Utility Arborist NewslineBy Chris Kelly, Vice President, Clearion Hint: This has nothing to do with better sleep and exercise, but it can make your (work) life better, healthier, and

Eight Questions YouShould Be Asking of YourData in 2017

By Chris Kelly, Vice President, Clearion

Hint: This has nothing to do with bettersleep and exercise, but it can make your(work) life better, healthier, and easierthis year and beyond.

Ask any of your colleagues about theirresolutions for the new year and you’llundoubtedly hear them chime in aboutgoing to the gym more frequently, eatingbetter, sleeping more, and of course,

getting a better handle on their vegeta-tion management (VM) programs. I know—it’s like we’re reading your minds. Wehear it all the time. “If only I had morehours in the day to jump on the the ellip-tical," or "I wish I had the time and toolsto run some great vegetation manage-ment reports, but there are so manyother competing priorities.”

Knowing that you want better programmanagement and actually knowing whereto begin are two different things. But it’sa new year, so let’s start! How? By ac-tively outlining some of the key questionsthat haunt us late at night. With ad-vanced analytics, single-click reports, andreal-time dashboards that allow us tofocus on the macro so we can attend tothe micro, we can get better sleep on adaily basis—and wake up in time for thegym. >

Utility Arborist Newsline

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W W W. G O TO U A A . O R G | T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S L E T T E R O F T H E U T I L I T Y A R B O R I S T A S S O C I AT I O N

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V O L U M E 8

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INSIDE

President’s Message ..............6Exec. Director Comments ......7UAA Officer List ........................7Industry News ..........................8Insect Protection: An

Everyday SafetyNecessity ..........................10

UAA Summit/ BestPractices CommitteeNews..................................16

SAIT, UAA-UVMA PartnerCollege CelebratesMilestones and PUVMTraining Launch ..............18

Regional Reports ....................40

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGYEight Questions You Should

Be Asking of Your Datain 2017..................................1

What’s New in HelicopterOperations? ......................20

How Social Media Can Makean Impact on UVM..........22

Leveraging GIS for VMOptimization......................26

Opinion Editorial: What toConsider When SelectingVM Software ....................39

F O C U S O N T E C H N O L O G Y

Utility Arborist NewslinePage 2

To learn more about our Road To Zero Safety Initiatives, visit davey.com/safety

SAFETY IS PART OF OUR DNA.

From our safety department of

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to our Road to Zero workplace safety

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This is our commitment to Keep it Safe!

THIS IS THE DAVEY WAY.

In no particular order, the followingare eight key questions you shouldbe asking of your data:

1. What are my highest prioritiesthis year?

You can’t do it all every year, andsometimes standard, multi-year cy-cles don’t give you optimal results.Some maintenance areas are riskierthan others when it comes to out-ages and reliability. Some cost morethan others, involve more crewhours, or require a different type ofwork crew. This year, rank and priori-tize your work based on historicalperformance, detailed trim and workhistory, field observations, and otherprojection factors. Then, optimizeyour annual work plan to minimizerisk and maximize your budget anduse this year’s data to build a bettermodel for next year. Your VM planwill be healthier than ever.

2. How am I tracking against mybudget?

Overbudgeting and underperformingis not how you want to spend youryear! Sure, it sounds like a no-brainer,but we’ve all been there. With real-time progress tracking of actualspending against the budget across allwork areas (e.g., lines, feeders, subs,regions), there should be no sur-prises. And with historical data tosupport your decision-making, devel-oping a reasonable, multi-year fore-cast helps to ensure you’re neveroverspending the budget again. It’stime to manage 2017 effectively andsuccessfully plan 2018 and beyond.

3. How well am I managing mycustomers’ VM requests?

In the world focused on customerservice, responding to your cus-tomers’ requests within a timelyfashion is critical. It’s not exactly anews flash; however, most compa-nies don’t know their average re-sponse and resolution times toreactive work. Yet, that part shouldbe easy. When tickets are closed and

the details are captured electroni-cally in the field and transmitted tocorporate, not only do your customerservice representatives have the jobstatuses available when needed, butthey also have the ability to trackthe response speed and aging of yourcustomer requests (i.e., how manyare near due or past due), allowingyou to prioritize immediately andplan effectively going forward.

4.Which of my contractors areperforming most effectively?

Sure, we all have our anecdotal con-tractor preferences. Yet, many of oursoftware clients have had eye-open-ing experiences when they begancomparing contractors across a rangeof metrics (e.g., cost per mile,progress per week, response time,results of quality audits). When keyperformance indicators (KPIs) are putinto place and tracked, you gain rele-vant insights to help manage and im-prove performance, including theability to use contractor-specific,performance-based incentives. Andby drilling down to crew or generalforeman levels, you can providemeaningful and actionable informa-tion to your contractors. It’s a win-win for your partnership.

5. How well am I managing myherbicide program?

In today’s eco-conscious environ-ment, “spray, baby, spray” is not ourrallying cry. Not only are we sensi-tive to consumer environmental

concerns, we share their concernsfor sustainability and right-of-way(ROW) stewardship. We operate in aworld where applying the right mixat the right volume is critical notonly for environmental sustainability,but also for lowering our operatingcosts. As such, we should be runningdetailed cost—and efficacy—analysisacross all herbicide activities tomanage our investments. And weshould be conducting year-after-yearcomparisons. Are my cycle lengthsincreasing? Is my active ingredientusage going down? Is my mix chang-ing? Is my inventory sufficient? Im-portant for tracking goals, we shouldalso be capturing and reporting onROW stewardship progress (e.g., thenumber of acres converted for sus-tainability, pollinator habitats cre-ated or enhanced). It’s a publicrelations dream come true!

Bonus: For those of you who are trulyon the cutting edge, what aboutadding weather data automatically toyour reports so you can analyze thecorrelation between weather patternsand efficacy? Imagine the short- andlong-term impact of daily, weather-related prioritization decisions.

Okay, we’re in the home stretch.

6.Where are my fast-growth treesthat require trimming multipletimes per year?

“Would you look at him? He’s grow-ing so quickly!” Those words ofpraise to a toddler become more of a

November–December 2016March–April 2017 Page 3


PHOTO COURTESY OF CLEARION


cautionary tale when applied to treesgrowing under power lines! To readilyabide by internal, state, or federalclearing standards, employing ashort-cycle trim dashboard can be alifesaver. When you locate your en-tire inventory on a map and colorcode it by status, you can easily sum-marize the quantities assigned,scheduled, completed, or past dueand prioritize work and budgets ac-cordingly.

7. Which of our landowners consentto (or refuse) our work?

More and more companies are seek-ing land owner consent prior to veg-etation treatments. It’s far worse totrim without permission than to do itafter the customer has explicitly re-fused a request. Good documenta-tion is essential for eliminating thisscenario, and having electroniclandowner signatures can keep youout of hot water and may even help

you sleep better. Clearing notifica-tion and consent information on aper-parcel basis keeps your contrac-tors working on the right tasks andcan also help ensure compliance andplan more effectively going forward.

What’s more, accurate, timely, andavailable information about refusalscan help you act to negotiate withlandowners or find alternative treat-ments before the crews have movedon to other areas of your system. Acustomer refusal dashboard, includ-ing real-time updates from the field,can immediately highlight work loca-tions with refusals or work restric-tions, allowing you to escalate whennecessary. When your permissionfield agents capture the location,contact information, notes, statusof customer refusals, dashboards,and maps showing open refusalsand restrictions become your tasklists for remediation, mitigation, ornegotiation.

8. How do I make desktop planningmore accurate?

Yes, this answer is so predictable:remote sensing. Incorporating LiDAR,imagery, and hyperspectral-deriveddata into work planning, work audit-ing, and ROW features (e.g., accessroads, riparian areas, environmentalstructures and concerns, cultural re-sources) leads to accurate planningwith fewer trips to the field. Fur-thermore, with desktop work plan-ning, field trips can be moreefficient—and you and your team willhave more time to spend in the gym!

The problem with dashboards, re-porting, and analytics, as I’m sureyou know, isn’t really about “a lackof time.” It’s about having the righttools at your fingertips to get the an-swers that you need easily andquickly. This year, make that yourpriority and you’ll have a healthier,happier, easier, more productive 2017.


SMARTER DECISIONS. BETTER RESULTS.

Arborcision™ copyright all rights reserved Global ThinkTank Institute LLC 2013

© 2015 ACRT, Inc. All rights reserved. | 1333 Home Avenue, Akron, OH 44310 | (800) 622.2562ACRT is an equal opportunity employer. EEO/AA

Exclusively from ACRT, the only independent vegetation management consultants

“In order to achieve a budget reduction and an 80% decrease

in workload

We had to be innovative. ™

enhanced safety, rate stabilization and increased reliability

– Tim Thompson, CEO, Lake Region Electric Cooperative

Request a demo at arborcision.acrtinc.com or contact Kevin Jones to learn more at 800.622.2562 ext. 327.

Page 6 Utility Arborist Newsline

President’sMessage

By Craig Kelly

Embracing Technology

Technology is the language ofthe present world. It affectsour daily lives and has been

rapidly changing and expanding in every field imagi-nable—not excluding the utility vegetation manage-ment (UVM) industry.

Recently, while having lunch with a close friend, Ibrought up the topic of technology, and we quicklyfound ourselves blurting out the changes in technol-ogy we’ve experienced during the last 25 years.While we listed the transformations, I began textingmyself, using my Samsung Galaxy 5S smartphone,the contrasts between “then” and“now,” which included:

• Bag phones (whichwere a far cryfrom smart) toSmartphones

• i-nothing toi-everything

• Paper maps toGPS units, mapquest, Waze, orGoogle Maps

• Overhead projectors to Power-Point

• Face-to-face meetings to WebEx or GoToMeeting

• Encyclopedia Britannica to “just ask Google”

• Floppy Disk to Thumb Drive

• Binoculars and Range Finders to LiDAR

• Aerial photos to Google Earth

• Foot and aerial (helicopter/fixed wing) patrols tounmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) patrols

• Paper documents and file retention to electronicdata capture and databanks

• Etc. etc... you get my point

Certainly I’m dating myself, but when pondering onjust how far we’ve come in the past quarter century,I smile and laugh with strong conviction that we havearrived—we are now in the era of the “The Jetsons.”The thought back in the early 60s of flying around ina car is not too far from where we are today. We’recurrently on the horizon of full implementation of

autonomous vehicles, and I’m guessing we’re not farfrom routinely flying UAVs from the confines of a cu-bical space to inspect electric and gas assets. Notthat I’m in the know, but based on what we’ve listedabove, it would seem to me that everything, tech-nology speaking, is going to change more in the next10 years than it has in the last 100.

Throughout my 25-year career in UVM, I’ve had theopportunity to witness, understand, realize, and, forthe most part, value the unceasing change in tech-nology. When I began in 1992, vegetation statisticswere collected using pencils and paper, and then is-sued to the professional line clearance tree workersfor completion. Today, we’ve developed data dic-tionaries along with associated attributes, collectspatial data (GIS), and sometimes even use LiDAR in-formation on field tablets to help us prescribe thenecessary work to be performed. The information isthen electronically transferred to a field crews’tablet providing work orders and allowing the crew

to document work completion in real time.These and many other indus-

try modifications(some listed

above) havebeen inresponseto what-ever thecurrentobjectives

are at thetime, and have

certainly modern-ized today’s utility

arborist into more than just a per-son on patrol or in a bucket truck with ropes and asaw. Although I’ve been known to be apprehensive attimes, I’m a huge proponent of implementing new orrevised technology in what we do as professional ar-borists as long as it brings added benefits withoutthe need for much input or effort along the way. Al-though technology has both pros and cons, by imple-menting the right applications at the right time, ithas proven advantageous to the UVM industry, realiz-ing a very strong enhancement to safety and reliabil-ity, as well as increases in efficiency, productivity,data management, and data retention.

Technology and its associated changes are here tostay and will continue to shape our daily livesas well as outline how we conduct UVM in thefuture—remember, change is the only constant,so embrace it.

Enjoy your Newsline and Happy 2017!Craig

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What is going on at UAA?

By Phil Charlton, Executive Director of the UAA

E A Busy Spring

Although you are reading this message in March, I am writing it inJanuary and I can already tell 2017 is going to be a very busy yearfor the Utility Arborist Association (UAA). By the time this is pub-lished, the UAA will have just held joint meetings with the SouthernChapter ISA and the Michigan Chapter. This was our first time part-nering for a regional meeting in Michigan. Meanwhile, our longstand-ing partnership with the Southern Chapter just keeps getting better,with an agenda appealing to an international audience and moremembers attending every year.

Within the next month or so (April–May), the UAA’s System UtilityVegetation Managers Summit and Safety Summits in Gettysburg, PAand Denver, CO will take place. Later in the year, regional meetingsand opportunities for CEUs will be coming to Ohio, New York, Cali-fornia, and more. Visit www.gotouaa.org occasionally to see all theevents that are upcoming.

Thank you to the dozens of volunteers that are bringing training andnetworking opportunities (and CEUs) to our members.

E Trees & Utilities Conference Update

Before I leave the topic of education and training, I want to updateyou on the Trees & Utilities Conference (September 26–28 in KansasCity). As you know by now, the UAA has decided to create a newconference focused exclusively on vegetation management (VM) by

Executive DirectorComments

March–April 2017

Kansas City, location of the Trees & Utilities Conference in September 2017.

2016 - 2017 Officers

Executive Director - Philip Charlton1620 New Port Vista Dr., Grafton, WI 53024(513) 623-1737 • [email protected]

President - Craig KellyPacific Gas & Electric Company1050 High Street, Auburn, Ca 95603(530) 820-3126 • [email protected]

Past President - Joe Osborne(405) 590-3867 • [email protected]

President Elect - Sarah Sankowich Unitil6 Liberty Lane W, Hampton, NH 03842(603) 379-3833 • [email protected]

Vice President - Bob Richens 224 Thompson Street Box #104Hendersonville, NC 28792(828) [email protected]

Treasurer - Jim NeeserDavey Resource GroupP.O. Box 394, Forest Lake, MN 55025(651) 202-1088 • [email protected]

Director - Chuck AndersonECI12505 Waterlow Park Lane, Raleigh, NC 27614(919) 744-0050 • [email protected]

Director - Paul HuryszDuke Energy2092 Donegal Dr., Kannapolic, NC 28081(980) 373-9371 • [email protected]

Director - Amy MurrayITC Holdings Asset Management(248) 425-6531 • [email protected]

Director - Troy RossACRT, Inc.1333 Home Ave., Akron, OH 44310(731) 695-6249 • [email protected]

Director - Joel SmithPacific Gas & Electric Company615 7th Ave., Santa Cruz, CA 95062(831) 479-3027 • [email protected]

Operations Manager - Diona NeeserUtility Arborist Association2009 W. Broadway Ave., Suite 400, PMB 315 Forest Lake, MN [email protected] • (651) 464-0380

UAA Newsline

Editorial Chair - Nelsen [email protected]

Editorial Coordination - Pique Publishing, Inc.Nadia Geagea PupaAbbey McLaughlinwww.piquepublishing.com

Graphic Designer - Deb [email protected]

Utility ArboristAssociation

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ACRT Invests in Technology andInnovation, Adds Chief InformationOfficer

By: Renee Bissett, manager, Marketing and Communi-cation, ACRT Inc.

ACRT, Inc., a utility services and consultingfirm, has added Dave Pavlich as chief informa-tion officer for the company as the companypursues new ways of combining informationand technology for the benefit of its cus-tomers.

Pavlich, born and raised in Northeast Ohio, hasspent his career in information technology (IT),having occupied several IT leadership roleswith various national organizations. His expert-ise in this area will better enable ACRT to serveits customers with critical insight as informa-tion and technology continue to play a largerrole in all areas of its business.

“I’m very excited to join ACRT,” said Pavlich.“I’m coming in knowing that I’m joining a greatteam of people, and with a great team of peo-ple, you can accomplish even the most chal-lenging of goals in front of you. I’m excited toleverage my skills in a new industry to betterhelp ACRT deliver effective and innovative so-lutions to our customers.”

As ACRT expands its service offerings in theutility space, being able to take advantage ofinformation and apply insights to its customers’businesses will be of utmost importance, ex-plained ACRT President and CEO Mike Weidner.

“We’re always looking at how we can bringnew ideas to our customers,” Weidner said.“Bringing Dave on board will help us strengthenthat commitment to innovation.”

Pavlich holds a master’s degree in business ad-ministration from the Weatherhead School ofManagement at Case Western Reserve Univer-sity in Cleveland, Ohio, and a bachelor’s de-gree in Computer Science from Kent StateUniversity. He is a board member of the RaineyInstitute in Cleveland and is a past board mem-ber and chair of the Investment Team forCleveland’s Social Venture Partnership.

Industry News

electric and pipeline utilities. We have partneredwith the Arbor Day Foundation to make this asuccess. We have also decided to make this meet-ing the home of the UAA’s annual business meet-ing. This will be the premier utility vegetationmanagement (UVM) event of the year.

The enthusiasm we see for this meeting is over-whelming. The prospects for exhibitors was pub-lished on the Friday before Christmas and we hadour first reservation within hours. We were closeto our goal for exhibit hall reservations beforeNew Year’s Eve. The sponsorship opportunitiesare being gobbled up and the program committeeis working on an exceptional program with multi-ple keynote speakers and multiple educationaltracks including topics on safety, contractingstrategies, customer relations, integrated vegeta-tion management (IVM), program management,regulations, and more. We will even hear fromsuppliers and vendors about some of the excitinginnovations they see coming to the industry. Visithttp://www.treesandutilities.org/ to keep upwith what will be the industry’s chief learningand engagement event.

E The UAA Newsline

While all these events are underway, the UAA Edi-torial Committee will continue to work behindthe scenes to keep on producing six editions ofthe UAA Newsline and one T&D World Supple-ment. We have a great team, and as you will seemonth after month, they are committed to excel-lence. The Newsline will be addressing six impor-tant areas in 2017, including Technology (thisissue), Safety, Emergency Response, Training andCareer Development, and Partnerships. If youhave something to contribute, please contactDiona at [email protected].

E The E-Newsline

To improve deliv-ery of theNewsline to ouroverseas audi-ence, the UAA willbe providing theNewsline in anelectronic ver-sion. If you residein North Americaand would preferthe electronicversion, please goto the UAA web-site and “opt out”of the printed version by updating your profile.

Page 9March–April 2017

Davey Names ParsonUtility Regional VicePresident

The Davey Tree Expert Companyhas announced the promotion ofJeff Parson to regional vice presi-dent for the utility service line.

In his new role, Parson will over-see Davey utility operations inthe Midwest.

Parson started his Davey careerin 1982 in Residential/Commercial services beforetransferring to utility services later that year. He heldpositions of increasing responsibility, including generalforeman, account manager, and regional manager beforebeing promoted to operations manager in 2013.

“Jeff’s vast experience with both clients and Davey em-ployees reinforces his commitment to safe and efficientwork for our utility clients in the Midwest,” said MarkVaughn, vice president and general manager of the east-ern utility services.

Parson is a 1993 graduate of the Davey Institute of TreeSciences—Davey’s flagship training program in biologicalsciences, safety, tree and plant care, and managementtechniques. He is a previous member of the Davey Presi-dent’s Council, whose members serve a three-year termon various committees to brainstorm and research newideas related to the company’s operations. He is also apast recipient of the Davey Outstanding Manager Award.

Davey Names UtilityVice President

The Davey Tree Expert Companyhas announced the promotion ofMike Mittiga to vice president ofutility operations.

Mittiga’s responsibilities includeoverseeing various accountsthroughout Davey’s eastern util-ity operations.

Mittiga graduated from Kent Uni-versity in 2006 with a bachelor’sdegree in Business Administration. He then began his ca-reer with Davey that same year as a management traineein Florida. He held various positions in utility operations inFlorida before moving back to Kent and assuming the roleof corporate operations manager. He is a former memberof the Davey President’s Council, whose members serve a

three-year term on various committees to brainstorm andresearch new ideas related to the company’s operations.

“Mike’s promotion is an important part of our successionplanning to strategically prepare our utility business seg-ment for opportunities of the future,” said Brent Repen-ning, senior vice president, Davey Resource Group andeastern utility operations. “Our intent is always to choosetalented, safety-conscious employees intent on providinghigh-level customer service for Davey leadership roles.”

Industry Expert PaulAppelt Retiring fromECI

By Jim Downie

Paul J. Appelt will retire from En-vironmental Consultants, Inc.(ECI) effective February 3, 2017following 17 years of service tothe company and the utility veg-etation management (UVM) in-dustry as a whole.

A recognized industry expert with more than 40 years ofVM experience, Appelt served as president of ECI for 10 ofthose years. As part of a leadership transition plan thatbegan in 2015, he became an executive vice president re-sponsible for the firm’s consulting and research services.

Appelt has led numerous projects that provided support toelectric utilities on the subject of VM. Consulting reportsauthored by him have been utilized to support regulatoryproceedings and have provided insight to dozens of utili-ties working to optimize their vegetation maintenancestrategies. Appelt’s consulting engagements include distri-bution VM studies, wood pole management plans, trans-mission right-of-way (ROW) studies, training services,litigation support, process benchmarking, and specialstudies.

Current ECI President James S. Downie said, “Many of ushave learned so much from Paul during his decades ofservice. He has been a major contributor to our industryand there is no doubt that his work has helped utilities im-prove safety and reliability, saved utilities many millionsof dollars, prevented wildfires, and has improved the util-ity customer’s experience by reducing tree-caused out-ages. He has helped our society find that ‘sweet spot’between the need for reliable gas and electric servicesand being good stewards of the environment. Our ECI fam-ily thanks Paul for his tireless efforts. He is leaving thecompany on a firm footing as we move forward to futuresuccesses at ECI. It is comforting for me to know that oneof the industry’s greatest resources is still close and avail-able for advice.”

Jeff Parson

Mike Mittiga

Paul J. Appelt

Page 10 Utility Arborist Newsline

Mosquitos

It’s not uncommon for arborists to come in contact withmosquitos. While a typical mosquito bite is just an itchyannoyance, some mosquitos may carry the West Nile Virus(WNV), which can be particularly dangerous. Floodedareas, usually in warm climates, provide ideal conditionsfor mosquitos to breed in stagnant water. Bites from mos-quitos infected with WNV may result in illnesses rangingfrom mild flu-like conditions to severe and sometimes life-threatening conditions requiring hospitalization. How can you prevent this?

• Skin coverage. Cover as much skin as possible by wear-ing long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and socks.

• Use insect repellant. Choose an insect repellant thatcontains DEET, picaridin, or lemon eucalyptus oil anduse it on any skin not covered by clothing. Be sure tochoose the insect repellant that will provide the mostprotection for the amount of time you’ll be exposed.The more DEET or picaridin a repellant contains, thelonger it can protect you. Remember not to spray re-pellant in enclosed areas or directly on your face, anddo not allow the repellant to come in contact with youreyes, mouth, cuts, wounds, or irritated skin.

• Be vigilant. Mosquitos are most active from dusk todawn, so take the proper precautions during this time.

• Avoid perfume. Mosquitos are often attracted toscented lotions, perfumes, or cologne, so it’s best toavoid these.

Ticks

The chances of being bitten by a deer tick are greater dur-ing times of the year when ticks are most active. Young deerticks are active from mid-May to mid-August, while adultticks are most active from March to mid-May and from mid-August to November. Although not all ticks are infected with

the bacterium that causes Lyme disease, both types cantransmit the disease. When left untreated, the disease canspread to the joints, heart, and nervous system.

• Reduce exposure. Reducing exposure to ticks is thebest defense against those that carry Lyme disease andother tick-borne infections. It’s best to avoid areas ofhigh infestation, which generally include the northeast-ern seaboard and the north central states.

• DEET. This chemical in a repellant has been used for anumber of years. When used properly, it can be effec-tive at reducing bites from ticks.

• Permethrin. This is used on clothing only—not on skin.The chemical kills ticks and insects that come in con-tact with treated clothes.

• Oil of lemon eucalyptus (PMD). Although DEET lastslonger, PMD is still effective when there isn’t prolongedexposure to the threat.

• Other botanical oils. Oil of geranium, cedar, lemongrass,

MOSQUITOES

T

ThreatWest Nile Virus

Bites can result in flu-like conditions; life-threatening diseases

P

Use repellents with DEET or Picaridin

M

Prevention

Cover skin

B

Avoid scented perfumes/cologne

Insect Protection: An Everyday Safety NecessityBy Renee Bissett, manager, Marketing and Communications, ACRT Inc.Graphics content provided by ACRT, Source: OSHA Safety Presentation 2015

Arborist safety is far ranging and takes many forms, but one of the simplest starts in protecting yourself againstenvironmental hazards of all types. Utility arborists work outdoors—we’re regularly exposed to the elements, includingall the creatures big and small that walk the earth. Protection against insect stings and bites is an easy thing to do, andit’s important, helping to prevent significant injury or illness that can result from contact with the wrong critter.

Read on as we take stock of some of the more common pests found where arborists perform their duties, and theessential precautions and safety tips you should know to protect yourself.

BUZZ OFF! Protect Yourself From These Threatening Insects

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

March–April 2017 Page 11

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soy, or citronella can also be used to protect againstticks. However, it should be known that there is littleinformation available on the effectiveness and toxicityof these oils.

• Removal. Should the worst happen and a tick bites, properremoval of the tick can minimize symptoms. Using tweez-ers, grasp the mouthparts as close to the skin as possibleand gently pull the tick straight out. Never squeeze thetick, as the body of it can contain infectious fluids.After removal, disinfect the bite and wash your hands.

Bees and Wasps

Bees and wasps are particularly dangerous for those whoare allergic to them. Most people stung by bees or waspswill experience local effects like pain, swelling, and red-ness around the sting site. However, a mild allergic reac-tion could result in hives and a severe allergic reactioncould cause anaphylaxis, with symptoms including hives,swollen eyes and eyelids, wheezing, shock, and uncon-sciousness or cardiac arrest. Should those symptoms ap-pear, immediately seek medical help.

• Get tested. Before venturing out into areas with beesand wasps present, verify any bee allergies with skintesting and consider immunization.

• Carry identification. Carry identification or tags notinghypersensitivity and carry an insect sting kit with you,should you get stung.

• Remain calm. Whether outside or inside, it’s best to al-ways remain calm in the presence of bees and wasps.

• Move slowly. Should a bee or wasp fly near you, thebest course of action is to slowly raise your arms toprotect your face and stand still or move slowly awayfrom the threat through bushes or move indoors. Mov-ing rapidly could provoke an attack, so never move tooquickly.

• Never strike or swat. Striking or swatting at a wasp orbee against your skin could cause it to sting. If crushedwhen swung at, nearby yellow jackets could sense athreat and stage an attack. Wasp venom contains achemical “alarm pheromone,” and when this is re-leased into the air, guard wasps are signaled to comeand sting whomever and whatever stands in their way.

• Removal. Even when taking the proper precautions,bees and wasps might still find you an attractive target.Should a bee sting, remove any bee stingers as quicklyand carefully as possible. The longer the stinger re-mains in the skin, the stronger the reaction can be. >


TICKS

Threat

Lyme Disease (Borrelia Burgdorferi); bacteria from a bite can spread to joints, heart & nervous system

Prevention

Use repellents with DEET or Picaridin

Use Permethrin as extra protection FOR CLOTHING/GEAR USE ONLY!

Wear light colors; check for ticks every 2–3 hours

Long sleeves & pants; tuck pants into socks or shoes

Removal

Grasp mouthparts with tweezers as close to skin as possible. Gently pull straight out without squeezing body of tick

After removal, disinfect the bite and wash hands

DON’T SQUEEZE!

T

BEES & WASPS

C

ThreatAllergic reaction

Prevention/Treatment

Verify any bee allergies via skin testing

Carry sting kit (EpiPen®) if necessary & identification of hypersensitivity

Keep sweet items covered (i.e. soft drinks & ripened fruit)

Avoid scented perfumes/cologne

DON’T MOVE RAPIDLYThis often

provokes attack

DON’T SWATWasp venom contains pheromones, signaling nearby wasps to swarm

Remove bee stingers quickly to avoid stronger reactions

G

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••


Chiggers

No creature on earth can cause as much irritation for itssize as the chigger. These tiny insects attack in low, dampareas in places like woodlands, berry patches, orchards,along lakes and streams, and even in drier places likelawns, golf courses, and parks. While they’re not known tocarry diseases, they’re still a nuisance you’ll want to avoidwhen possible. When they bite, they leave small, reddishwelts on the skin which is accompanied by intense itching.Scratching a chigger bite may break the skin, resulting in asecondary infection.

• Launder clothes. After returning from a chigger-in-fested area, make sure to launder your clothes insoapy, hot water (125°F) for half an hour. Infestedclothes should not be worn again until they are prop-erly laundered.

• Insect repellant. Insect repellant applied to skin andclothing can effectively ward off chiggers. Be sure tospray the repellant to areas such as hands, arms, orlegs if uncovered, and to clothing openings at cuffs,neck, waistband, and the upper edges of socks.

• Dress appropriately. Chigger larvae are known to pene-trate many types of clothing, but high boots andtrousers of tightly woven fabric tucked into stockings orboots help deter them.

• Itch relief. In the event of a chigger bite, apply

ointment of benzocaine, hydrocortisone, calamine lo-tion, or others as recommended by a pharmacist ordoctor to relieve itching.

Spiders and Stinging Insects

When insects sting or spiders bite, quick action is required.Should you experience a bite from brown recluse spiders,fire ants, or scorpions, you’ll notice marked swelling anddiscoloration of the affected skin area, indicating a tissue-destroying bite. Black widow spiders attack with neurotoxicbites that may not cause any swelling or discoloration.

• Ice. Upon a sting or bite, immediately apply ice to thesite or immerse the affected body part in ice wateruntil a physician can be reached.

• Capture. If possible, capture the insect. Doing so, youcan properly identify what type of insect or spider hasattacked you and better treat the bite or sting.

Final Words

The key to managing the risks from any of these insects isawareness and knowing what you’re going up against. Un-derstand the levels of risk posed by the insects. Being ableto distinguish between the species will save time, money,and possibly a trip to the emergency room. With thesesafety tips in mind, arborists can travel more safely andconfidently in the environments where insects are mostcommon.

CHIGGERS

S

Prevention

Found in low, damp areas with rank vegetation

Most numerous in early summer when vegetation is heaviest

Launder clothes after leaving a chigger-infested area

To relieve itching, apply benzocaine, hydrocortisone or calamine lotion

C

Threat

Bites can cause irritation

Scratching or breaking bites may cause secondary infection

SPIDERS & STINGING INSECTS

Threat

Brown recluse spiders, fire ants, scorpions • Tissue-destroying bites; watch for marked swelling or discoloration

Black widow spiders • Neurotoxic bites may not cause swelling or discoloration

Content provided by ACRT, Inc.S

Treatment

Apply ice to site or immerse affected body part in ice water until a physician can be reached

If possible, capture insect for proper identification

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••


More DataSmarter Decisions

,

By Philip Charlton, Executive Director of the UAA

Leveraging GIS for VM Optimization

James Urbanowsky (New Brunswick Power) wrote awhite paper based on extensive discussions among51 participants in the 2016 System Utility VegetationManagers Summit. This technical paper exploresfour areas:1. How GIS is being used to support vegetation

management (VM) programs2. How VM strategies are evolving3. How LiDAR contributes4. Where utilities are heading with VM optimization

System Utility Vegetation Managers Summit —April 10–12

Approximately 50 utility vegetation managers willmeet in San Francisco in April. Topics will includesafety, managing liability and risk, best practices forenvironmental stewards. This event is open to util-ity-employed vegetation managers. For more infor-mation, visit our Events page, found with thisaddress: https://uaa.wildapricot.org/page-18072.

Best Practices Benchmarking — February 1–September 25

The Summit/Best Practice Committee has initiatedtwo comparative data groups for Distribution LineClearance and Transmission Vegetation Management.The goals are to help participants understand howthey compare to peer utilities in terms of value perexpenditure, to allow participants to identify oppor-tunities to increase value from vegetationexpenditures, and to provide the widerindustry with basic information on com-mon practices. The study will be led byparticipants with a commitment tokeeping it focused and, more im-portantly, keeping it simple.Dozens of utilities are partici-pating and there is still timefor you to join. Simply let usknow of your interest by e-mailing us at:[email protected].

Review of IVM Standard – A300 Part 7 — January–April

A300 Part 7—the Integrated Vegetation Management(IVM) Standard—is open for review. William Rees(BG&E), Niel Fisher (PG&E), and Matt Simons(Pepco) are leading a team to consider if changesshould be made to the standards. The discussion re-volves around how to bring the standard and bestmanagement practices into better alignment andhow additional principles within the Right-of-Way(ROW) Stewardship Councils IVM Standard should beincorporated. For more information, contact PhilCharlton at [email protected].

A Look at Industry Practices — June

The Summit Committee and the Comparative DataGroups Steering Committees will be sharing generalinformation from the benchmarking studies. Thefocus will be on industry practices, acceptance ofindustry best practices, attitudes towards industryrecognition programs (e.g., Tree Line USA, Right-of-Way Stewardship), and more.

Industry Best Practice Benchmarking Roundtable —September 26

The Summit/Best Practices will be hosting a pre-conference workshop on the morning prior to thestart of the Trees & Utilities Conference. This meet-ing will be open to all participants in the UAA BestPractices Benchmark Studies. This meeting willbegin with a presentation of results followed byroundtable discussions.

Page 16

UAA Summit/Best Practices Committee News


© ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/VMASTERART

SAIT, UAA-UVMAPartner CollegeCelebrates Milestonesand PUVM TrainingLaunch

By Neil Thiessen, Executive DirectorUVMA, Past President UAA

SAIT is celebrating two milestone an-niversaries: 100 years of education and50 years for the School of Business. Addi-tionally, the Professional Utility VegetationManagement (PUVM) training is successfullylaunched!

The Utility Vegetation Management Association(UVMA) and Utility Arborist Association (UAA) choseSAIT as their training delivery partner because of theworldwide reputation of excellence.

“We are very pleased with the professional staffwe are working with while we complete thecurriculum development for the last fewcourses,” said Kevin Tritten, UVMA EducationCommittee Chairman. “SAIT’s high standardsand quality control have proven an asset as wedeliver the first of its kind utility industrytraining.”

What are the PUVM coursesstudents study?

The first 60 percent of the two-and-a-half year course focuses on UVMoperations and the balance of man-agement issues such as Leadership,Culture of Safety, and Business CaseManagement. All 10 courses are 40hours each.

Course #1 - MNGT 130 Introductionto UVM. Build the foundation with anintroduction to the UVM industry and

a review of the electrical systems andstructures in North America. Explore com-

mon career paths leading into the industryand the credentials required. Assess factors im-

pacting the development of integrated vegetationmanagement (IVM) programs, including: industry

stakeholders, power systems, land ownership types,and applicable governing authorities. Develop a strong

understanding of this unique industry.

Course #2 - MNGT 131 Utility Arboriculture Principlesand Optimizing Resources. Make decisions based on thescience! Review the basic utility arboricultural principlesinvolved with UVM. Explore the climatic zones and growthrates revealing their impact on treatment methods andoperational cycles. Select appropriate work crew configu-rations and optimize resources.

Course #3 - MNGT 138 Inventory and Data BaseManagement Systems. It’s all about the vegetation! The


Current PUVM StudentComments

Steve QuinlanDistribution TreeTrimming andLine InspectionCoordinator,ENMAX PowerCorporation

“Urban UVM issuch a special-ized industry. Working for the utilityhas exposed many gaps even with myArborist and Powerline Technicianbackground.”

Brian SprinkleCN Utility Consulting

“The UVMA-UAAPUVM traininghas helped signif-icantly in narrow-ing the gap inknowledge andhas far exceeded my expectations.While the courses are a big commit-ment, I see the real value as it ap-plies to my job. Discussions withclassmates are very valuable as wecollectively share ideas, learn, and look for solutions.”

Daniel DrewesHead Supervisor, Davey Tree, FortisAccount

I work for DaveyTree out of theNisku, Alberta,Canada office onour Fortis Albertaaccount. Istarted in theUVM industry in2006 as a laboreron an aerial lifttruck. Throughout the course of thelast 11 years, I’ve become a certifiedUtility Tree Trimmer as well as an ISACertified Arborist. I have been fortu-nate enough to rise through theranks at Davey Tree to my currentrole as Head Supervisor of the Fortis

Alberta account. There are 80 em-ployees on this account—30 mechani-cal crews—so I stay busy.

I’ve been lucky enough to be se-lected for the first class of studentsto participate in the PUVM trainingprogram. Already, with only two ofthe modules completed, I havegained new skills that I’ve put to usein my operations. Stakeholder priori-ties and power matrices are a greattool to identify the impact certainstakeholders can have on a project.Increased awareness of how the leg-islation and governing bodies affectUVM gives me a greater appreciationfor the pressures that utility compa-nies are under. This knowledge al-lows me to influence my company inorder to better assist our clients inreaching their goals. The contentthat this course is providing enablesme to have a base knowledge togrow from across the entire UVMprocess from start to finish. Environ-mental scanning, optimal cycles,growth rates, control methods, andinventory management are some ofthe skills I’ve acquired, and we’rejust getting started!

It is very exciting to be a part ofsuch a massive industry undertakingthat this PUVM course represents.This PUVM course is sure to provide alevel of comprehension across the in-dustry that will certainly propel usinto the future.

key to an optimal IVM program will be Collecting an accu-rate vegetation inventory. Explore methods of collecting,storing, and retrieving accurate vegetation inventorydata. Meet legal and regulatory compliance requirements;minimize risk and liability by documenting and storingrecords in a professional manner.

Course #4 - MNGT 135 Contracts and Project Management.Getting a premium quality job done “on time” and “onbudget” is the result of a good contract and a strong setof project management skills. From start to finish, leadyour team, but manage your project. Negotiate the appro-priate contract and successfully manage the implementa-tion of your IVM program plan.

Course #5–6 - MNGT 133 Program Planning. (Blended: 40hours online, 40 hours in class) The reality of budgets! Ex-plore budgets and their impact on the best laid-out plans.Assess the different types of VM programs and analyze thecomponents when creating your own effective and effi-cient IVM plan. Present your analysis and plan with othercourse participants and facilitators during the embeddedface-to-face course.

Course start dates are January, April, and September. Thecurrent students are providing valued input to prepare forfuture participants. Inquiries may be directed towww.sait-training.com/PUVM.


FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY


What’s New inHelicopter Operations?

By Charles Moore, General Manager of Sys-tem Operations, SCE&G

Using helicopters to patrol lines after amajor storm is not usual. However, inthe aftermath of Hurricane Matthew inOctober 2016, South Carolina Electric &Gas (SCE&G) maximized the use of thehelicopters they employ for both pa-trolling and aerial sawing.

The contractors, Aerial Solutions, Inc.and Rotor Blade LLC, both flew patrolsof assigned portions of the utility’s sys-tem with some aircraft equipped withaerial saws. The aircraft with aerialsaws patrolled and removed trees fromtransmission lines that were out due tothe hurricane. Patrol helicopters sur-veyed lines that were still energizedand some that were not. Their findingswere logged and issues addressed usingground crews or helicopters with saws.In addition to other benefits, thismethod made it possible for line crewsto focus on repairs and restorationwithout having to wait for a tree crew.

The Right Tool and Institutional Knowledge Pay Off

For any utility that has experienced widespread, sustainedwinds and torrential rain from a hurricane, it’s usually diffi-cult to quickly assess system damage caused by trees andthen immediately mitigate it. With SCE&G’s blitz patrollingaerial sawing method, a large amount of the storm restora-tion process was accomplished much more efficiently.

The problem of safely and quickly getting tree crews intoflooded, swampy areas, remote island communities orsteep terrain was addressed using aerial saws instead ofmanual crews. Aerial sawing those toppled or severelybroken trees allowed the line crews to get started on re-pairs sooner and allowed tree crews to focus on stormdamage in more densely populated areas. The aerial sawand patrolling were used to support both transmission anddistribution restoration work during the aftermath ofHurricane Matthew.

For SCE&G, having aerial sawing contractors that were al-ready familiar with thousands of miles of the utility’s elec-tric and gas transmission rights-of-way (ROWs) and ruralelectric distribution lines was an added efficiency bonus.Aerial sawing has been a long-used tool in SCE&G’s vegeta-tion management (VM) toolbox, having contracted with

Aerial Solutions for more than 30 yearsand for the past six years with RotorBlade. The institutional knowledge andexperience that these contractors’ pi-lots and ground crews provide is invalu-able in an emergency.

New Aerial Topping Saw Operations

In late 2015, SCE&G identified heavyconcentrations of dead trees in a se-cured area that needed to be addressedin a timely manner. Just removing thetops of the dead trees was all that wasneeded to mitigate the hazard. Usingthe typical process of sending in groundcrews was not an option at the time be-cause they were already committed tocompleting SCE&G’s cycle work for 2015.

Rotor Blade was contacted to see ifthey could modify a saw to cut the topout of the trees using a helicopter. Inresponse, Ashley Haddock of RotorBlade quickly designed, and his teamfabricated, an aerial topping saw proto-type. The pilots have perfected theirtopping saw techniques and, after re-viewing the findings from transmissionsystem flight patrols, the use of thetopping saw proved to be more cost ef-fective than sending in ground crews.

With an increasing number of dead or dying trees affectedby pine beetles, as well as other invasive pests, drought,or fires, the aerial topping saw is a highly efficient way ofmitigating the risk to electric lines and gas transmissionlines. Steep or swampy terrain that mechanical trimmingmachines cannot easily or safely access is much less of aproblem and most importantly, tree workers no longerhave to manually fall the trees in a safe manner in unde-sirable work conditions.

Risks vs. Benefits

With more than 30 years of experience in using helicoptersfor aerial sawing, SCE&G has gathered plenty of data toprove that the relatively high cost per hour for this serviceis more than offset by the time saved when comparing itto ground-based tree crews and/or mechanical trimmingmachines when cutting a ROW ground-to-sky.

The safety precautions that SCE&G’s helicopter vendorsuse to ensure the public and its electric facilities are pro-tected have been shown to be effective. Their safety per-formance, skill, and innovative equipment allow SCE&Gto utilize this technology to manage its system in a cost-effective manner.

(Above) An aerial topping saw hangsapproximately 100 feet below thehelicopter. (Below) Close up of the saw atan angle on the ground.


Announcing an advanced reporting and analytics solution that is free for all customers.

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Utility arboriculture research Best management practices Current trends in vegetation management Continuing education credits Networking opportunities

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

How Social MediaCan Make anImpact on UVM

For utilities, social mediarepresents a simple way tocommunicate directly withcustomers, and can helpeducate your audiences on theessential nature of UVM.

By Renee Bissett, Manager of Marketingand Communications, ACRT, Inc.

Sometimes it can feel like socialmedia has been around forever.Where were we before Facebook,Twitter, Instagram, and all the rest?What did we do with our time?Those in the digital marketing realmcontinue to find new ways to utilize

© ISTO

CKPHO

TO.CO

M/ELLAG

RIN

Trees & Utilities Conference: a partnership of the Utility Arborist Association and the Arbor Day Foundation

As a result of high-demand requests, the Trees & Utilities Conference is back!

This conference will be the chief learning and engagement event for utility vegetation managers and

associated urban forestry professionals in the world.

�e Trees & Utilities Conference will offer the latest in:

Utility arboriculture research Best management practices Current trends in vegetation management Continuing education credits Networking opportunities

Trade shows

Enhance your program and help grow and maintain community trees while providing safe, reliable utility service. Join your utility colleagues for this event to help identify new ideas, practices, and partnerships.

Visit TreesandUtilities.orgto sign up for regular conference updates.

September 26-28, 2017Kansas City, MissouriSeptember 26-28, 2017Kansas City, Missouri

gotouaa.org

SAV

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SAVE TH

E DATE

the instant connectivity that socialmedia spaces have granted. Organi-zations of all types, from corpora-tions to non-profits, have takenadvantage.

Social media represents a technologythat can positively affect customerservice and satisfaction, outage andemergency response, and a utility’soverall reputation. Active and robustsocial channels that draw from allaspects of a utility’s operations canhave a tangible impact, helping drivea message proactively. It can andshould be an essential part of a util-ity’s comprehensive communicationsplan.

Research shows that customer en-gagement is of increasing importancefor utilities in part due to smart gridinvestments and smartphone appsthat can help users track their

energy usage. According to the J.D.Power 2016 Electric Utility Residen-tial Customer Satisfaction Study,“Electric utility providers continueto struggle to match other industriesin customer satisfaction.”

Education for Customers

A recent study from Cognizant, aglobal business and technology con-sultant, offers particularly keen in-sight into how and why utilities aretaking advantage of social media intheir communications. Utilities arethinking “beyond the meter,” ac-cording to the firm, by initiatingtwo-way conversations with cus-tomers, and using their channelsto drive, spread, and amplifyconversations.

The study cites some interesting sta-tistics, particularly when it comes to

how end-users are interacting andengaging with utilities through socialmedia. Obtaining information aboututility services or programs repre-sents one of the most significantgoals of customers at 31.5 percent,tied with settling a billing issue.Next comes praise about service(24.7 percent) followed by outage in-formation (19.2 percent).

What do these numbers tell us? Am-plifying our messages is one of themost important strategies that socialmedia can help utilities accomplish.When it comes to utility vegetationmanagement (UVM), one of the mostimportant parts of performing ourjobs correctly is proper communica-tion with our customers when doingwork.

Direct, face-to-face conversationswith customers are often necessary

If you are interested insponsoring or exhibiting,

contact us now!TreesandUtilities.org

Tee off for the23rd AnnualAsplundh GolfOutingAn afternoon of golf to helpraise money for the researchand education that advancesutility arboriculture, with netproceeds benefitting theTREE Fund

Monday, Sept. 25, 2017Tiffany Greens Golf Club 6100 NW Tiffany Greens PkwyKansas City, MO 64154

Register by: Friday, Sept. 15, 2017

For more information:e-mail Donna [email protected],or visit www.asplundh.com



to properly explain how and why ourcrews must prune, cut, and remove,especially when private property isinvolved. In the best-case scenarios,these conversations go smoothly andthe customer walks away with agood understanding of the work thatmust be performed and why it mustbe done.

We all know that sometimes theseconversations aren’t so easy, andgetting property owners to recognizethe necessity of our work may in-volve more than a one-off conversa-tion. This is when initiating abroader educational campaign andutilizing our customer-facing com-munication tools including socialmedia can make an impact on cus-tomers’ general awareness of UVMand why it’s important.

A practical example: A comprehen-sive right-of-way (ROW) cycle takesa few years in many cases, as UVMcrews work their way through agiven service area. In addition toregular communications notifyingproperty owners that crews mayneed to work in their area, a socialmedia campaign can help strengthenthese efforts. They can deploy mes-saging through social channels andtell social audiences where treecrews are headed within the comingweeks, boosting general awarenessof the work that will be performedsoon.

Through the same process, educateyour audiences. Why are your crewsperforming UVM work soon? What’s

the reason? UVM programs improveeveryday safety and reliability, butwe are also proactively working tolessen the burden from extremeweather phenomena like hurricanesand iced storms. Each UVM programhas unique reasons for resonatingwith customers of a give region.

Total Communication

There are many other ways that util-ities can take advantage of socialchannels. Consider the aftermath ofthe next major storm event. Manyutilities across the country have usedtheir social media platforms to com-municate critical information duringthese times of crisis. This can in-clude outage information and postingreal-time progress updates as utili-ties work to fix what may have beenimpacted.

Others have taken it a step further.For example, a major power outagethat occurs during a bout of severecold weather could be life threaten-ing to families if they can’t heattheir homes. Utilities can use theirchannels to help communicate tocustomers where they may findheated areas at fire departments orother facilities while the power isfixed.

Many utilities also engage in directconversations with customers basedon the issues they may be experienc-ing. It’s a good way to disseminateoutage and other information whenyour customers are demanding it.

How to Do It Right

There are several things that a goodsocial media campaign, regardless ofyour industry or your overarchingmessage, does well to resonate withcustomers. For UVM, those rulesdon’t change:

• Be strategic to drive your mes-sage. No matter who overseesyour social media accounts anddeploys your messages, it’s impor-tant to nail down one thing first:the purpose of your social media

activities. Is it to respond betterto customers? Educate the com-munity? Add an element of fun toyour organization’s public face?

• Storytelling is king. Throughoutthe past several years, it’s beenclear that social media has been asuccess for many organizationsand brands. Why? It’s not becausepeople connect with a logo. It’sbecause they connect with thestory these brands are telling.From the utility perspective,don’t focus on what you do (pro-viding electric power), focus onwhat that means for your cus-tomers (a comfortable homewith reliable power) and yourcommunities.

• Think visually. It takes effort tostand out among your customers’social media feeds. You are com-peting with their friends, family,co-workers, and other brands.Populating your channels with vi-suals, including photos from thefield, infographics, and thehuman faces of your organizationcan help you stand out. Considerthis: it’s been shown that thehuman brain processes visuals60,000 times faster than text.

• Timing is everything. Socialmedia works and flows in realtime. Your communications teamsmust be at the ready with real-time responses when the situationcalls for them, or else social ef-forts will be lost on your customerbase. Consider a major outage orstorm damage caused by a fallentree—if your channel is unrespon-sive to a customer requestingclean-up information, your chan-nel is doing more harm than good.

Overall, social media can make a bigimpact on your organization’s repu-tation with your customer base whendone correctly. Consider how you canimplement social media into yourdigital marketing efforts carefully,and use it to help enhance the over-all service you’re providing.

Page 24

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By James Urbanowsky, New Brunswick Power

This article was previously developed as a white paperbased on discussions among 51 participants in the 2016Utility Arborist Association (UAA) Utility Vegetation Man-agers Summit in Charlotte, North Carolina.

1. Introduction

Electrical utility vegetation managers face many chal-lenges, including:• A vast utility network that requires treatment across

varying terrain• Interaction with varying ecosystems, migratory species,

land owners, and customers• Evolving regulations, jurisdictions, and land-use inter-

est groups• The logistical challenges of contractor workforce man-

agement• The data tracking, auditing, compliance, budgetary,

and planning functions that accompany the complextask of managing a utility vegetation program

These challenges have utility foresters trying to under-stand new technologies, and how to move toward a solu-tion that best meets utility vegetation management (UVM)needs. Today, many utilities have some technology inplace, such as a geographic information system (GIS), tospatially display utility asset and vegetation treatment in-formation. Recent software development and the additionof Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) acquired pointcloud data show promise for assisting with the planningand work management process. Utility foresters are alsoexploring various VM optimization strategies, where datais used to drive changes in maintenance cycle or workpractice to leverage cost savings.

In 2015, the UAA Utility Vegetation Managers Summit fos-tered significant discussion on “Vegetation Asset Manage-ment Strategies.” The result was a short-list of variousways that GIS platforms are being used to help vegetationmanagers. The 2016 summit topic was closely related andincluded “Emerging Technologies for Vegetation Manage-ment” and “T&D Maintenance Optimization Strategies.”The outcome from these two meetings is reflected in thefollowing technical paper, which explores GIS, LiDAR, andcurrent vegetation maintenance strategies, and ties themtogether to bring focus to the emerging technique of “optimization.”

In the simplest sense, “optimization” may be thought of asthe act of refining the VM strategy in current use for thepurpose of improving operational efficiency, better manag-ing risk, improving customer service, and potentially reduc-ing costs. There is an industry optimization trend toward

creating smaller management units, where specific environ-mental conditions or other drivers can be better addressed.The next step in optimization that was introduced at theUAA meetings was “Predictive Analytics.” Optimization canbe looked at as a decision-making process. Predictive ana-lytics use mathematics, algorithms, and computer softwarenot only to sort and organize data, but to use that data tomake recommendations faster and better than humans(Sashihara 1). Predictive analytics, or simply “optimizationmodelling,” is the next planning level solution that the util-ity industry can use to optimize VM programs.

2. Objective

Today, there are new data sources and software optionsthat are poised to dramatically change the planning, im-plementation, and tracking processes for VM. This articleexplores:• How GIS is being used to support VM programs• How VM strategies are evolving• Where LiDAR fits in• Where utilities are heading with VM optimization

3. Using GIS for VM

A GIS is a computer-based tool that allows users to store,manipulate, and visualize geographic information on amap. In a GIS, information about the real world is storedand collected as thematic layers. These layers are alllinked by the same geography. Because we connect datawith geography, we understand what belongs where, andwe can see the data spatially across the landscape andacross time (Williams 2). In addition:• GIS is the go-to technology for enhancing utility deci-

sion-making, including route and corridor selection, andis widely used to optimize maintenance schedules andfleet movements.

• GIS-based maps are a visual language that improvescommunication between engineering, operations, sen-ior management, legislators, regulators, land owners,municipalities, and the public.

• GIS enables utilities to maintain authoritative recordson vegetation treatments, herbicide applications, envi-ronmental mitigation plans, and changing site condi-tions as time progresses.

VM programs can benefit enormously from using GIS plat-forms because almost everything is related to geography.GIS assists managers by displaying asset types by locationand can be overlaid with local conditions and restrictions.GIS can spatially display treatment history, use of contrac-tor resources, and cost history related to a point or pointson a map. However, GIS does not actually prepare a plan.Managers must prepare the plan and use GIS to display theplanned progression and history.

Leveraging GIS for VM Optimization

The implementation of an effective VM program dependson answering the five following basic questions with re-spect to planning:1. Where are we planning vegetation treatments?2. When are we scheduling vegetation treatments?3. Whose trees are going to be impacted?4. What regulatory, public, or environmental restrictions

are we going to encounter?5. What did we learn from this process and are there any

changes?

A GIS and its various data layers need to be designed tohelp managers easily address and display the answers tothe above questions.

3.1 GIS Data Sources for VM

How vegetation managers use a GIS platform determinesits ultimate value. Chart 1 identifies the primary datasources that can contribute to an effective UVM program.Utility foresters use these data sources to manage the ad-ministrative details of planning, implementing, and re-porting on VM treatments, which ultimately translates intofield activities, summarized below.

In addition to the listed GIS data sources, there are manyexternal “drivers” that influence VM decisions and activi-ties, including:• Overall utility and vegetation program objectives• State regulations or considerations• Reliability statistics and NERC regulations governing

reliability• Environmental regulations• Treatment types and timing• Treatment costs• Size of “management unit”

The following sections review how these external driversinfluence vegetation program planning and why theyshould be considered in order to move towards an “opti-mized” vegetation program.

3.2 Utility and Vegetation Program Objectives

Most electrical utilities have an overall objective todeliver safe and reliable power at reasonable cost, whilemeeting the needs of customers, following regulations,and respecting the environment. VM is but one of thedepartments within the larger utility group thatcontributes to achieving overall reliability objectives.Each asset group within a utility may have vegetationcontrol issues, but transmission and distribution have themost to manage due to linear corridors connectinggeneration to customers.

UVM is required to meet four basic corporate objectives(see Table 2). These are translated into the following“typical” vegetation program “objectives and responses,”which can be supported by various GIS data layers.

Historically, the corporate objective of reducing costs wasan opposing objective to improving reliability, meetingsafety, and adhering to regulations. Today, the traditionalvegetation program “response” to increase spending orimplement more reactive cutting programs is now forcingutility vegetation managers to consider treatment “opti-mization” as a new strategy to improve reliability whilereducing costs.

Although both transmission and distribution vegetationprograms may be aligned with overall corporate objec-tives, they often have different internal program objec-tives that result from differences in regulations, size oftreatment areas, types of treatments, and customer den-sity, as shown in Table 3.

All of the program objectives and differences translateinto varying GIS data layers that drive objectives and con-straints, affect program costs, and become essential datasources for vegetation program optimization.


GIS DATASOURCES:

Land BaseAssetsOwnershipCustomersEnvironmentRegulationsReliability DataTree DataCost Data

• Field Inventory• Prepare Schedule of

Treatments• Review Approved Plan• Solicit Bids for

Treatments

• LandownerNotification /Communications

• ContractorManagement / Safety

• Field Season / ApplyTreatments

• Track Treatments

• Post MaintenanceAudit / Treatments asRequired

• Qualify TreatmentSuccess

• Recommend Follow-up• Report Key

PerformanceIndicators

• Adjust Next Seanon’sPlan

Chart 1.


3.3 Reliability and VM

For electrical utilities, “reliability” isthe measure of how continuouslyelectricity is delivered to a customermeter. Reliability is quantified usingvarious statistical measures based onthe quantity, duration, and types ofinterruptions that stop the deliveryof electricity to customers. Utilitiestypically use SAIDI, SAIFI, CAIDI, andCEMI as the primary reliability in-dices in order to allow comparisonsbetween utilities and to developmanagement priorities. Additionalindices include CEMMI, CELID, MAIFI,and Index of Reliability. (Please referto relevant IEEE or CEA reliability in-dices and definitions.)

Reliability regulations vary consider-ably between transmission and distri-bution. Transmission lines more than200kV comply with NERC FAC-003-4.

When it comes to budget allocation,NERC regulations have the effect ofplacing higher priority on funding oftransmission vegetation maintenancemore than distribution due to thefines for violations.

GIS data can be used to track trans-mission compliance for each of thefollowing NERC requirements:• Manage vegetation to ensure no

encroachments into the MinimumVegetation Clearance Distance(MVCD).– LiDAR layer confirming no en-

croachments along right-of-way(ROW) boundaries

• Immediately notify the controllingauthority of impending vegetationconditions.– GIS layer showing annual off

ROW danger tree removal loca-tions plus any tree violations

• Inspect annually and complete

treatments for 100 percent oflines more than 200kV.– GIS layer showing annual cut

plan (scheduled and imple-mented) plus historical and fu-ture plans by year

Distribution networks are not cur-rently subject to federal regulations,but many are subject to state regula-tions. For example, New Hampshireregulates the clearance at the timeof pruning and cycle length. Califor-nia requires a minimum clearance of18 inches on distribution lines, withadditional clearance required duringfire season in certain areas. Otherstates have approached regulation ina variety of ways.

From the perspective of VM:• Trees are typically one of the

most frequent causes of electricinterruptions and, as such, the

Table 2. Basic Corporate Objectives

Corporate Objective Vegetation Program Objectives & Responses

GIS Layer

Improve Reliability • Minimize vegetation outages• Increase vegetation program spend• Implement “reactive” maintenance program

• Track tree outages from OMS• Show reliability stats by circuit

Ensure Worker &Public Safety

• Minimize tree incidents• Minimize worker injuries• Keep lines clear of vegetation for adequate

visual line inspection and troubleidentification

• Increase vegetation program spending

• Track tree incidents• Track safety incidents and history

Reduce Costs • Only perform VM work where required• Program funding reduction / or productivity

improvements

• Track cost history / treatment / year /circuit

Comply withRegulations

• Minimize regulatory violations (NERCviolations, oil spills, water, bird and speciesviolations)

• Implement training • Increase vegetation program spending

• Track tree removals and violations • Track oil spills and watercourse crossings• Track bird nests, restricted habitat areas,

wetlands, and rare flora and fauna

Table 3. Vegetation Program Objectives - Differences Between Transmission & Distribution:

Transmission Distribution

Manage Entire Lines Manage 3-phase /1-phase & Protected Sections separately

NERC FAC-003-4 = NO Tree Caused Outages Accepts Risk of Tree-Caused Outages

Long-term Sustainable Plant Communities on Rights-of-Ways for 5, 10, or even 20 years.

Urban 3-year / Suburban 3-year / Rural 6-year Cycle


highest contributors of reducedelectrical reliability as measuredby frequency and duration of treecaused outages (e.g., trees cause35 percent of distribution outagesat NBP - 5 yr. avg. SAIFI).

• Frequency (SAIFI) of tree-causedoutages is an indicator of treeproximity, health, and mortality.It allows utilities to prepare “re-active” treatment plans to targetareas of poor reliability, and re-spond to evolving tree and forestconditions.

• Utility vegetation programs needto consider using reliability statis-tics to prioritize tree mainte-nance, preferably at the circuitand protected section level.

• Utilities benefit from consistentuse of standardized definitions,calculations, and tracking of relia-bility statistics.

• GIS can be used to spatially dis-play reliability data as time pro-gresses on a circuit or moregranular basis in order to assistwith maintenance prioritization.

• Ideally, utilities need to createmulti-department reliability tar-gets that ensure all customers re-ceive quality service in terms ofreliability. These VM componenttargets then need to be translatedinto achievable milestones for theVM team. GIS data and analysis ofpast reliability improvement fromhistoric VM work can help to setrealistic goals.

3.4 Environmental RegulationsAffecting VM

Ecosystem attributes relevant to VMinclude land use, topography, water-courses and wetlands, rare, threat-ened and endangered species, andforest stand types. Many regulatingauthorities have attempted to pro-tect at-risk ecosystem attributeswith laws and regulations. These en-vironmental regulations tend totranslate into restrictions on site ac-cess and timing of treatments, whichultimately affect costs. This can bedetrimental to a VM program if notplanned for or anticipated in ad-vance. Maintaining GIS layers for the

growing array of environmental re-strictions will help ensure compli-ance as well as accurate costtracking and forecasting.

For a transmission utility with thou-sands of miles to manage across vari-ous ecosystems, land uses,watercourses, and vegetation speciesmixes, the above information is im-portant for selecting appropriateherbicide treatments, implementingsustainable VM programs, and man-aging fire risk.

Distribution vegetation programs,because of extensive urban and sub-urban R/Ws, deal to a limited extentwith water, herbicides, and migra-tory birds, and more with individualtree inventories, customer informa-tion, mechanical prescriptions, andaccess restrictions.

Examples of GIS data layers for envi-ronmental regulations include:• Protected Species—turtles / owls

/ osprey / bats, etc.• Wetlands / watercourses / water-

course crossings / vernal pools• Parkland designation• Migratory species corridors / nest-

ing sites / raptors• Pollinators• Fire-sensitive sites / fuel loading• Insect infestation / outbreak man-

agement • Aboriginal land use

Regulations translated into GIS datalayers can be extremely valuable.One example is the “Clean WaterAct,” dealing with all watercourse is-sues in New Brunswick, Canada. Thisregulation requires a 30-foot (9m)management buffer along all water-courses and a 16-foot (5m) restrictedaccess at water’s edge. This state-ment, once loaded onto GIS, trans-lates into a visible 16-foot (5m)buffer along all streams, lakes,rivers, and wetlands. This in turn canbe translated into actual locationsand areas where power lines cross awatercourse. Five meter buffersrequire hand cutting, no machinecrossing without a bridge, and poten-tial sediment control, which translates

into site-specific cost attributesalong each span. This level of de-tailed span attribute data can becreated for every GIS layer and regu-lation, which then becomes essentialdata for budgeting, cost forecasting,and operational optimizing for bothtransmission and distribution.

3.5 Tracking Treatment Types andTiming

Tracking of treatment types and tim-ing of applications is essential forcompliance and valuable for programoptimization. For transmission,treatments such as herbicides aresensitive to season of application,site conditions, species mix, density,and vegetation age. Detailed recordsof success or poor efficacy help tofine-tune future applications and areessential data for herbicide programoptimization.

For distribution, cutting, mowing, andpruning are the dominant treatments.Tracking this unit work data is helpfulin further refining prescriptions,treatment units, and negotiating fu-ture service provider contract rates.

3.6 Treatment Costs

Every activity that is undertaken toensure that vegetation is managedcosts money. One of the most impor-tant data layers for budget forecast-ing is tracking treatment costs. Thisdata has historically been trackedoutside of GIS in a spreadsheet, andcaptured in aggregate form (ex:$100,000 spent on 50 miles circuit7450). This, however, is not suffi-cient to understand the impact ofchanging site conditions and restric-tions, and may not be useful if theutility wants to optimize treatmentsand reduce costs. Ideally, cost dataneeds to be captured at a work unitlevel, and associated with local siteconditions and restrictions, as perthe following examples:• Aerial bucket prune—Heavy = 60m

= A$/meter• Slope +40 percent; require hand

cutting = B $/meter• Designated wetland; required



hand cutting and removal of brush= C $/meter

• Avoided nesting raptor; delay andreturn at hourly cost = D $

• Customer restriction; gates, ac-cess, no herbicides, etc. requiresoffsetting actions = E $

• Inaccessible backlot climbing =$F/meter

Ideally, GIS can be used to track alltreatments based on GPS X and Y co-ordinates, including actual fieldcosts, and site conditions or restric-tions. This data is then ideal forbudget forecasting and optimizationmodelling.

3.7 Size of Management Unit GIS

Historically, utility foresters havemanaged entire transmission “lines,”or distribution “circuits.” This man-agement approach has been usedmore due to the work districts that autility is divided into for the ease ofmanaging contractor resources or forreliability-related reasons. Typically,these lines were managed on a“fixed cycle,” with entire lines orcircuits being treated. This “entireline and circuit-on-cycle” approachis less flexible and provides lessgranularity, especially when utilitiescan have thousands of lines totalingtens of thousands of miles. As utilitymanagers have attempted to im-prove program efficiency and recog-nize that not all trees represent arisk at the same time, utilityforesters have had to consider man-aging smaller units.

Some distribution utilities haveadopted “segments” of a circuit,which are significantly smaller line orcircuit sections that exist betweentwo distribution protective devices.The circuit “segments” or “sections”recognize that when a tree falls, itonly takes out the power between thetwo protective devices, plus all down-stream segments. Managing by seg-ment allows for the treatment of asmaller unit of work and has theadded benefit of allowing work priori-tization by customer quantity, type ofload, and risk. The identification of

distribution circuit segments andshorter sections of transmission corri-dor is an essential exercise for utilitiesas they consider optimization model-ling.

3.8 Data as GIS Attributes

In summary, the aforementioneddata sources can become “GIS dataattributes” that apply to VM and theutility network, but only if they aretied to exact geographic locations.All data is either an attribute thatexists within a GIS area polygon oran attribute that has distinct GPS Xand Y coordinates. This is importantfor utility GIS staff as they incorpo-rate data onto maps, and is essentialfor utility foresters as they define,gather, and store data for use in aGIS and for optimization modelling.

4. Electrical UVM

“Vegetation” is the mosaic of plantcommunities across the landscape.The “types” of vegetation that existare a result of the combined influ-ence of climate, organism types, to-pography, soil parent material, andinterventions as time progresses (Bo-real Research Institute, 3).

VM is the technique of encouragingor discouraging certain plant speciesfrom occupying a site. For electricalutilities, VM is the process of remov-ing, pruning, or controlling thegrowth of trees and brush alongtransmission and distribution corri-dors. Utility foresters are expectedto keep transmission and distributionrights-of-way (ROWs) clear of trees,and manage off ROW risk from treesthat could fall into power lines. Howutility foresters remove or controlvegetation is dependent on the manyvariables surrounding asset type, lo-cation, tree conditions, utility objec-tives, customer objectives,regulatory requirements, and avail-able treatment options.

Transmission VM is considered ofhigher priority due to:• Serving direct connected industrial

loads and municipal utilities, as

well as all distribution customers• More stringent regulations (NERC

FAC-003-4) with potential fines• Distribution VM is considered the

more complex program to imple-ment with a higher volume ofwork, extensive customer permis-sioning and communication,greater public visibility, shortertreatment cycles, and limited useof herbicide and other work re-strictions.

4.1 VM Strategies

Various strategies are employed byutilities to manage vegetation. A sus-tainable ROW should be the ultimateobjective for all transmission anddistribution vegetation programs,and can include:• Using herbicides as part of an IVM

program to encourage low-grow-ing plant communities

• Landscape changes—grubbing andcontouring

• Power line re-routing and under-ground installation

• Planting of low-growing species• Allelopathy or other natural ma-

nipulation of plant communities• Other IVM biological control• Encouraging community involve-

ment in cultural control of treesDistribution VM strategies focus lesson herbicides and more on cycle-based tree pruning and removals. Fortransmission, a sustainable ROWcould mean many years between cy-cles. The same could be true forrural off-road distribution ROWs.

Table 4 presents six basic vegetationmaintenance strategies historicallyand currently used by electrical utili-ties, and identifies where “optimiza-tion” fits into the overall picture.

As per Table 4, complexity to imple-ment a VM program appears to in-crease as a utility moves from“corrective” to “optimized” strate-gies. At the same time, there ap-pears to be an increase in reliability,and long-term cost stabilization, per-haps due to an increase in data re-view and more timely application oftreatments. >



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At the early stages of establishing autility network, trees were not neces-sarily present along power lines, andit was sufficient to react to outagesand address tree issues as they grewinto the lines. Once it became obvi-ous that more was needed due to fre-quent direct tree-power line contact,utilities evolved into fixed-cycle pro-grams. Utilities are now exploringvariable cycle programs that recog-nize that not all locations have thesame conditions, and not all treesgrow at the same rate, nor requirethe same cycle (UAA, 4). Today, utili-ties are starting to “optimize” treat-ment programs based on site-specificconditions. However, this is whereterminology needs to be clarified.Some utilities are using the term “op-timization” to mean “condition-basedmaintenance” programs that have ad-justed the size of management unit,and deferred treatments some yearsinto the future. This attempt to opti-mize has little comparison to the newsoftware techniques which use “pre-dictive analytics” and mathematicalmodelling to produce “optimized”maintenance schedules.

Additional observations include:• Transmission vegetation programs

need to consider both on ROW andoff-ROW tree management strate-gies to improve reliability andmeet regulations.

• Distribution programs need to con-sider classifying urban, suburban,and rural circuits separately, andoptimizing treatment timing basedon field conditions, customer ex-pectations, customer densities,risks, probability of failure (POF),consequences of failure (COF),and reliability indices such asSAIFI, SAIDI, and CEMI for each cir-cuit or smaller management unit.

5. LiDAR for VM

LiDAR is a remote-sensing technologythat measures distance by illuminat-ing a target with a laser and analyz-ing the reflected light. LiDAR definesobjects as distinct “points” in space,defined by X, Y, Z coordinates, thuscreating what is known as a “point

cloud.” The main benefit of LiDAR isthat it allows easy calculation of dis-tance between known points, andcan be used to calculate changes astime progresses such as tree growth.LiDAR is the current “best data cap-ture” technology for use on GIS plat-forms, capturing the relativeposition of trees and objects, withhigh accuracy across large areas.

For VM, one-time LiDAR acquisitionallows for considerable data collec-tion, including:• Detailed snapshot of the complete

utility network• Delineation of accurate power

line ROW boundaries, and poleand tower center lines

• Confirmation of extent of treecover across the entire network

• Confirmation of proximity of treebranches relative to power lines

• Confirmation of tree height underconductor to confirm NERC com-pliance, including no in-ROW vio-lations, off-ROW fall-in trees,T-ROW narrowing, or post-cutviolations

• Confirmation of watercoursebuffers and land-use boundaries

• Data source for infrastructure in-spection, building location, en-croachment, and under build

• Potential data source for speciesidentification, tree health moni-toring of dead and dying trees,disease clusters, and insect out-breaks

One of the challenges of LiDAR isthat it is a “one-time” snapshot ofconditions. Changes as time pro-gresses require periodic, one- tofive-year re-flights to track changes.Data re-capture is currently expen-sive, and does not project changes 5,10, or 20 years into the future.Multi-year flights allow for additionalbenefits, including:• Confirmation of tree growth rates,

location of fast-growing species,and “cycle-busters”

• Data source for change detectionfrom land development, seismicevents, flooding, fire, and land-slides

• Confirmation of NERC compliance

Challenges with LiDAR include:• Initially expensive to capture the

entire utility network• Potentially long time to process

data (6–12 months for large net-works)

• Must be captured accurately andprocessed properly, resulting inextremely large—yet valuable—data sets

• Potentially short lifespan for data(1–5 yrs.)

• Evolving NERC compliance may in-sist on this technology for annualconfirmation of no violations

• Potential increase in liability ifutilities do not act on known treeviolations, as identified by LiDAR

5.1 Using LiDAR and GIS to ImproveUtility Reliability

A GIS can spatially display an infinitevariety of information includingLiDAR, but it does not make deci-sions for current nor future opera-tions. New software developmentscalled “Predictive Analytics” havetaken GIS data layers and vegetationprogram objectives and constraints,and combined them to “optimize”the impact of each data layer, andproduce an “optimized” schedule astime progresses.

Predictive analytics and optimizationmodelling can:• Grow trees throughout a longer

period of time• Select optimum treatments and

schedules• Define budget requirements as

time progresses• Manage multiple objectives and

risks

Predictive optimization modeling re-quires a current snapshot or inven-tory of the asset being modeled.LiDAR capture of vegetation and in-frastructure conditions can provideone of the most accurate invento-ries with high confidence of inputdata, which increases the confi-dence level of optimization model-ing (Jones, 5).

(Continued >)



Table 4. Summary of Six Basic Utility Vegetation Maintenance Strategies

ApplyTo:

MaintenanceStrategy

Technique Positive Negative

D CorrectiveMaintenance

• Hotspot pruning asrequired

• Treatment cyclebased on outages

• Easy to plan andimplement

• Low expense• Small workforce

• Overwhelms system quickly• High susceptibility to storms• High indirect cost over time• Potentially low reliability• High customer dissatisfaction• Limited visibility of work• Hard to plan for resulting in unbalanced levels

of work and crews throughout a year

T&D Fixed Cycle • T&D / urban /suburban / rural

• All circuits samefixed cycle (ex: 4yrs.)

• Easy to plan andimplement

• High reliability

• High budget required to maintain 100 percent• Potentially cutting trees NOT yet a risk• Does not recognize slower growing trees which

could be managed on a longer cycle

T&D Split CycleVariableCycle+ Mid CycleMaintenance(*SeedefinitionsBelow)

• All crcuits variablecycle

• Treatments deferredor triggered byproximity of treesinto lines, risk tocustomer, line volt-age (3-ph vs 1-ph)

• High reliability ifbudget allows

• More flexibility• Potentially lower

cost• Potentially higher

reliability

• More challenging to implement• More data intensive

T&D ConditionBased Maint.(OptimizedCycles)

• D-Circuits ranked byrisk

• Inspection triggeredby outage stats

• D-Circuits treated byprotected section

• Treatments deferredor triggered byproximity of treesinto lines, risk tocustomer, linevoltage (3-ph vs 1-ph)

• Focused onreliability

• Focused oncustomer risk

• Potential lowerlong-term cost

• Potentiallyhighest reliability

• Potential increasein tree healthwith avoidedunnecessarypruning

• MOST challenging to implement• MOST data intensive• Field data +GIS + optimize modelling• Potential poor reliability if modeling is

inaccurate

T&D SustainableR/W

• T-Lines 10-20 yr.cycle

• IVM herbicideprogram

• Long-term plantcommunities

• Long-term lowercost

• Lower impact toadjacentcustomers

• Requires data collection and monitoring toimplement

• Higher initial cost to implement with bothmechanical and herbicide

T&D Off R/WHazardand/orDanger TreeRemoval

• Annual rotatingprogram as required

• Identify and removeall suspect trees tocriteria

• Straight forwardto implement

• Direct reliabilityimpact that istrackable

• Requires data collection and monitoring toimplement

• Expense needs justification through savingindirect costs

• Large customer education requirement andimpact from customers denying work on privatetrees

(*Note: Split Cycle = Treatment of 3-phase & 1-phase at different cycles / Variable Cycle = Treatment of any part ofcircuit triggered by proximity of trees to line / Mid-Cycle = Treatment or review of risk in between cycle combined withany strategy)

6. Optimization Modellingfor UVM

The definition of “optimization” isthe process of making a design, sys-tem, or decision as fully effective aspossible, and to determine the best“compromise” given multiple objec-tives and constraints (Webster, 6).Some utilities are currently trying tooptimize treatment cycles with mid-cycle hot-spotting, condition-basedmaintenance, and managing bysmaller protected segments insteadof circuits, in an attempt to addressdifferent tree growth rates and toreduce costs.

“Predictive analytics” is optimizationtaken several steps further to in-clude mathematics, statistical algo-rithms, and computer analyses inorder to arrive at the mathemati-cally optimum solution. Softwarecompanies have adapted existing an-alytical tools to assist the UVM plan-ning function. The model uses autility’s real-world asset situation,objectives, constraints, and costs inorder to calculate the optimumschedule and budgets to reach a de-sired objective, or confirm that autility’s budget is insufficient.Optimization modelling is:• An “asset management” strategy

with a systematic approach thatapplies economics, engineering,forestry, and business principles

• Improved decision-making byusing factual data that is perform-ance based, defendable, andtransparent

• A “planning exercise” with multi-ple levels and multiple scenariosthat a utility forester performs insoftware external to GIS

• An ideal fit for asset-intensiveutilities

Optimization modelling has threelevels of detail (Chart 5):1. Strategic: long-term plans (10–30

years), capital forecasting andexternal issues, objectives andconstraints

1. Tactical: mid-term plans (1–5years), capital forecasting and

contractor capacity3. Operational: seasonal production

and crew scheduling, andbudgeting

6.1 Why Utilities Need to Optimize

In terms of VM, optimization is allabout:• WHEN we treat• WHERE we treat• WHAT resources we use to treat

that work toward meeting specificobjectives, one of which can beREDUCING total treatment cost

Predictive optimization modellingwill calculate the current state andpredict the future condition of theasset relative to vegetation. As well,it will identify the prescriptions andassociated cost as time progressesrequired to achieve the desired fu-ture state of the asset (Jones, 5).

It is relatively simple to build a “pri-oritization” model that defines sec-tions that absolutely should betreated first. However, it becomes in-creasingly difficult to define what todo next when all the variables are thesame, or when there are thousands ofchoices. Table 6 uses an over-simplifiedexample to illustrate how optimization

affects treatment scheduling and ulti-mately program costs, as comparedto typical cycle-based maintenancestrategies.

The potential outcome of optimiza-tion is that the “treatment unit”gets smaller as time progresses,treatments are applied only whennecessary, and costs are reduced orleveled. The necessity for accuratetracking of treatments and stormdisturbances gets more important.

6.2 Data Requirements forOptimization Modelling

Optimization modelling requires de-tailed site and power line attributedata. Utilities can start with avail-able GIS data layers and use histori-cal and/or field derived data forinfrastructure and vegetation asinput for modelling. Data quality andaccuracy can then be expanded andimproved as time progresses, includ-ing newly acquired LiDAR data. Table7 summarizes suggested attributedata for optimization modelling.

6.3 Advantages of Optimization

The reality for utility vegetation man-agers is that trees grow at different


Large Low

High

Long

Small

Short TIME (FORECAST HORIZON)

DET

AIL

/ R

ESO

LUTI

ON

SCA

LE /

SCO

PE

Must allow feasibleimplementation

Must serveTactical orStrategicObjectives

Operational

Tactical

Strategic

Chart 5. Optimization Model


Table 6. Effect of Optimization on Scheduling Compared to Cycle-Based Maintenance

Maintenance Strategy Action Variables

Cycle-Based MaintenanceEx: 5 yr. Cycle

Inspect 1/5th of lines every year

Treat 1/5th of lines every year

Where 1/5th of all lines

Cost $ “A” $/Hr or “B” $/unit

Condition-Based MaintenanceEx: 5-6 yr. Cycle, Extended Cycle


Treat 25% Ahead 1 year / 10% Defer 2 years

Where 65% Cut / 35% Defer

Cost $ (“A” $/Hr or “B” $/unit) x 65%

Optimized Maintenance No Fixed Cycle


Treat 30% Defer 1 year / 15% Defer 2 years / 15% Defer 3 years Bring ahead 10% and cut 2 years early

Where 40% Cut / 60% Defer cut over next 3 years

Cost $ (“A” $/Hr or “B” $/unit) x 40%

Lower cost over long-term OR higher production


1 2 3 4 5

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1 2 3 4 5 6

Table 7. Suggested Attribute Data for Optimization Modelling

Data Type Description Data Defines

Land base Geography, Hydrology, Topography Treatment Options

Site Characteristics Slope / Hydrology / Seasonal access Treatment and Equipment Options

Asset Voltage Class by Location + Protected sections + Numberof Customers Served

Priorities

Ownership Contact and Communications / Access / Restrictions Treatment Options

Customer Type / Location / Consequence of Failure Risk and Priorities

Environmental Rare and Endangered Species / Wetlands / Riparian Zones Treatment and Equipment Options

Regulations NERC / Environmental / Operational / Road Safety /Work Safety

Treatment and Equipment Options

Vegetation Species / Growth Rates / Extent or Density of TreesAcross NetworkProximity of Tree Branches to Lines (LIDAR)

Risk and PrioritiesProbability of Failure

Reliability SAIDI / SAIFI by Circuit Priorities

Treatments Type / Cost / Realistic Production / Operability Rules Treatment Options

Objectives Business Rules / Constraints Priorities


rates and are a risk at different timesand locations along power lines. Inaddition, even though trees are main-tained periodically, storm damage,unexpected growth, and other eventsresult in unplanned cutting—whichare continuous factors that under-mine the ability to plan and budget.Electric utilities looking for a “bet-ter” VM strategy might consideradding optimization modelling to theplanning process. The process of mod-eling starts a utility down the path ofgathering appropriate data, definingrisks, and setting objectives. It pro-vides a formal framework to gatherrelevant data and increase data value.

The advantages of optimization mod-elling include:• Providing a complete network per-

spective over a longer planninghorizon than one cycle

• Allowing utilities to leveragegreater value out of their LiDARinvestment

• Combining simulation and mathe-matical optimization. Predictivemodels can generate optimal net-work management strategies thatmaximize an objective whilemeeting business constraints (itdoes this by generating multi-yeartreatment schedules)

• Allowing utilities to stop annualplanning based on “addressing theworst circuits first”

• Taking pole-to-pole span attributedata, adding tree proximity datato define probability of failure,customer data to define conse-quence of failure, plus all costs,constraints and objectives, andprojects risk into the future

• Simulating tree growth and prox-imity to wires as time progressesso that risk of tree contact can becalculated across the network

• Supporting planning and schedul-ing at any level of “granularity,”from long-term strategy to multi-year operational to annual or site-specific tactical planning ofmaintenance crews

• Allowing utilities to project out-comes of current strategies andallowing budget justification tosenior management

• Automating multi-year schedulingand annual plan updates based onactual cut versus planned cut

• Allowing utilities to determinebudget levels for desired reliabil-ity levels, by circuit or network,as time progresses

• Allowing utilities to test the im-pact of cutting a line ahead ofschedule for political purposes,demonstrating the long-term neg-ative impact to budget, or the im-pact of injecting additionalfunding to potentially reducelong-term budget trends

• Allowing utilities to compare thevalue of treatment costs acrossthe system

• Using actual treatment costs toforecast future budgets, and abil-ity to be configured to calculatenet present value (NPV) financialcomparison of treatment options

• Allowing budget forecasting overany time horizon, with automaticupdates to future budgets basedon imposed changes

• Supporting potential for reducedcosts as time progresses, or in-creased production with the samebudget

• Provides extensive maps, charts,and data to allow drill-down todata source to understand datasignificance and potential drivers

Some of the challenges with opti-mization modelling include:

• A commitment to data sourcing,and processing data into what isessential for modelling

• Ideally requiring capture ofchanges in annual tree conditionsdue to cutting or storms by usingLiDAR or other means

• Potentially requiring a full-timeanalyst to remain familiar withmodelling functions in order togather and manage input data andto perform detailed queries oranalyses

In summary, predictive analytics usesmathematical modelling to identifythe right schedule of activities at theright cost in areas of greatest risk,where it can have the largest impacton customer reliability based onavailable budget, corporate objec-tives, regulatory requirements, andtree risk.

7. Conclusions

The implementation of an effectiveVM program depends on answeringthe five following basic questions:1. Where are we planning vegeta-

tion maintenance?2. When are we scheduling vegeta-

tion maintenance?3. Whose trees are going to be im-

pacted?4. What regulatory, public, or envi-

ronmental restrictions are wegoing to encounter?

5. What did we learn from thisprocess? Are there any changes?

UVM programs benefit enormouslyfrom using GIS platforms by helpingmanagers easily address and trackthe answers to the above basic ques-tions. GIS-based maps are a visuallanguage that improves communica-tions, and enables utilities to main-tain authoritative records onvegetation treatments. However, aGIS does not actually prepare a plan.Today, utility foresters must preparethe plan and use GIS to display theplanned progression and history.

The primary data sources that con-tribute to an effective UVM programinclude:• Land base, asset, property

Utilities are looking for a“better” VM strategy toimprove reliabilitywithout increasingbudgets. Theimplementation of“predictive analytics”and “optimizationmodelling” may providethe decision support forwhich utility forestersare looking.



ownership, customer, environmen-tal restrictions

• Reliability data, tree, treatment,and cost data

The newest mechanism for data cap-ture of vegetation and infrastructureconditions is LiDAR. LiDAR data pro-vides one of the most accurate in-ventories, can assist withcompliance, confirms vegetation ex-tent and proximity around powerlines, and is the best data source foroptimization modelling.

Utilities are looking for a “better”VM strategy to improve reliabilitywithout increasing budgets. The im-plementation of “predictive analyt-ics” and “optimization modelling”may provide the decision support forwhich utility foresters are looking.

Optimization modelling relies on:• Accurate pole-to-pole attribute

data as provided by GIS andhistorical data

• LiDAR data to confirm extent oftrees and proximity of branches topower lines

• Treatment cost data• Clearly defined objectives and

constraints

Optimization modelling provides:• Budget development, forecasting,

and defense• Prioritization of treatments and

schedules as to where and whenthey are needed

• Reduction of risk (infrastructure,compliance, financial, wildfire,environment, reliability)

• Ability to model tree growth astime progresses

• A true condition-based maintenancestrategy

• Ability for managers to measureconsequence of actions

• Potential cost reductions

References

1.) Sashihara, Steve (2015) TheOptimization Edge

2.) Williams, Robert (1987), Selling ageographic information system togovernment policy makers. Paperfrom 1987 Annual Conference ofthe Urban and RegionalInformation Systems Association.Last modified: July 4, 2015

3.) BoreaLResearch Institute (2011)Principles of VegetationManagement

4.) UAA White Paper (2014) –Scheduling, Optimum Cycle andthe Cost of Deferring Maintenance

5.) Jones, Doug (2016) OptimizationModelling

6.) Webster Dictionary – Definition ofOptimization

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By Nathan Jones, Field Technology Consultant, Terra SpectrumTechnologies

When faced with selecting software to help manage yourvegetation management (VM) program, the choices canseem daunting at first. If this is your first time taking theplunge and going digital, congratulations! Those dusty oldfile boxes full of work orders and crumpled-up circuitmaps thank you. Just like any other transition in life, thedifficulty or ease of the process depends upon the amountof planning and research that goes into the preparationprocess. There are many factors that differentiate theavailable software systems; I’m going to address two ofthe most important ones: mapping and workflows.

First, let’s talk about mapping. Chances are, if you are atall familiar with the software side of VM operations, youhave heard of ESRI. ESRI stands for Environmental SystemsResearch Institute (ESRI), and is to digital mapping whatApple is to mobile phones. It is a highly ubiquitous tech-nology, and many utilities use it organization wide. For VMsoftware to truly fit into the vast majority of utility organ-izations, it needs to be easily integrated with ESRI, or ableto be translated without excessive data manipulation. If itisn’t, the data is in danger of being isolated within a VMsilo and rendered useless to the rest of the utility. Thedata collected during VM operations can be crucial toother departments within a utility, and the ability to ex-port the data quickly and correctly can make a critical dif-ference. Damaged infrastructure, hazardous conditions,outage locations, crew locations, circuit completion data,etc. are all valuable utility wide. ArcGIS is ESRI’s geo-graphic information system (GIS), and is typically used towork with maps and the associated geographic data. Avery powerful tool, ArcGIS is effectively operated by theexperienced user, but the average tree worker can quicklyget in over his/her head while using the software. To betruly useful, a good software package will have a simpli-fied interface that allows field workers to spend less oftheir valuable time entering data (or being trained toenter data) and more of their time working.

Next, let’s talk about the concept of “workflow.” Workflowis defined as a sequence of processes through which apiece of work passes from initiation to completion. Prettyobvious, right? What may not be so obvious is how choosingsoftware can be a great time to take a step back and eval-uate your current modus operandi and look for ways that itcan be improved. As you read this, sit back and think for amoment. What data are you collecting and why? Are youassociating locations with jobs or timesheets? Is the “treesper mile” method really a useful metric? How many handstouch a piece of work from start to finish? Do your supervi-sors spend hours each week collecting timesheets from far-

flung crews? If a change needs to be made on the fly, isyour current process dynamic enough to accommodate it?Are your processes simple enough that even the most inex-perienced team members can handle it—or are you spend-ing excessive time training? A good software provider willtake the time to get to know your specific organization’sneeds and tailor the workflows in order to simplify your datacollection and analysis. You hear horror stories of utilitiesthat spent small fortunes on software systems with rigidframeworks that ultimately complicated their processesand could not deliver on even the simplest of workflows.

I have dealt with many utilities in my career, and onething is for sure: they are all unique! While the ultimategoal of a utility is the same (delivering a reliable source ofpower to customers/owners), VM frameworks are almostalways different. One utility may have a well-staffed VMdepartment that utilizes several different contractors,while another may have an operations manager who over-sees a small handful of in-house employees. Software thatis good for one utility may not necessarily be good for an-other. To further complicate things, one utility may not bethe same as time progresses. Your needs today may notnecessarily be your needs tomorrow. Emerald ash borer(Agrilus planipennis) is waging war nationwide, MountainPine Beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae) infestations havereached biblical proportions, and wildfire is a careless cig-arette butt away. The key to finding a quality softwareprovider is versatility. A versatile system can handle thedemands of today, while being flexible enough to meetthe ever-shifting needs of a utility as time progresses.

One final piece of advice…When selecting a softwareprovider, don’t be afraid to shop around and pick the soft-ware that is right for you. Schedule demonstrations. Lookat references. Evaluate your workflows. Ask questions.What failures have they had? Can they meet your needstoday and tomorrow? Will they treat you like a partner in-stead of just another customer? Will they answer thephone if there is an issue or just connect you to an over-seas call center? These are all good questions to consider.Happy hunting, and remember, don’t be seduced by ashiny new system that doesn’t handle your workflows.You’ll end up with a Ferrari that you can’t take to thegrocery store.


A Farewell to Forms: What to ConsiderWhen Selecting VM Software

OPINION EDITORIAL

© ISTO

CKPHO

TO.CO

M/KCH

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GTW


� FloridaBy Jess Mason, Southeastern OperationsManager, ACRT Inc. Response by Chad Locke, Vegetation Man-ager, TEC 1. Talquin Electric Cooperative(TEC) has utility arborists that patrolthe distribution circuits with handheldtablets and collect any data on haz-ardous trees or vegetation that may cause an outage. 2. We currently use the “Veg Works,” by GeoDigitalsoftware, to collect all data that could potentially causean outage on both our transmission and distribution lines. 3. TEC had a paper-only vegetation management (VM)program until two years ago, when we started to exploreVM software and saw that it could add a lot of value toour program. We use the “Veg Works” VM software totrack our crews’ production on all circuits that are beingcut. This software also allows us to keep up with past cir-cuits that we have cut so that we can maintain a four-yearcut cycle. We also have “Partner Staking” software thatwe use to get the maximum production and efficiency outof our cutting crews. 4. Technology has improved safety by allowing TEC toknow where all crews are working at all times—not tomention ensuring that all circuits are pre-planned by ACRTutility arborists. This is helpful for when planners feel thatthere may be a potential hazard in areas where the crewsmay soon be working. They are able to use our VM soft-ware and tag these potential hazards so that it may bediscussed with our VM team before any work is done.These hazards could be aggressive dogs, septic tanks,access issues with an inaccessible road, or the dreadedsensitive member.

� IndianaBy Richard Karber, Transmission Forestry Coordinator, AEPResponse by Adam Dellinger, Utility Forester, Nelson Tree Service,Inc. 1. The use of specialized equipment, such as the FellerBuncher and the Tree Mulcher, improves safety by allowingworkers to remove dead ash trees safely and productivelywhile keeping them out of the line of fire. The advance-ments in equipment regarding the tree care industry havemade huge advancements. However, the low tech use ofthrow balls are effective as well. The Ash Borer (Agrilusplanipennis) has been devastating in our area and westrive to remove the dead trees as safely as possible. 2. In the last few years, we have utilized the aerielsaw, followed by mechanized mowers, and we have re-duced our cost per line mile from an average of $6,000 toless than $1,400. We have greatly improved our produc-tion with less manpower utilized. 3. By involving all employees in safety tail gate discus-sions, safety stand downs, and daily job briefings, thesafety culture has improved too. Nelson Tree, Inc. has astrong safety program with regional trainers that visitcrews on a monthly basis. I believe that a safety culture isenhanced when the utility and contractors work togethertoward a safety goal. 4. American Electric Power (AEP) utilizes LIDAR and Pic-tometry with information and is verified by the UtilityForesters. We also use as a planning tool, ITSMobile, thathas real time and GPS tracking for accurate placement oftree conditions. We also use TGIS and online tax recordsto expedite property owner’s names.

The following two regions would like to inform readerson updates to their technology systems.

� New JerseyBy Guy VogtResponse by Brian Hartel, Manager, and JayKaplan, Distribution Forester, PSE&G PSE&G VM has been in the processof improving and streamlining ourprocesses through technology. Re-cently our transmission vegetationprogram created an electronic datamanagement system (EDMS) to trackinspections and work for the bulk transmission corridors.This application was created in-house and utilizes our GISsystem. We have been using Panasonic FZ-G1 Toughpads torun the application. The transmission program has been sosuccessful, we are expanding the EDMS to be used on thedistribution and sub-transmission system. A separate appli-cation has been required. We created it in-house and it isbeing field tested in 2017. Along with the new application,we are field testing Panasonic CF20 Toughbooks. TheseToughbooks have greater capabilities and should improve

R E G I O N A L Reports

SUR

VE

YQ

UE

STIO

NS

Regional Reports include responses from variousregions to the following survey questions ontechnology:

1. What non-traditional technology is yourutility/consulting/tree company usingcurrently?

2. What type of remote sensing technology(LiDAR, Hyperspectral, Ortho Imagery, etc.) areyou piloting or using on your transmission ordistribution voltage system?

3. What non-traditional technology (mobileplatform) are you piloting or using to movefrom paper to “electronic” as a utility?

4. How has technology improved your safetyprogram?

Jess Mason

Guy Vogt


LEVERAGE OUR TECHNOLOGY. IMPROVE YOUR RESULTS.

TRUST OUR PEOPLE.


the use of the EDMS and remove the need for two devices.Testing and scheduling of implementation for the new ap-plications and Toughbooks will continue through 2017.

� Western RegionBy Eric BrownResponse also by Eric Brown, Electric Trans-mission and Distribution Program Manager,SMUD A long-term right-of-way (ROW) re-search network is being established inthe western United States by SonomaState University, through a grant pro-vided via the TREE Fund’s Utility Ar-borist Research Fund (UARF). The initial network willconsist of three sites in northern California to study ROWvegetation management (VM) (Figures 1, 2). The sites willcompare the efficacy of manual/mechanical only versusmechanical/manual in addition to herbicide treatments inestablishing low-growing native plant communities in arange of complicated western ecosystems. In addition, discussions are ongoing with the UnitedStates Forest Service (USFS) to leverage ongoing USFS re-search at the El Dorado National Forest site. The site shouldserve as a demonstration site that addresses joint USFS andutility vegetation management (UVM) objectives. The po-tential effects on local animals and pollinators will also bestudied. Costs for specific treatments will be closelytracked as the low-growing plant communities are estab-lished. It is anticipated that ecosystem effects will gener-ally be positive and similar to the long-running “Brambleand Byrnes” study that began in Pennsylvania in 1953.

The ROW habitat created through large tracts of Penn-sylvania forest appears to support increased abundance ofsmall mammals, birds, and pollinators. Pacific Gas andElectric (PG&E) provided the initial seed money for theTREE Fund grant and is working closely with its long-termpartner, the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD),to establish long-term research sites on their shared util-ity corridors. Other western region utilities may also beeligible to tap into this grant funding to establish similarresearch in their transmission corridors. To become in-volved, or for more information, contact J. Eric Smith atthe TREE Fund: [email protected].

R E G I O N A L Reports

UAA Needs Your Help!

Every two months, UAA Regional Representativesprovide a report for the Utility Arborist Newsline.Let them know what is going on in your company orin your state. For a current list of representatives,visit the “Contact” page at www.gotouaa.org.

Page 42

Sonoma State University Wildlife Camera Installation.Establishment of the ROW network follows on from researchefforts that began in 2015 with PG&E and Sonoma StateUniversity, who have begun documenting effects of ROWmanagement on local ecosystems. The research efforts includetraining students in the analysis of real-world issues. SonomaState’s Fairfield Osborn Preserve, with a habitat of mixed-oakwoodland and grasslands, is one of the three sites that will formthe basis of the new ROW research network.

King Fire Right-of-Way. The ROW underneath the SMUD andPG&E utility lines was burned during the King Fire duringSeptember/ October 2014. The King Fire site provides anopportunity to study VM in a fire recovery site, and to includeactive management of fuel loading as part of the revegetationprocess. The site is located in lands managed by the United StatesForest Service (USFS) lands, which should serve to fostercollaboration with the USFS in VM studies.

Eric Brown

ECI’s right-of-way vegetation management program assessments, standards development, and professional contract foresters provide cost-effective improvements in reliability, safety and member satisfaction. We have successfully worked with hundreds of electric utility clients across North America since 1972 to keep communities powered.

AN EXPERT APPROACH TO OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE.

www.eci-consulting.com 800.919.9274

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Asplundh’s Truck-as-a-Hub technology provides real-time communication, ensuring safety, productivity and efficiency. Through 4G LTE wi-fi hot spots, we also offer improved crew dispatching,

as well as the ability to relay on-site communication.

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Utility Arborist NewslineBy Chris Kelly, Vice President, Clearion Hint: This has nothing to do with better sleep and exercise, but it can make your (work) life better, healthier, and