We are in the process of developing an integrated vegetation management (IVM) maturity path. This IVM maturity path will: 1) Build upon the insights compiled in the IVM framework and from prior benchmarking sessions to help CEATI develop a tool that will enable members to benchmark the maturity of their IVM program against their peers. 2) Provide insights to enable assessment of process maturity across core IVM objectives and support the development of action plans to achieve the desired level of process proficiency and performance. The five categories for consideration in the maturity path are: continuous improvement, talent management, environmental stewardship and social responsibility, safety, and reliability.

Once complete, this project will provide an assessment tool for utilities to assess the maturity of their biodiversity programs and a playbook to help them develop and sustain a mature, effective, and compliant biodiversity program. The project will also present an understanding of the education and training required of an IVM organization to effectively develop, execute, and sustain a biodiversity program.

This report examines the extent to which satellite Earth observation (EO) 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.

This guidance document defines best practices for powerline vegetation management within boreal woodland caribou ranges to avoid or reduce potential impacts to caribou. To inform their recommendations, the research investigators referenced utility documents and current practices. They also conducted a literature review on woodland caribou policy, regulations, and general biology.

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.