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Idaho Transportation
Department

Public Affairs Office
P.O. Box 7129
Boise, ID 83707
208.334.8005
Fax: 208.334.8563
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Photograph of invasive weeds to receive award

The beauty found along Idaho’s highways and interstates is both good fortune and good planning. Protecting and enhancing the natural beauty often requires planting and nurturing native vegetation and preventing the intrusion of noxious weeds.

Two ITD employees captured Idaho’s roadside vegetation in the form of photographs and entered a national competition sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Dan Bryant and Cathy Ford submitted photographs in the invasive species category of the 2003 Photo Opportunity competition.

And one of those entries was awarded first place, according to Sherie Sweaney who coordinates the highway beautification efforts for ITD. The question remains, though, which entry won first place? That has not been determined yet, she said.

Bryant, the Banks maintenance foreman, was awarded a first place in 2001 for a photo of vegetation management. District 3 colleague Jack Gant won the same year for planted native wildflowers. Another ITD employee, Bruce Drews, also received a first place in 1998 for his vegetation management photo.

Invasive species was added to the competition this year, joining:

  • Planted native wildflowers and native grasses
  • Planted nonnative wildflowers
  • Protected native plant community remnants
  • Public awareness efforts
  • Close-ups, and
  • Restoration and management

FHWA administrator Mary E. Peters recently announced ITD’s award in a letter to director Dave Ekern. She did not elaborate which of the entries merited top honors, however. The winner will receive a crystal plaque from the Boise FHWA office.

“The purpose of the competition is to honor photography submitted by state departments of transportation that depict roadside vegetation programs…,” Peters wrote.

The winning photograph will be included in FHWA presentations, public awareness campaigns and an Earth Day Planner. It also will be included in the FHWA newsletter Greener Roadsides.

Sweaney said ITD is collecting photographs now for next year’s competition. Any department worker with a good eye for photography can send photos representing one of the above categories to her at Headquarters.

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