Balancing the natural benefits and aesthetics of trees with the need to keep power line rights of way clear in order to prevent outages can sometimes be a daunting task. Electric utilities that successfully meet reliability criteria and fulfill environmental stewardship commitments can be said to have achieved a worthy community goal.

To those utilities, the National Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters present special recognition in the form of the Tree Line USA Award.

Buckeye Rural Electric Cooperative earned the Tree Line USA Award this spring for its 2005 vegetation management program and on-going efforts to maintain ROW over its nine-county service territory.

Tree Line USA designation is made only to public and private utilities across the nation involved in the distribution of electricity to homes. The award is based on three judging criteria:

• Adoption of work practices aimed at meeting service goals using the recommendations of Dr. Alex Shigo, a nationally recognized expert on pruning, whose techniques encourage trees to grow away from lines, rather than tree topping (which encourages rapid vertical re-growth from the cut areas).

• Documentation of annual worker training on Shigo techniques; the employment of an arborist, forester, or other trained employee to oversee the vegetation management program.

• Public education and awareness about the appropriate tree species to pant near power lines, how to create energy efficient landscapes to reduce heating and cooling loads, and tips on how to prune trees safely.

The State Forester’s Office reviews Tree Line USA applications and determines eligibility.

Buckeye REC Utility Forester Cindy Jenkins said designation as a Tree Line USA Award winner is not something that every electric utility can achieve.

“This is an honor. It demonstrates that our vegetation management program is based on best-practice recommendations agreed on by forestry professionals and the National Arbor Day Foundation,” she said.

“Actually, this type of program is a win-win. Buckeye reduces its outage numbers, and our members experience better service. This saves everyone money. At the same time, we are caring for our community forests. Properly pruned and maintained trees mean less decay and death from disease, longer line maintenance cycles, and fewer downed trees on lines during storms.”