Managing with Biodiversity in Mind

1. Stan Vera-Art
Creative Catalyst, President
Grow With Trees
Dan Salas,
Senior Ecologist
Stantec
Managing with
Biodiversity in Mind
Compatible Vegetation Management

2. Why Are You Here?
•Do you
need to
demonstrate
economic
value in your
IVM
program?
•Would you
like to
manage for
diverse,
compatible
habitat on
your ROWs?
•Wondering
how to
communicate
these
objectives to
your
contractors?
Do you need
to manage
for
endangered
species
concerns on
your ROWs?

3. New Biodiversity Tools Available
> Tools Now Available on the UAA Website
– Business Case for IVM
– IVM Net Present Value Cost Calculator
– Managing Compatible Vegetation for
Targeted Species and Biodiversity
– Scope of Work Guidance

4. New Biodiversity Tools Available
> Business Case for IVM
– PowerPoint Template intended to help
vegetation managers with benefits of
IVM
– Copy, paste, and incorporate into your
company’s format as needed
> IVM Net Present Value Cost Calculator
– Excel spreadsheet tool
– Aids in demonstrating the financial
value of different approaches and
timing for vegetation management.

5. Compatible Vegetation Companion Guide and Scope of Work
How to use IVM to manage
for species and biodiversity?
How do I consider species
and biodiversity when
planning scopes of work?

6. Why Use These?
• Reduce safety risks
• Maintain reliable service
• Environmental compliance
• Navigate landowner
relations
• Control costs
• Species extinctions are
accelerating
• Between 2001-2017, over
24 million acres of natural
land cover were lost in the
United States alone
• Company environmental
stewardship
• ESG reporting
• Certification programs
Vegetation Managers Are
Already Asked to Do A Lot
But Our World is
Changing…
…And So is Perception of
Vegetation Management

7. Biodiversity Helps Sustain Safety and Reliability
• Biodiversity is another tool in the IVM
toolbox that can:
• Build resilience to disease and pest
hazards, problematic invasive species,
woody tree growth
• Reduce risks of fire, emergency
accessibility
• Add social value by communicating
value of vegetation management to
your company and customers
Biodiversity
Ecosystem
Services
Businesses
and Society

8. The New Biodiversity Companion to the IVM BMP
> The New Compatible Vegetation Companion to the
3rd Edition of the IVM BMP
– Created in collaboration with utilities, academics,
ecological consultants, and vegetation managers
– Aligns considerations for compatible species and
biodiversity targets with the IVM cycle
– Promotes thoughtful vegetation management that
addresses multiple objectives.

9. Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM)

10. Promotes Managing for Biodiveristy Along a Spectrum
“Do no harm”
• Avoid and minimize
impacts
• Protect regulated species
• Prevent spread of invasive
species
Protection Enhancement Integrity
“Leave it better than you
found it”
• Mitigate impacts to
species
• Improve conditions for
target species
• Enhance site diversity
“Working with the
ecosystem”
• Manage ecological
integrity and climate
resiliency by mimicking
natural processes

11. Protection Examples
Photo: NiSource (Columbia Gas) protecting pollinator habitat
> Avoid and minimize biodiversity impacts
> Conducted system biodiversity assessment/exposure
> Protect regulated species
> Evaluate which T&E species exist in system
> Report biodiversity on their ESG Indices
> Published a biodiversity commitment online
Protection

12. Enhancement Examples
Image: Let Grow is one of several training tools available via Grow With Trees.
Enhancement
> Species richness improvement (native prairie)
> Compatible species ID training
Compatible Plant ID App

13. Enhancement Examples
Photo: Monarch butterfly on a common
milkweed, by Ben Gura, American
Transmission Company
Enhancement
> Enrollment in the Monarch CCAA
> Enhancing habitat for an at-risk species, the monarch butterfly
> Using pollinator-enhancing seed mixes in post-construction restoration

14. Integrity Examples
Photo: ComEd’s restoration at Kloempken Prairie
in Cook County, IL
> ComEd Prairie Program
preserving/restoring prairie
> ATC’s Bay Beach restoration
Integrity
Photo: ATC’s Bay Beach corridor restoration site in
Green Bay, WI

15. The Biodiversity Companion’s Scope of Work Guidance
> Provides considerations for scopes of work when
transitioning from incompatible focused vegetation
management to promoting compatible vegetation for
objectives including biodiversity and target species.
– Summary of scope of work components
– Timeline considerations
– Examples of short vs. long-term scope of work
components

16. The Biodiversity Companion’s Scope of Work Guidance
> Summary of scope of work
components and variations on the
biodiversity management
spectrum:
– Purpose
– Scope overview
– Expected outcomes
– Performance standards
– Quality control procedures
– Personnel qualifications
– Special provisions

17. The Biodiversity Companion’s Scope of Work Guidance
> Example
– Liberty Utility CalPeco:
(In)compatible Brush Removal
SOW Component &
Description
Protection –
Focused
Considerations
Expected Outcomes or Deliverables
Incompatible brush should be
targeted for removal
Protection of compatible
brush Photo: Liberty Utility CalPeco - arrested shrub layer

18. The Biodiversity Companion’s Scope of Work Guidance
> Managing for target species and
biodiversity may require a
combination of short and long-
term scope elements.
> Guidance encourages looking
beyond immediate contracting
needs.
> Intended for use with
consideration of biodiversity
spectrum
May include:
• Create monitoring
program(s),
• Implement adaptive
management,
• Align ESG with
executive leadership,
management, and
contractors
Short-Term (Years 1–5)
Scope Components
Long-Term (Years 5–15)
Scope Components
May include:
• Determine ROW
condition,
• Establish vegetation
baselines,
• Provide training
• Execute treatments

19. The Biodiversity Companion’s Scope of Work Guidance
> Example
Liberty Utility Missouri Long-term compatible
species monitoring
program
Short-Term (Years 1–5)
Scope Components
Long-Term (Years 5–15+)
Scope Components
Liberty Utility CalPeco Compatible Plant ID
Training
Photo: Liberty Utility Compatible Plant ID Training

20. Available Online
https://www.gotouaa.org/biodiversity-tools/
Thank you to the Utility Arborist Association
(UAA) Environmental Stewardship Committee
which helped create these resources:
Sarah Ball, Edison Electric Institute
Bob Bell, Pacific Gas & Electric
Phil Charlton, Utility Arborist Association
Caroline Hernandez, University of Illinois Chicago
Nikki Hill, Grow With Trees Company
Gabriel Karns, The Ohio State University
Joshua Legg Ohio Environmental Protection Agency
Jack McCabe, Davey Resources Group
Megan Provost, Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment
Andrew Rable, Arizona Public Service
Dan Salas, Cardno now Stantec
Larae Smith, Cardno now Stantec
Rebecca Spach, FirstEnergy
Derek Vannice, CN Utility Consulting
Stan Vera-Art, Grow With Trees Company

21. Source: https://www.unep-wcmc.org/news/strategy-for-halting-and-reversing-biodiversity-loss-revealed
We Are At A Critical Point…
• Biodiversity is a focus due to
species losses, pending
listings, and ESG interests
• Public interest in biodiversity is
high
• Society is looking to companies
as part of the solution
• Vegetation management can
be a clear “win” for companies
if managed in alignment with
tools and guidance

22. Manage vegetation like
life depends on it.
Dan Salas, Stantec
dan.salas@stantec.com
Stan Vera-Art,
Grow With Trees
branchout@growtrees.com