Akbar, K.F., W.H.G. Hale & A.D. Headley, 2003, Assessment of scenic beauty of the roadside vegetation in northern England, in: Landscape and Urban Planning, ,
- Author : Akbar, K.F., W.H.G. Hale & A.D. Headley
- Year : 2003
- Journal/Series : Landscape and Urban Planning
- Pages : 139-144
- Abstract in English : With ever increasing use of roads for transportation in modern life, the roadside vegetation has become one of the major elements of the roadside environment which people experience on frequent basis. For the integration of scenic beauty of roadside vegetation into its management programmes, it is necessary to record the opinions and preferences of road user who are the actual targets of all roadside beautification plans. This information would be helpful in analysing the current status of roadside vegetation in the public eyes and for determining the broad grounds for its effective management. The respondents in this study showed a positive attitude towards establishing a variety of vegetation types instead of a uniform seed mixture. Grass swards with flowering herbs near the road and trees further away was the most preferred combination of plant types for re-vegetation of road verges. In this study, an effort has been made to explore an area of ecological research that is expected to be come increasingly critical in future. The respondents of this survey were frequent road travellers and their judgements and opinions seem authentic and valuable. These findings support the need of roadside re-vegetation and management perceptions that simultaneously address the engineering objectives and fulfil commuter’s demand for scenic and aesthetic quality. These management practices should also aim at improving the bio-diversity potential of roadside vegetation. The highway managers face an uphill task as it seeks ways to better integrate the engineering and ecological objectives of verge management with social values. Results of this study suggest that these objectives can be met if aesthetic concerns receive as much attention in research and planning as do engineering and economic objectives.
- Comments/Notes : KEYWEORDS: roadsides, verges, roadside vegetation, road users, scenic beauty, management, preferences, planting design. UTILITY: lecturers/teachers, academic research, students of universities of professional education.