Vegetated verges in suburban and urban areas: Environmental benefits

Presentation Type

Abstract

Faculty Advisor

Greg Pope

Access Type

Event

Start Date

25-4-2025 12:00 PM

End Date

25-4-2025 1:00 PM

Description

As climate change worsens it is more evident than ever the impact that land use can play, and this is evident even with very small plots of land. This paper explores how vegetated verges can contribute to suburban and urban areas as well as their impact on the environment. Roadside verges are often overlooked, known to play a crucial role in the safety of pedestrians as well as serving as a barrier to puddle sprays from cars on rainy days. But they can provide an array of other environmental opportunities, such as habitat diversity. Roadside verges have the potential to benefit the environment of an area as a whole, suburban or urban. These benefits include flood prevention and the reintroduction of wildflowers and native species. The research I will be conducting will take place in Elizabeth, NJ. I will analyze roadside verges that run through three different sectors. Port Elizabeth, Middletown, and Elmora. Port Elizabeth is the urban area, Elmora the suburban, and Middletown a mixture of both. Next, I will observe verge health, appearance, growth, and vegetation type. Finally, I will compare and contrast the suburban and urban areas of Elizabeth and how the verges vary depending on the area.

Comments

Poster presentation at the 2025 Student Research Symposium.

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Apr 25th, 12:00 PM Apr 25th, 1:00 PM

Vegetated verges in suburban and urban areas: Environmental benefits

As climate change worsens it is more evident than ever the impact that land use can play, and this is evident even with very small plots of land. This paper explores how vegetated verges can contribute to suburban and urban areas as well as their impact on the environment. Roadside verges are often overlooked, known to play a crucial role in the safety of pedestrians as well as serving as a barrier to puddle sprays from cars on rainy days. But they can provide an array of other environmental opportunities, such as habitat diversity. Roadside verges have the potential to benefit the environment of an area as a whole, suburban or urban. These benefits include flood prevention and the reintroduction of wildflowers and native species. The research I will be conducting will take place in Elizabeth, NJ. I will analyze roadside verges that run through three different sectors. Port Elizabeth, Middletown, and Elmora. Port Elizabeth is the urban area, Elmora the suburban, and Middletown a mixture of both. Next, I will observe verge health, appearance, growth, and vegetation type. Finally, I will compare and contrast the suburban and urban areas of Elizabeth and how the verges vary depending on the area.