VEGKTATION MANAGIOMENT — EGLER 303 



2n0 feet wide. In all these, we luiv© a ])iuallel series of belts, each of 

 which liiis its own function for I he. utility. At or near tlie center of 

 the ri^ht-of-way is a foot trail, for patrol and inspection. Under 

 (he wires, in a belt 25 to 40 fecit wide, the ve<ijetation should be low — 

 about 2 feet — oi* with isolated hi«^her shrubs of sucli a natui'e as not 

 to hinder entry for emergency reconstruction and repair. The sides 

 of the ri^ht-of-wjiy, with a miniiniMn width of 25 feet, serve oidy 

 indirectly. They exist foi- con( rolling trees that woidd ^row upward 

 or sidewise into the wires, that would contact the wires when they 

 swiii<i^ outward in stron<]^ winds, oi" th;it would fall into the wires. 

 Fiir(h(M-uiore, in the sense that (he sides are lower tluin the adjacent 

 foiesf, (hey serve to demarcate and perpetuate property lines, indicat- 

 in<!: (he area under the jurisdic(,ioii of the utility. 



With these li)ni(ations it can be seen that the ve<i^e(ation that can be 

 (olerated on such a rij^ht-of-way would have an ultimately valley- 

 shaped cross section. It so hjippciis that such a cross sec( ion involves a 

 maximum amount of the border effects and edf^es mentioned above as 

 bein<j^ the optimum wildlife habitat. Thus wildlife conservationists 

 and sportsiruMi, were tliey to ^-.un the cooperation of the utilities, 

 could, without expending any extra money, add more ^ame-producing 

 acreage to the country than now exists. 



CASI'irK LINKS 



The building of gas-i)ipe lines has been extended enormously within 

 (lie last few years. These i-elatively narrow righ(:s-of-way differ in 

 sevei-al very imi)ortant respects from all the preccidijig. In the laying 

 of (he pipe, the land is laid bare and is thus subject to initial invasion 

 by all kinds of plants, including trees. Most of these lines have been 

 recently laid, Jind invadijig brusli has not reached sufficient proportions 

 to become a problem to the companies owning the lines. Furthermore, 

 j)atro] is often aerial, leaks in the line being indicated by discolored 

 vegetation; and entry for repaii' is by heavy UKichanized ecpjipment. 

 For all these reasons, no concern has yet been expressed for the man- 

 agement of vegetation on (he lines. Even if the pipeline com])anies 

 liave not shown interest, it would be reasonable for wildlife managers 

 to undertake the modification of these areas for their own i)urposes, 

 since the major expense, that of forest removal, has already been 

 effected. 



HERBICIDES FOR BRUSH CONTROL 



Let it be said first that the use of herbicides is not the cheapest means 

 of brush control. Cropping, glazing, and burning are techniques (hat 

 sliould take precedence whenever and wlujrever possible. Neverthe- 

 less such management practices are feasible oidy on a very minor part 

 of the rights-of-way considered in this discussion. 



