadside practitioners provided valuable assistance to the manual’s editorial team. Their expertise was instrumental to the creation of the manual and greatly appreciated.
Most of the photos in the manual were provided by the authors and roadside practitioners. Other image contributions are noted.
Funding for this manual was provided by the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service and the Iowa DOT’s Living Roadway Trust Fund.
Authors of earlier versions of this manual were Kirk Henderson, Jim Uthe, and Josh Brandt; much of their content remains in this version.
The first three chapters (Introduction, Steps to Start a Roadside Vegetation Program, and Communications), have been reviewed and updated by a committee consisting of roadside managers (Tanner Bouchard, Wes Gibbs, Chris Henze, Megan Huck, Joe Kooiker, and Kolten Kudart), the LRTF coordinator (Tara Van Waus), IRM program manager (Kristine Nemec), and a private industry representative (Mike Heller) in 2024. The committee is continuing to review and update the remaining chapters in 2024. UNI graduate assistant Sean Thompson is entering and formatting the material on the website. Contact Kristine Nemec with any questions or suggestions regarding the manual: kristine.nemec@uni.edu or 319-273-2813.