The Mitchell County Conservation Boards Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management (IRVM) program began in the late 1980s.

The program objectives are to provide the public with safe, low maintenance roadsides that are visually interesting, ecologically integrated, and useful for many purposes.

To meet these objectives the Mitchell County IRVM program plants native vegetation in road ditch clean outs and regrades as well as scenic plots along major roads. The goal is to establish a prairie grass and flower mix that is attractive to people and wildlife. Native plants are very competitive and once established will out compete unwanted nuisance and noxious weeds. Native plantings take 2-3 years to get established and may require clipping or spot-spraying for weed control initially. Prescribed fire is another tool that stimulates prairie growth and reduces brush--but has traffic safety issues when applied to roadsides.

View the following areas when they are most colorful--late summer and early fall.

480th St. from Hwy 218 to Indigo Ave.

Cedar River Greenbelt field North side of Hwy 9 (3/4 mile west of the nature center)

Triangle at jct of Monument Ave. and Lancer Ave. (6 1/2 miles north of Osage)

Jersey Ave. from 385th St. North to Hwy 218

370th St. between Cameo Ave. and Dancer Ave.

Zinnia Ave. from Hwy 9 South to 340th St.

Cedar River Greenbelt field East of jct at 370th St. and Hickory Ave.

370th St West of Hickory Ave. 1/4 mile.

Old cemetery North side of 480th St. between Dancer Ave. and Echo Ave. (2 miles E of Otranto)