Specialty Services

VEGETATION MANAGEMENT

AN INTEGRATED & STRATEGIC APPROACH TO VEGETATION MAINTENANCE

Vegetation Management and Right-of-Way Maintenance have emerged as  critical practices in effective infrastructure operations. From mowing to environmentally conscious herbicide applications to traditional line clearance work, ATCO offers a wide range of vegetation management services to effectively protect your infrastructure whether it be roadside, railroad, telcom or utility based. Our team of forestry professionals have decades of experience managing annual programs for utility and pipeline assets.  Their collaborative approach and tested vegetation control practices help improve operational efficiency, reduce risk and meet safety and environmental regulations while driving significant cost savings.

Our integrated vegetation management is also adaptive to any environment or jurisdiction. ATCO manages annual vegetation management programs across Alberta and Canada’s North — to maintain reliability and ensure the safety of employees and the public. We work on a range of land bases including densely forested and rural areas, private property, provincial crown land, federal reserves and national parks, as well as native grass prairie, boreal forests, mountains and cities. 

 ATCO understands the imperative of fostering strong, mutually beneficial partnerships with the many Indigenous communities whose lands we often conduct our business on,  and who we are privileged to serve. Our Vegetation Management practices foster a shared stewardship of the land with impacted communities, strive for minimal environmental impact, and are carried out with respect, transparency and trust.

THE ATCO ADVANTAGE

Proven Success in Driving Significant Cost Savings Through:

  • Economies of Scale: Due to the large-scale vegetation management program we maintain for our own service area, we strive to secure the most competitive rates from vegetation management contractors, which enables us to pass on these savings and efficiencies to our customers.
  • Automated Processes: Our automated work planning and monitoring system enables our teams to assess inventory, plan herbicide applications, bundle work timelines, and collect detailed records with more accuracy and in less time. Over time, these efficiencies compound and drive significant reductions in your ongoing maintenance costs and operational risks. 
  • Accountability to Regulatory Agencies: We defend our spend and are accountable to governing authorities to ensure that our own ratepayers receive efficient service and the lowest possible rates. These incentives require us to scrutinize every dollar spent, optimize our processes, and secure the lowest possible contractor service rates, which are all savings we like to share with our customers.
Planning

Comprehensive & tailored plans aligned to your goals

Our approach is centered on collaboration and understanding your needs. Our process spans a review of vegetation inventory, developing a work plan, herbicide application plans and ongoing maintenance. Whether you’re seeking a full-service vegetation management solution, a specific service within the vegetation management cycle or a post-construction reclamation plan for an infrastructure project, our team will craft an integrated vegetation management solution that is tailored to your needs.

Planning

The highest standards in environment, community and employee safety included in project Plans

Our practices are held to the highest standards in safety and are adaptive to any environment or authority. Inventory assessments include an overview of local wildlife, habitat, landowners, community, and public areas. Work plans incorporate field safety measures to mitigate the risk of injuries and accidents.

Planning

Trust in our extensive knowledge of utility responsibility to local governing agencies

We maintain strong relationships with regulatory agencies and their documented requirements such as the AEUC (Alberta Electrical Utility Code) for vegetation clearance to overhead powerlines, the NERC (North American Electric Reliability Corporation) for vegetation proximity inspections and the Government of Alberta Wildfire Agreements that outline the mitigation measures to reduce the risk of wildfires near major infrastructure sites. Our long-standing knowledge and adherence to performance and compliance audits enables our team to incorporate these essential practices into the vegetation management services and plans we create for our customers. 

Planning

Backed by our owner/operator expertise

ATCO’s Forestry group manages and oversees the electricity transmission and distribution vegetation inventory surveys and customer consents over its 44-million-hectare electrical service area, as well as all vegetation maintenance activities required to manage 75,000 km of electric powerline rights of way. The team also handles the vegetation and weed management for ATCO’s pipeline transmission and distribution systems throughout the 64,000 km of natural gas systems. The size and extent of our utility vegetation management program enables us to achieve significant economies of scale, giving us the ability to deliver efficiency and cost savings to our customers.

WHAT WE OFFER

  • Vegetation inventory collection and assessment
  • Program management
  • Work planning and execution
  • Budget management
  • Tree trimming, brushing and mechanical mowing
  • Herbicide application treatment strategy & application
  • Contractor/stakeholder development and management
  • Competitive contractor rates
  • On– and off-right-of-way Maintenance
  • Long-term planning and risk modelling
  • Regulatory integration with compliant methods and practices
  • Wildfire hazard assessment and mitigation initiatives
  • Comprehensive safety & environmental protection
  • Wildlife and habitat modelling

LEARN MORE

Learn more about our services by downloading our brochure. If you have any questions, one of our team members will be happy to assist you. 

Notable Projects