Trees & Lines: A Utility Vegetation Management Podcast

Hosted by Iapetus Infrastructure Services

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110

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Utility vegetation management (UVM) manages risks and controls vegetation that could potentially threaten power lines, railways, roadways, etc. It is perhaps one of the most important fields of environmental impact in the 21st century and is especially important in the U.S., where it is the largest factor in managing outages and the reliability of utilities.In Trees & Lines utility vegetation management podcast, veteran Phil Charlton and Iapetus COO Tej Singh discuss the future of this critical industry and together with keynote guests explore how UVM industry leaders are investing in new technologies, redefining safety culture, addressing ESG (environmental, social, governance) initiatives, and bringing awareness to career opportunities in the burgeoning field of UVM. It's a fresh take on an industry that once operated quietly and is now part of a global discussion with mainstream visibility. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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60 recent

September 9, 202644 min

Trees, Ice Bridges, and Alaska’s New Approach to IVM w/ Anthony Lindfors

Anthony Lindfors leads the evolution to integrated vegetation management at Matanuska Electric Association (MEA) in Palmer, Alaska. He joins Phil Charlton and Brian Sprinkle to talk about what it took to bring herbicide back into MEA’s program after years of managing 2,000 miles of distribution line with mastication alone, how a three to four month growing season and remote, ice-bridge-only access change every part of the planning process, and why leading with retention instead of removal completely changed how members respond. Anthony also breaks down MEA’s growing tech stack: LiDAR-driven pruning identification, a GIS environment that’s saved the organization hundreds of hours, and an early look at AI-assisted treetop detection. Subscribe now to stay updated: https://linktr.ee/treesandlinespodcast #UtilityVegetationManagement #IntegratedVegetationManagement #RightOfWay #UtilityForestry #TreesAndLines Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

August 26, 202634 min

What 70 Years of Right-of-Way Data Just Told Congress w/ Carolyn Mahan

Get the latest updates from our LinkedIn page! https://onelink.to/treesandlines Dr. Carolyn Mahan, professor of biology and environmental studies at Penn State, returns to Trees & Lines to give an update on State Game Lands 33, the longest running vegetation management research project in the country. She breaks down what 70+ years of data show about integrated vegetation management, her expanding work on the Falcon pipeline with Shell Midstream, and her recent testimony in front of the House Committee on Natural Resources on the Fix Our Forests Act. Carolyn also gets candid about who actually pushes back on IVM today, why academic independence matters when industry funds the research, and what she’s watching for after the midterms. Check out her research here. #UtilityVegetationManagement #RightOfWay #IVM #UtilityForestry #TreesAndLines Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

August 12, 202618 min

Goats, Growth, and the Only Right-of-Way Accreditation of Its Kind w/ Darrell Daniel Jr.

Darrell Daniel, UVM Program Manager at SMUD, joins Trees & Lines to break down how his team built the only right-of-way stewardship accredited program at a public power utility. Darrell walks through the growth mindset that’s driven a decade of improvement, how SMUD separates real AI capability from vendor hype, the goat grazing program that’s become a community favorite, and the biggest misconception utility leadership has about vegetation management: that once you clear it, you’re done. Subscribe now to stay updated: https://linktr.ee/treesandlinespodcast #UtilityVegetationManagement #RightOfWay #UtilityForestry #PublicPower #TreesAndLines Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

July 29, 202643 min

Trees, Squirrels, and the Data War Behind Reliable Power w/ Jordan Overbee

Jordan Overbee, PE, CEO of Piedmont Electric Company, joins us to talk about leading a cooperative through a full technology and reliability overhaul. Jordan breaks down why blind cycle trimming wasn’t cutting it, how a simple member-reporting program in Piedmont’s magazine surfaced over 100 danger trees in under 30 days (99% confirmed legitimate), and how the co-op is rethinking its vegetation management plan around targeted, data-driven cuts. He also digs into Piedmont’s technology roadmap: SCADA upgrades, the LiDAR vs. satellite imagery debate, AI-assisted outage prediction, and why bringing linemen into the decision-making process made the rollout actually stick. Subscribe now to stay updated: https://linktr.ee/treesandlinespodcast #UtilityVegetationManagement #ElectricCooperative #UtilityForestry #RightOfWay #TreesAndLines Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

July 8, 202632 min

From Powerline Maintenance to Ecosystem Management w/ Mariclaire Rigby

Get the latest updates from our LinkedIn page! https://onelink.to/treesandlines Welcome back to another episode of the Trees & Lines podcast. Mariclaire Rigby, Principal Vegetation Strategy Specialist at National Grid, joins us to discuss how transmission rights of way can be managed as thriving ecosystems rather than just clearance corridors. Mariclaire traces her career from patrolling the Adirondacks after the 2003 northeast blackout to leading vegetation strategy across New Hampshire and Vermont, and shares how National Grid has built one of the more comprehensive IVM programs in the industry over decades of consistent right of way management. The conversation covers National Grid's shift to annual LiDAR patrols and the real learning curve that comes with getting useful deliverables from vendors, why fixed wing collection worked better than helicopter for their vegetation needs, and how four to six week turnaround on flight data has changed the way consultants and crews work together in the field. Mariclaire also walks through the company's multi-year biotic study tracking plant and insect species on the right of way, how that data has updated treatment specs and identified emerging invasive species, and why bringing conservation groups out to see IVM work firsthand has been one of the most effective tools for shifting public perception. She also touches on National Grid's Monarch City USA participation, her recent commercial drone license, workforce pipeline concerns, and emerging research into how prevailing wind patterns affect tree-caused outages. Have a listen, hope you enjoy! #VegetationManagement #UtilityArboriculture #IVM #GridReliability #UtilityOperations #UrbanForestry #EnergyInfrastructure #Utilities Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

June 3, 202632 min

Slowing Growth With TGRs Lowers Long-Term Cost w/ Liz Westberg

Get the latest updates from our LinkedIn page! https://onelink.to/treesandlines Welcome back to another episode of the Trees & Lines podcast. Liz Westberg, Business Development at Growth Solutions, joins us to discuss how tree growth regulators are helping utilities reduce long-term vegetation management costs by slowing regrowth and extending pruning cycles. Liz breaks down the science behind paclobutrazol, explaining how it works at the cellular level by reducing gibberellic acid production and redirecting tree energy in ways that also improve drought tolerance, root development, and overall tree health. She walks through the business case for TGRs, including cost savings of 20 to 70% depending on access conditions, and explains why timing treatments close to pruning events is critical to getting the best results out of any program. The conversation also covers species considerations across deciduous trees, conifers, and monocots, why implementation scope and target selection matter more than most utilities realize, and how Growth Solutions manages landowner communication and opt-out programs in the field. Liz shares why less than 20% of utilities currently use TGRs despite decades of availability, what it takes to build the internal business case for adoption, and why the foresters who have implemented these programs rarely want to give them up once they start seeing results. Have a listen, hope you enjoy! #VegetationManagement #UtilityArboriculture #TreeGrowthRegulators #GridReliability #UtilityOperations #UrbanForestry #EnergyInfrastructure #Utilities Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 6, 202619 min

Reclaiming Right-of-Ways and Relationships w/ Joe DeLong

Get the latest updates from our LinkedIn page! https://onelink.to/treesandlines Welcome back to another episode of the Trees & Lines podcast. Joe DeLong, Forester for the City of Westerville Electric Division, joins hosts Philip Charlton, Ph.D. and Tej Singh to discuss how a small municipal utility reduced tree-caused outages by 41%. Joe shares his journey from climbing trees in the field to leading the vegetation management program for Westerville, a public power utility serving just 12 square miles. Faced with areas that hadn't been touched in over 10 years and limited resources, Joe implemented satellite imagery, standardized ANSI practices, and built a comprehensive tree replacement program that turned pushback into community buy-in. The conversation covers how satellite imagery integrated with existing city systems to create visibility across the entire system, why Joe maintains both satellite data and a manual tracking backup system, how a free tree replacement program reduced resident complaints and improved urban canopy, and why requiring all crew members to become certified arborists elevated the entire team's capabilities. Joe also discusses the challenges of working with limited budgets, the importance of data-driven decision making, and how technology like AI and species identification is shaping the future of municipal vegetation management. From reclaiming overgrown rights-of-way to planting trees every Friday in the fall, Joe's approach proves that small utilities can achieve big results with the right strategy. Have a listen, hope you enjoy! #VegetationManagement #UtilityArboriculture #SatelliteImagery #MunicipalUtilities #DataDrivenVegetationManagement #UrbanForestry #UtilityOperations #GridReliability #TreeWork Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

April 15, 202632 min

Building Partnerships with Utilities, Agencies and the Landscape They Share w/Rick Johnstone

Get the latest updates from our LinkedIn page! https://onelink.to/treesandlines Welcome back to another episode of the Trees & Lines podcast. Rick Johnstone, founder of IVM Partners and a utility vegetation management veteran with nearly 50 years of experience, joins hosts Phil Charlton, PH.D and Tej Singh to discuss how Integrated Vegetation Management goes far beyond cutting trees and controlling brush. Rick shares how his career evolved from forester at Allegheny Power and Delmarva Power to founding IVM Partners, a nonprofit dedicated to proving that rights-of-way can be managed as valuable habitat corridors rather than maintenance liabilities. He explains how working with federal and state agencies transformed his approach to vegetation management and why collaboration beats confrontation every time. The conversation covers how retaining native seed banks creates habitat for rare orchids, Blanding's turtles, and quail, how IVM programs can reduce wildfire risk by managing for low-growing, cool-burning plants, why utilities should view agencies as partners, and how Enable Midstream saved $500,000 annually while improving ecological outcomes. Rick also discusses his current work with wind, solar, natural gas projects, and railroads managing for monarch butterflies and pollinators. Have a listen, hope you enjoy! #VegetationManagement #UtilityArboriculture #IVM #EcosystemManagement #HabitatRestoration #Pollinators #WildlifeConservation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

March 25, 202646 min

The Future of Pipelines and Energy Infrastructure w/ Dean Mutrie

Get the latest updates from our LinkedIn page! https://onelink.to/treesandlines Welcome back to another episode of the Trees & Lines podcast. Dean Mutrie, a veteran of the pipeline industry and keynote speaker at the upcoming International Symposium on Environmental Concerns and Rights of Way Management, joins hosts Philip M. Charlton and Brian Sprinkle to discuss his decades-long career in pipeline rights of way management. Dean shares how he transitioned from environmental studies to specializing in pipeline construction and regulatory filings, what he learned working on projects across Canada and the U.S., and why practical field experience is essential for environmental professionals. The conversation covers the evolution of the Rights of Way Symposium over 50 years, the growing complexity of pipeline development in today's regulatory environment, and the critical safety differences between pipeline and rail transport for oil and gas. Dean also discusses the challenges of balancing energy infrastructure development with environmental and Indigenous concerns, and why multidisciplinary collaboration at conferences like the symposium is more important than ever. Have a listen, hope you enjoy! #VegetationManagement #RightOfWay #PipelineIndustry #EnergyInfrastructure #UtilityOperations #EnvironmentalManagement #SafetyCulture #InfrastructureDevelopment #RegulatoryCompliance #LeadershipLessons #UtilityInnovation Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

March 4, 202614 min

Shaping Utility Forestry through Policy and Partnerships w/Chris Rooney

Get the latest updates from our LinkedIn page! https://onelink.to/treesandlines Welcome back to another episode of the Trees & Lines podcast. Chris Rooney, Forestry Manager at Rhode Island Energy, joins us to discuss how legislation can be a powerful tool for utilities looking to deliver more consistent, effective vegetation management programs. Chris shares how Rhode Island Energy navigated a major corporate transition from National Grid to PPL Corporation and used that moment as an opportunity to advocate for state level legislation that formalizes their forestry planning process. He explains how the law brings municipalities to the table, enhances community notification, and creates a four year planning cycle with real stakeholder input. The conversation also covers managing a remarkably diverse urban forest across 38 cities and towns, building a Right Tree, Right Place program, and why collaboration with lawmakers, the PUC, and community partners is now central to Rhode Island Energy's vegetation management strategy. Have a listen, hope you enjoy! #VegetationManagement #UtilityArboriculture #UtilityLeadership #GridReliability #UtilityOperations #RightTreeRightPlace #EnergyInfrastructure #Utilities #UrbanForestry #StormPreparedness #SafetyCulture #UtilityInnovation #WorkplaceSafety #LeadershipLessons Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.