Before you begin your ROW clearing cycle, have you established an Integrated Vegetation Management Process? Adding a full IVM Process to your ROW clearing cycle is essential and can save time and money long term.
What is IVM?
When you add an Integrated Vegetation Management Process to your ROW clearing cycle, you are adding a process that promotes stable, low-growing plant communities that will in turn be cost-effective and environmentally sound for your ROW. IVM is a multi-faceted approach that includes mechanical control, herbicidal control and establishment of desirable vegetation.
Cost Savings
The common ROW clearing process includes ongoing maintenance involving mowing and clearing. This is a great and it’s our primary focus. However, once the ROW is fully cleared and all reclamation (if needed) has been performed than it’s time to look at ROW Maintenance from a IVM approach. Are there areas where we could utilize herbicides? Are there areas that need a foliar mix applied? The goal with IVM is to get your easement to be free from woody growth so that the canopy trim cycle is quicker and easier.
All of this together, the mechanical/traditional ROW Clearing mixed, added herbicidal methods, and selectively choosing which of these makes sense for each location on the ROW will save you money.
How do we choose these spots? We perform a ROW Assessment and provide you a detailed plan. This can be done on GIS so that our crew and customer both have access to what was done, what needs done, the date, and where.
Environmental Benefits
Often times, a utility/pipeline company may have environmental features on their land such as rivers, lakes, wildlife, plant habitat, etc. While vegetation management on ROW is an essential service, it’s also important to consider the wildlife that exists on the ROW. During vegetation management, many species lose their habitat due to chemical controls and mowing. An IVM process will help create a natural ecosystem that wildlife and other species that inhabit the land can transition to, creating a new, safe habitat.
At Lanracorp we fully understand vegetation management and its unique role to our customers. From keeping your easement clear ground to sky, to it being passable, and even meeting environmental requirements….we get it and we do this well. Give us a call today to learn how we can better serve you, 618-427-3242.