You’ll be glad to know that Fluor-Lane, Transurban and the Virginia Department of Transportation have partnered with a local conservation group to “rescue” native plants in staging areas for construction of two high-occupancy toll lanes along the Capital Beltway. Volunteers from Land and Waters Inc., based in Falls Church, joined employees of the construction companies earlier this month to “identify native species in the construction area” and “re-plant the rescued plants in schoolyards.”
“The Transurban and Fluor-Lane volunteers have helped us preserve native plants, as well as provide a science lesson to northern youngsters,” said Lands and Waters president Jeanette Stewart. “Using low-impact development techniques and sound management practices, we transplanted native species as part of our living classroom initiative.”
How sweet.
But is this meaningful? Of the estimated 350 plant species native to Virginia (that number comes from a press release), how many of them are remotely threatened? How many of the species being transplanted are routinely bulldozed during the construction of houses and shopping centers every day? What are we accomplishing by transplanting ubiquitous species from one location to another? Are the school children learning anything worthwhile?
Look, I’m a big fan of the HOT lane project. But publicity stunts like this are simple greenwashing. Transplanting native species before the bulldozers clear the land down to the red clay? Big whoop. I’m a lot more interested to hear what Fluor-Lane/Transurban is doing to minimize the acreage being cleared in the first place. A story about construction industry best practices would be worth reporting.
