Integrated Vegetation Management on Electrical Transmission Rights-of-Way Using Herbicides: Treatment Effects Over Time

摘要

The goal of vegetation management on electric transmission rights-of-way (ROWs) is to ensure safe, reliable transmission of power. A common, ecological approach to managing vegetation on ROWs ― Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) ― is to promote desirable, stable, low-growing communities that will resist invasion by undesirable, tall-growing tree species. Vegetation management studies consistent with IVM took place on a 25-km section of Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation's Volney-Marcy 765 kV electric transmission ROW in upstate New York. Initial clearing treatments for establishment of the ROW occurred in 1983. Vegetation management treatments for the first and second conversion cycles were applied in 1984 and 1988, respectively. Selective and non-selective applications of stem-foliar and basal herbicide treatments were applied to replicated study areas during the second conversion cycle. Woody stem data from initial clearing to present (1999) were used to evaluate the effects of the herbicide treatments on stem densities of undesirable and desirable woody species over time. It was hypothesized that stem density of undesirable woody plants would continue to decrease over time and stem density of desirable species would increase or remain the same over time, thus, moving towards a more stable community of woody desirable species and a maintenance phase of management. Undesirable species densities were maintained and desirable densities increased over 11-years using an IVM approach. A stable community of woody desirable species (i.e., maintenance phase of management, as defined in this paper) has not been reached and may need another 10-20 years before it develops on the powerline. Shrub abundance needs to be increased to attain maintenance levels.