Long Range Vegetation Management Plan – What is it

1. Long Range Vegetation Management
Plan - What is This?
Lewis Payne, New York Power Authority

2. September 30, 2022
Long Range Vegetation
Management Plan – What is This
Lewis Payne – ROW/Environmental Manager

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Largest state-owned power organization
37% NYS high voltage transmission
1,400 circuit miles/23,000 acres
In all major physiographic areas
ROWs greater than 85% forested

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Vegetation Maintenance Program
• Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM)
4-year cycle, Inventory, maintenance, QA/QC, patrols
• ROW Steward Utility
five year-accreditation
• GIS
Landowner, Regulatory, Treatment data, LiDAR

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• What is a Holistic Management Program
• How does this fit into a Vegetation Management Program
• Questions for you

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Holistic Approach means that you can see the Big Picture.
• See the forest for the trees
• Totality of the situation
• Look at the situation as a whole

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Holistic approach to program
management employs
• Governance – structure to
facilitate decision making
• Process – establishes and enables
disciplined execution
• Technology – a platform that
drives stakeholder collaboration
and realization of intended
benefits
A balance of the three key elements
to achieve execution excellence.

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Silviculture
The art and science of controlling
the establishment, growth,
composition, health, and quality
of forests and woodlands to meet
the diverse needs and values of
landowners and society such as
wildlife habitat, timber, water
resources, restoration, and
recreation on a sustainable basis.

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Silviculture Utility Vegetation
Management
The art and science of controlling
the establishment, growth,
composition, health, and quality
of forests and woodlands
vegetation on the right-of-way to
meet the diverse needs and
values of the company,
landowners and society such as
reliability, wildlife habitat, timber
biodiversity, water resources,
restoration, and recreation on a
sustainable basis.

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Forest Management Plan
• Outlines vision for the forest
• Describes condition
• Outlines a plan of action to management goals
• Not just about the trees – encompasses all the resources
• Keep track of activities

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Forest Utility Vegetation Management Plan
• Outlines vision for the forest system
• Describes condition
• Outlines a plan of action to management goals
• Not just about the trees – encompasses all the resources
• Keep track of activities

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Long Range Planning
• A vision for the future
• At least 5 years
• Document plans
• Develop a plan of action
• Allow for adaptive management
• Evaluation of success
Seeing the forest for the trees

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Long Range Planning
• A vision for the future
• At least 5 years one cycle
• Document plans
• Develop a plan of action
• Allow for adaptive management
• Evaluation of success
Seeing the forest for the trees

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Utility Right-of-Way Vegetation
Management Plan
1. Do you have a utility right-of-
way vegetation management
plan?
2. Do you think this should be
short term or long term?
3. Do you think this plan should
only be for part of your system
or systemwide?

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Diagram from Penn State
Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM)
 1890-1950s - safety and reliability
 1960-1970s - expanded to include regulations and the environment driven by
societal concerns
 1980-1990s - expanded to include considerations for integration and
management systems
 2000-Present - expanded to fully include considerations for sustainability and
accountability.

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Remember – consider all factors not just the physical symptom

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Systemwide Long-Range
Right-of-Way Vegetation
Management
Program
• A plan of action to accomplish a
specified end
• long term managed portfolio
Plan
• details a course of action
• A detailed proposal for achieving
something

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Policy
• guidelines, governance
• A course or principle of action
adopted or proposed by a
business
Goals
• the result or achievement
toward which effort is directed
• high level view of the process
Procedures
• an established or official way of
doing something
• detailed steps

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Policy
Plan of action
SAMPLE
The vegetation management policy is to
support the safe and reliable
transmission of electric power in an
economically, ecologically and
environmentally sound manner.

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Goals
• High level view of various targets
or objectives
• Outline the goals for managing
the right-of-way for the system
• This should include IVM,
biodiversity, habitat, water
resources, inventory, restoration,
sustainability, regulatory,
landowners, etc.
• Should be measurable, attainable
and relevant

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Procedures
• Detailed steps utilizing methods and
techniques
• Describe a process or official way of
doing something
• Items such as record keeping,
treatment techniques, inspections,
contracting, budget, etc.

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Benefits
• Achieving long term desired
results
• Well defined IVM program
• Great biodiversity
• Lower cost
• Work force retention
• Sustainable
• ESGs

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Managing Vegetation with Vegetation

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Utility Right-of-Way Vegetation
Management Plan
1. Do you have a utility right-of-way
vegetation management plan? If
not, why?
2. Should this be long term? If not,
why?
3. Do you think this plan should be
inclusive of your whole system?
If not, why?

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Questions for you
• Do you have a systemwide long-range utility right-of-way vegetation
management plan and program?
• Is your vegetation program strong enough to take you in to the future?
• Does your right-of-way vegetation management policy go above and
beyond safety and reliability? How about above and beyond compliance?

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A Long-Range Vegetation Management Plan
1. Over arching
2. Guide
3. Current
4. Adaptive
5. Focus
6. Specific
7. Productive
8. Sustainable

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Lewis Payne
Lewis.payne@nypa.gov
315-292-4363
Thank you