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Rights-of-Way Pepco, a subsidiary of Pepco Holdings, Inc., (PHI) has been a longstanding member of the Wildlife Habitat Council, since 1998. Pepco owns approximately 10,000 acres of transmission line rights-of-way in Washington, D.C. and suburban Maryland. These rights-of-way traverse many different ecological systems including streams, rivers, nontidal wetlands, tidal wetlands, bogs, meadows, shrub-scrub and forests. The 7,000 acres of shrub/scrub form the basis for the habitat enhancement program. In order to reduce the amount of dense, high-growing vegetation under the power lines on the rights-of-way, the wildlife team, under the guidance of Steve Genua, System Forester, developed a meadow management program. This program results in a low-profile shrub and scrub plant community that is both beneficial to wildlife habitat and compatible with safe and reliable electric service.
This program is both beneficial to wildlife habitat and compatible with providing safe and reliable electric service. “We (at Pepco) have found that practicing environmental stewardship of our rights-of-way encourages partnering with wildlife support groups, environmental government agencies and other ecological interest groups to achieve our corporate goals,” said Genua. One of these beneficial partnerships formed based on rights-of-way stewardship is the collaboration between PHI, the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center and WHC. The meadow management program allows dormant annual and perennial wildflower seeds to germinate and grow. These wildflowers provide food and nectar for butterflies and caterpillars. Butterfly populations are an integral part of the wildlife habitat on the rights-of-way because they pollinate flowers, provide an essential food source for wildlife and naturally beautify surroundings. Land management for butterflies also often adds benefits by creating high quality habitats for plants, birds and other insects. The Washington Area Butterfly Club and the International Butterfly Breeders Association, along with WHC, are integral partners with the Butterfly Enhancement Project, which has repopulated more than 300 acres of land with butterflies. During WHC's 17th Annual Symposium in November 2005, Pepco was distinguished by winning the 2005 Wild Turkey Management Award. An added honor, Pepco was also recognized by the North American Pollinator Protection Campaign and WHC for establishing pollinator friendly practices along the rights-of-way. The Pepco Rights-of-Way has been WHC certified since 2000. |
