Enhancing ESG Through Biodiversity Management

1. Enhancing ESG Reporting through
Biodiversity Management
Travis Rogers, Corteva
Dan Salas, Stantec

2. Enhancing ESG
Reporting through
Biodiversity
Management
Travis Rogers, Corteva
Dan Salas, Stantec
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Blazing star (Liatris squarrosa) growing in a dry prairie
within a transmission line right-of-way.

3. Understanding ESG
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Source: https://sustainabilityknowledgegroup.com/

4. Why Biodiversity Matters to the Boardroom
• Growing concern among
investors, shareholders, and
customers
• Public awareness
• Desire for transparency
• Potential business and
ecological risks to company
operations
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Juvenile wild turkey foraging
in a gas pipeline right-of-way.

5. Why Biodiversity Matters to the Boardroom
Biodiversity is also increasingly tied to risks and benefits to energy company operations
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• Increased natural resource scarcity, diseases, or pests
• Added legal, policy, or regulatory constraints
• Increased operational costs
• Emergency response risks
• Reputational or marketing risks
Risks from
Biodiversity
Loss
• Attracting capital investors
• Reducing regulatory constraints
• Building resilience to diseases, pests, and climate
• Reduced maintenance/operations costs
• Enhanced public image and community engagement
Value from
Biodiversity
Gains

6. What Does this Mean for Utility Vegetation Managers?
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Biodiversity is also increasingly tied to risks and benefits to energy company operations
Loss of species can increase risk of
endangered species listings
Lack of tree diversity poses increased
pest and disease risks
Mowed ROW can limit tree suppression
ability of compatible vegetation
Invasive species encroachment can
pose fire or emergency access risks
Increased maintenance or risks can result in
more landowner or public complaints
Sustain tree suppression ability of
compatible vegetation
Reduce pest and disease risks
Reduce fire or emergency access risks
Prevent or recover future species listings
Address public and customer concerns
Losing biodiversity poses risks Biodiversity adds value

7. Why Biodiversity Should Matter to Rights-of-Way
Managers – Internal Perspective
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ROW viewed as
Asset vs. Liability
Gain seat at decision-
making table
Opportunity to
gain/secure funding

8. Why Biodiversity Should Matter to Rights-of-Way
Managers – External Perspective
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Increased Community
Engagement
Enhanced Public Image Buy-In from
Policymakers, Regulators,
Communities, & Public

9. What Does Managing for
Biodiversity Look Like?
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Vegetation managers need to:
1. Talk with company sustainability
managers, environmental staff,
consultants, and partners to define
priorities
2. Consider company ambitions through
sustainability goals and reporting
methods
3. Collaborate internally to define
indicators and implementation
Source: IUCN’s Guidelines for planning and monitoring corporate biodiversity performance

10. What Does Managing for Biodiversity Look Like?
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Integrated
Habitat
Management

11. Tools to Help
Vegetation
Managers
Contribute to
ESG Reporting
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12. Role of Vegetation
Management Program Tools
in ESG Reporting
• Important metrics for utility company
reporting
• Provides connection between company
goals and on-the-ground action
• Documents impact or benefit to species
and habitats
• Opportunity to advocate for vegetation
management as a value-adding asset, not
simply a maintenance cost or public
relations concern.
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Tiger swallowtail on a horsemint (Monarda
punctata) in a transmission ROW.

13. Compatible Vegetation
Companion to the 3rd
Edition of the IVM BMP
• ESG connection: Industry guidance on how to align species
and biodiversity objectives into your IVM program.
• Targets and metrics used for IVM purposes can be aligned
with company ESG targets.
• Offers suggested areas for engaging with government,
conservation groups, academics, or other community partners
• Find out more at https://www.gotouaa.org/biodiversity-tools/
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14. Compatible Vegetation
Companion to the 3rd
Edition of the IVM BMP
• Align IVM objectives and planning with
biodiversity goals
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Compatible
Objective
Maximize tree suppression to reduce
maintenance frequency.
Define
Action
Threshold
Treat tall growing woody vegetation when
density exceeds 10% of treatment area.
Control
Methods
Low volume foliar herbicide application
Minimize overspray to reduce collateral
damage to surrounding desirable
vegetation
Evaluation
Short-term: 90% treatment effectiveness
with minimal evidence of collateral
damage.
Long-term: Reduced frequency or intensity
in follow up treatments.
Adaptation
Treat as needed, adapt to other controls
(prescribed fire, targeted mowing, or re-

15. • ESG connection: Provides a clear conservation benefit and
offers participation in a program endorsed by third-parties
(UIC and FWS)
• Agreement between USFWS and enrolled partners to
recognize habitat benefits for the monarch butterfly. Program
is administered by the University of Illinois Chicago
• Over 5 million acres of energy and transportation lands
enrolled to date!
• Find out more at https://rightofway.erc.uic.edu/national-
monarch-ccaa/
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16. • The monarch butterfly proposed listing is
coming soon. Expect an announcement in
Fall 2023.
• The CCAA helps you be prepared:
• Demonstrate your conservation benefits
• Avoid increased restrictions
• Reduce your company or VM program’s risk
exposure
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17. Penn State University IVM Research
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• ESG connection: Provides resources and important
up-to-date science demonstrating the benefits of IVM
on pollinators and other wildlife.
• Access:
• Research and findings
• Management practices
• Reports and fact sheets
• Field study videos
• Find out more at
https://sites.psu.edu/transmissionlineecology/

18. Penn State University IVM Research
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• ESG connection: Provides resources and important up-to-date
science demonstrating the benefits of IVM on pollinators and
other wildlife.
Powerline right-of-way management and flower-visiting insects: How
vegetation management can promote pollinator diversity (psu.edu)

19. Rights-of-Way as Habitat
Working Group Pollinator
Habitat Scorecard
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• ESG connection: Offers a consistent, repeatable method
for evaluating habitat needs for pollinators.
• Allows for pre-post or trend comparisons of locations
through time.
• Offers a ready-to-use metric for evaluating biodiversity
improvement.
• Find out more at https://rightofway.erc.uic.edu/pollinator-
habitat-scorecard/

20. Rights-of-Way as Habitat
Working Group Pollinator
Habitat Scorecard
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• Easy to deploy into the field
• Document your improvements
• Compare across sites or systems
• Communicate your results
• Find out more at
https://rightofway.erc.uic.edu/pollinator-
habitat-scorecard/
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
Pre-treatment 1 Year Post-
Treatment
3 Years Post-
Treatment
Pollinator Habitat Scorecard Score
Pre-treatment 1 Year Post-Treatment 3 Years Post-Treatment

21. Tools To Inform Your Biodiversity Reporting
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• These, and other,
tools are available
to help you
document your
IVM benefits to
biodiversity.
• More tools and
guidance are
available.
Biodiversity Measure Example
Publish your own biodiversity
commitment, standard, or goals
UAA Managing
Compatible Species for
Biodiversity Guidance
Participate in a conservation
agreement for an at-risk species
Monarch CCAA
Support research partnerships or
communicate IVM habitat benefits
PSU Research
Document biodiversity improvements
at vegetation management sites
ROWHWG Pollinator
Habitat Scorecard

22. Questions?
Dan Salas
Senior Ecologist, CSE
dan.salas@stantec.com
608-469-0885
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Travis Rogers
Market Development Specialist
Corteva Agrisciences
travis.rogers@corteva.com