Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group

habitat conservation + working landscapes

A close-up image of a bee hovering near a vibrant pink flower, surrounded by green foliage, highlighting the importance of pollinators in nature.

Resources library

This online library is a clearinghouse of tools and information related to habitat on rights-of-way and other lands. From seed mix calculators to mowing guidelines and everything in between, you’ll find it here.

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Invasive Plant Management on Rights-of-Way: Evaluating Native Habitat Restoration Projects on ROW – April 28, 2025

Webinars

Original air date Thursday, April 24th. A continuation of ROWHWG’s series on integrated vegetation management on rights-of-way, which focused on native habitat restoration. Our guest speakers, Dr. Shawn Askew of Virginia Tech, and Amy Toohey of AEP, discussed their respective research on evaluating the success of management strategies to re-establish diverse native plant populations on rights-of-ways.

ERC Research Webinar Series titled

Nature-based Sustainability Planning for the Energy Sector – May 1, 2025

Planning Tools, Webinars

Presented on 4.30.2025 as part of the 2025 ERC Speaker Series.
Businesses depend on nature for raw materials, supporting services, and resilience. Energy operations are no different. This webinar will discuss business risks posed by nature, how companies can evaluate risks, and manage them by engaging in nature-positive actions.

Power lines stretch across a blue sky, surrounded by green vegetation, illustrating rights-of-way management in the United States. This image supports the strategic overview of pest management practices as outlined in the report prepared by the University of Illinois Chicago and the North Central Integrated Pest Management Center, published in March 2025.

Right-of-Way Pest Management Strategic Plan

Best Management Practices

The PMSP serves as a primer for understanding ROW vegetation management through sustainable and effective strategies while balancing infrastructure needs with environmental management.

Close-up image of a monarch butterfly wing showcasing its vibrant orange and black patterns, with text overlay titled

Monarch Butterfly Listing Proposal Discussion – December 17, 2024

Webinars

Originally aired December 17th, 2024. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to list the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act across the continental United States. This webinar provides an overview of the proposed listing and its associated 4(d) rule, including its anticipated timeline, projected impacts on the energy and transportation sectors, and its alignment with the Monarch CCAA program. Our team will also discusses ROWHWG’s next steps and answers attendee questions.

Alt text: Summary document outlining the proposed rule for listing the monarch butterfly as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, highlighting key takeaways on conservation efforts, transportation and energy infrastructure roles, and enrollment considerations for the Monarch CCAA program.

Monarch Listing Proposed Rule – A Summary from the Rights-of-Way as Habitat Working Group

Conservation Agreements, Policy and Publications

This document describes key takeaways and frequently asked questions as related to energy and transportation organizations regarding the proposed listing of the monarch butterfly in December 2024.

Cost-Benefit Calculator Feasibility Study Year 2 Report

Case Studies and Research

During the second year of the feasibility study, UIC and Burns & McDonnell created a web-based cost data collection form to gather cost information associated with pollinator-friendly and conventional vegetation management practices looking for similarities and averages across vegetation management practices.