Overview

The Vegetation Management Interest Group emphasizes vegetation program development and management, which includes justifying budgets, work planning, addressing regulatory issues, managing contractors, and setting standards and guidelines for the work.

Focus areas

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    Strategic Planning and Program Management
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    Technology, Equipment, and Products
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    Public and Social Opportunities
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    Environmental Contributions
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This group is for

Vegetation managers, arborists, transmission and/or distribution line asset managers and engineers
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Technical Advisor Support
David Villa
David Villa
Vegetation Management

David has more than 40 years of experience working with Fortune 200 companies including Eaton Corporation, Honeywell International, and Exelon Corporation and delivering transformational improvements and results as Director of Materials Management and Refurbishment Manufacturing, VP Sourcing, and Chief Supply Chain Officer. David was also the Chief Integration Officer responsible for the successful merger integration of a $32B company delivering over $.6B of synergy savings and the development of a merger playbook from which all subsequent merger integrations are being executed. Prior to joining CEATI, David developed and managed an internal consultancy as Vice President, Continuous improvement enabling benchmark operational performance and savings. David possesses extensive knowledge in strategic sourcing, materials management and operations and in delivering efficient, effective, predictable and sustainable processes, performance, and savings. David has a BS in Finance from Towson University, an MBA from the University of Baltimore and is a certified Lean Master.

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Top Resources
BENCHMARKING TOOL
Vegetation Management Maturity Assessment Tool
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Benchmark your vegetation management program with CEATI’s Vegetation Management (VM) Maturity Matrix. This assessment tool enables utilities to evaluate their integrated vegetation management policies, processes, and program maturity. Within the VM Maturity Matrix tool, users rate their organization’s VM program maturity across five functional areas. Based on the inputs, the tool will calculate scores. Use the results to set priorities and inform plans for improvement.
PLAYBOOK
Biodiversity, Environmental Stewardship & Integrated Vegetation Management Protocol
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This project provides an assessment tool for utilities to evaluate the maturity of their biodiversity programs and a playbook to help them develop and sustain a mature, effective, and compliant biodiversity program. The project also presents an understanding of the education and training required of an IVM organization to effectively develop, execute, and sustain a biodiversity program.
RESEARCH REPORT
Practical Use of Earth Imagery Using Satellites for Utility Vegetation Management
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This report examines the extent to which satellite Earth observation data can currently be used to address the following vegetation management information needs: tree proximity to wires, identification of hazard trees, post-storm damage locations, tree growth rates, and tree inventory and mapping management units.
GUIDANCE DOCUMENT
Hazard Tree Assessment and Risk Mitigation – A Best Practice Approach for Electric Utility Vegetation Management
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This project aims to deliver a practical best-practice approach, guidelines, and tools to help utilities improve hazard tree identification and risk mitigation. It addresses risk assessment, work planning, QA/QC, and risk reduction—while considering AI applications, regulatory compliance, and ROI—to support safer, more reliable, and resilient vegetation management programs.
RESEARCH REPORT
The Business Case for Herbicide Use in Integrated Vegetation Management Programs
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This study compares the cost of maintaining vegetation on electric transmission right of way (ROW) corridors with and without the use of herbicides. Three case studies were used to compare the cost of IVM, which includes the use of herbicides to control incompatible trees, to simply maintaining ROW vegetation by repeated cutting without the use herbicides. Least-cost economic analysis methods were used to determine the present value cost of each vegetation maintenance prescription over a 20-year evaluation period.