The Ray’s Natural Capital Program is exemplified by the Landscape Lab on The Ray Highway, a living laboratory showcasing the transformative potential of regenerative roadside vegetation. This ongoing project demonstrates how natural capital solutions can deliver a range of critical ecosystem services, including improved stormwater management, pollution remediation, conservation of critical habitats, and significant carbon sequestration.

Demonstrating the significant ecological and economic benefits of reimagining roadside landscapes, a key initiative within the program is the experimental pollinator meadows on The Ray Highway at exits 6 and 14, as well as at the Georgia Visitor Information Center. These vibrant meadows, featuring a diverse mix of native wildflowers, grasses, and groundcovers, provide a beautiful seasonal display for travelers while also serving as living laboratories. Researchers utilize these plots to study the ecosystem services provided by native, perennial plantings compared to traditional turfgrass roadsides. While turf grass management requires intensive maintenance, including the removal of invasive species and frequent mowing, these pollinator meadows offer a more sustainable and ecologically valuable approach to roadside management.

Through a generous grant from the Horne Family Foundation in 2024, comprehensive monitoring and documentation of wildflower plots at key locations along The Ray Highway were completed, culminating in a digital catalog of flora and fauna to be included in the foundation’s final report. In partnership with the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), new plantings of native wildflowers were established at the Landscape Lab.

Expanding its corporate partnerships, The Ray completed a fee-for-service project with Kia Georgia to install erosion-preventing native grasses and wildflowers at their West Point facility. Additionally, in partnership with Ryder, advanced plans were developed for pollinator meadow projects, including fencing installation and planned planting in early 2025. Furthermore, a national strategy was developed with Goodyear to establish monarch butterfly habitats at various corporate sites, with pilot projects slated for 2025.

Moreover, technological enhancements to The Ray Highway’s monitoring capabilities were implemented through an ongoing partnership with PheNode. A new right-of-way suitability tool, developed in collaboration with The Ray’s GIS team and leveraging Planet Labs data, is now operational and being piloted to optimize pollinator meadow, slope stabilization, and natural stormwater management projects. Finally, The Ray’s expertise in slope stabilization was showcased in a presentation to the GDOT commissioner, and soil samples were collected from existing pollinator meadows in partnership with GDOT staff.

For more information, please read our partner’s Blues and Agrela: Ushering in a New Era in Environmental Monitoring white paper.