GREELEY, Colo. (AP) — The Colorado Department of Transportation is working to make a stretch of interstate from Denver to Nebraska friendlier for bees and butterflies.
The Greeley Tribune reports the state Legislature in May designated the stretch of Interstate 76 as the Colorado Pollinator Highway.
According to the department, this section was chosen because it runs through environmentally sensitive areas and is a key path for migratory butterflies.
Under the designation, a roadside manager will promote genetically appropriate plants for the area that are resistant to invasive species, and crews will not mow past 15 feet (4.5 meters) from the highway from April to September.
The department will also partner with groups to map roadside habitat and restore or improve those areas.