Overview

Objective

Utilities manage rights-of-way (ROWs) with the goal of providing safe and reliable delivery of electricity. ROW managers actively control vegetation in ROWs through tree trimming activities and integrated vegetation management (IVM) practices that promote low-growing vegetation, which, in turn, inhibits growth of tall trees.

The objective of this research is to identify and evaluate opportunities to reduce vegetation management (VM) costs while maintaining high reliability and enhancing environmental compatibility. These outcomes are achieved by evaluating different technologies for monitoring and assessing vegetation management needs and IVM practices, including remote sensing technologies. Technologies are often tested in small plots or demonstrations within utility ROWs so members can make informed decisions prior to large scale deployments.

Approach

Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) Practices:

IVM practices promote the use of low-growing, native vegetation in ROWs. These native plants reduce costs and help restore habitats for indigenous species and pollinators, helping utilities to accomplish good environmental stewardship and meet corporate goals. This task examines different IVM methods, field-tests new vegetation management products, and investigates the use of ROWs to promote native plant and animal species.

Optimized Vegetation Management Techniques:

New technologies can help optimize trimming cycles by identifying canopy height, encroachment, hazard trees, etc. They may also help with species identification, estimation of growth rates, and tree health assessment. New technologies may also help utilities with the execution and workflow of their vegetation management activities. This task examines the performance of current and emergent technologies aimed at optimizing vegetation management activities.

Remote Sensing:

Remote sensing technologies can have alternative uses in vegetation management, particularly in monitoring the biodiversity of ROWs. This task studies applications and benefits of remote sensing technologies to achieve corporate goals.

Research value

  • Reduces vegetation management costs through new technologies and approaches
  • Decreases the frequency of vegetation-caused T&D outages - Develops a more ecologically diverse plant community capable of out-competing undesirable plant species along T&D ROWs
  • Evaluates the usefulness of new vegetation monitoring technologies in optimizing trimming cycles
  • Provides data to inform compliance with the North American Electric Reliability Corporation’s (NERC’s) mandatory vegetation management standards
  • Facilitates the achievement of corporate environmental stewardship and ROW goals and help change public perception of the value of T&D ROWs

Research plans

Current long-term projects

Assessing ROW Habitat for Bees, Birds, and Bats Compared to Other Land Cover Types

Rights-of-way (ROWs) may provide critical conservation habitat to a variety of species. This research will assess the conservation value of ROW habitat compared to other land cover types by comparing 5 different common land cover classes: ROW, Ag, urban, forest, and prairie conservation habitat. ROWs under evaluation will be paired with one of the off-ROW habitat cover classes with vegetation data, visual pollinator counts, bird point counts, and acoustic data for bats and birds being collected.

Project span: 2025-2027

Do ROWs Support Bats Through Increased Forage Resources?

Many species such as bats depend on insects as a food resource. ROWs may play an important role in bat dispersal connecting overwintering and summer roosting sites as well as provide critical foraging grounds for bats This project would use passive and active monitoring techniques to document the value of ROWs to bats on ROWs under different vegetation management strategies.

Project span: 2023-2026

Can eDNA be Used to Detect Pollinators?

EPRI currently supports a variety of research evaluating habitat establishment and vegetation management practices for pollinators. Utility companies are interested in rapid assessments of pollinator communities to determine how different management strategies are impacting groups like native bees and butterflies. A proof-of-concept study is being conducted to evaluate the feasibility of using eDNA to detect and identify pollinators present on a suite of native flowering forb species.

Project span: 2023-2025

Evaluating Seeding Methods for a New Native Seeding Technology, Coated Native Seeds

The establishment of native seed mixes can be a valuable tool in managing vegetation on utility lands. Utility companies are continually exploring new seeding strategies that will lower costs while increasing establishment success. Recent advances in seed coating, which standardize seeds in size and shape through the addition of external materials, can make native seeds compatible with traditional farming equipment such as grain planters and seed drills. The coated native seed may also improve seed distribution through broadcast seeders improving stand evenness once established. Coated native seeds have the potential to eliminate the need for specialized equipment, and make installing native seed mixes more efficient, accessible, and cost effective.

Project span: 2025-2026

Evaluating Flammability of ROW Vegetation - Methods Development

This project will evaluate the flammability characteristics of common right‑of‑way (ROW) vegetation types to better understand and mitigate wildfire risk on utility lands. Vegetative samples representing native and invasive grasses and other common covers from different regions of North America will be collected, standardized by dry weight, and tested under controlled laboratory conditions to measure ignition potential, burn temperature, and burn duration. Results will provide utilities with science‑based insights into how vegetation management choices influence fire behavior, supporting risk‑informed ROW management and wildfire mitigation strategies.

Project span: 2026-2027

2026 Project Tasks

Field Guide For Right-of-Way Invasive Plant Species

This project will develop a practical, field‑focused guide to help utilities identify and manage invasive plant species commonly encountered on rights‑of‑way. Building on prior work focused on invasive species, the field guide will emphasize clear visual identification, key distinguishing characteristics, regional relevance, and management considerations specific to ROW conditions. Designed for use by field crews, vegetation managers, and inspectors, the guide will support earlier detection, more consistent identification, and improved decision‑making related to invasive plant control and long‑term vegetation management.

IVM Template – Field Methods for Metric Collection

This project will develop standardized field methods to support consistent and reliable data collection for Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) performance metrics. Building on existing IVM reporting templates, the effort will work with a steering committee of P51 members to understand reporting priorities and translate them into practical, field‑ready data collection methods. The resulting guidance will help utilities document program progress more effectively, improve data quality and comparability across service territories, and strengthen the connection between field activities and internal IVM reporting and decision‑making

Common questions