Project Habitat: ROW Management to Enhance Wildlife Habitat and Utility Image

George Hurst

The millions of acres on transmission and distribution rights-of-way (ROW) in North America provide an opportunity for utilities to enhance wildlife habitats. A variety of habitats occur on ROWs and provide habitat diversity and edge, which can increase biodiversity and density. Often, ROW plant communities are in early successional stages, which provide habitat conducive for insects and small mammals, and thus, form a prey base for associated predators. ROWs can serve as travel corridors. Project Habitat is an educational and community relations program that helps utilities enhance wildlife habitat on ROWs and earn positive recognition for their efforts. To accomplish the objectives of Project Habitat, members use integrated vegetation management programs that feature low-volume applications of selective herbicides (e.g., imazapyr).

Keywords: Project Habitat, habitat, imazapyr, integrated vegetation management, rights-of-way, utilities, wildlife