Trails, landscape chairs push to codify mowing schedule to protect wildflowers

The Portola Valley Trails Committee discussed formalizing mowing priorities to protect wildflower stands and recommended creating a small standing mowing subcommittee to coordinate each year with public works and contractors.

Sarah Gilbert, who identified herself as "the chair of the landscape committee," said the landscape and nature-preserve groups recently merged and have been instrumental in identifying trails to reserve for later mowing so wildflowers can seed. "We got volunteers out there flagged out the plants that were either flowering or about to flower and the crew did a great job," she said, citing last year’s coordination as a successful model.

Committee members recalled a prioritized mowing list developed in prior years to preserve wildflower displays and suggested that Robert, the town engineer, circulate and codify that list into instructions for maintenance crews. They agreed flagging should happen only a short time before mowing (two weeks to one week suggested) to avoid vandalism of flags. The group also discussed balancing contractor efficiency — which favors contiguous mowing routes — against ecological goals and proposed scheduling a March agenda item to review the plan annually.

Additional operational topics included review of width and slope considerations the fire marshal raised for mowing corridors and identifying specific trails (Toyon, Sweet Springs and others) with notable floral displays to prioritize for late mowing. The committee agreed to circulate the existing prioritized list, request Robert incorporate fire-department guidance, and schedule a March review to make the plan part of the committee’s yearly rhythm of business.