In 2016, the United Nations adopted 17 global goals for sustainable development. Among them, Goal 15 emphasizes the protection of terrestrial ecosystems, the preservation of biodiversity, and the sustainable management of forests, objectives to be realized globally by 2030.
Until recently, these ambitions seemed achievable.
But today, environmental priorities are increasingly sidelined due to the growing financial pressures on national economies.
Geopolitical instability, wars, and the rise of anti-democratic movements have forced countries to reallocate funds, especially toward national defense and peacekeeping efforts.
Formerly stable alliances are being tested, and many industrialized nations are striving for greater military autonomy.
Environmental protection budgets are often the first to be cut, deemed nonessential in times of crisis. After all, their benefits, biodiversity, long-term climate resilience, are not always immediately visible in daily life.
The result is a collective shift in mindset: peace, freedom, and prosperity now dominate political agendas, while environmental commitments recede into the background.
And yet, the fundamental importance of biodiversity will not disappear.
Even in times of crisis, it remains a core issue, because without a functioning and diverse ecosystem, humanity itself faces a finite future. As the most highly developed species on the planet, we bear the responsibility of ensuring this planet remains habitable.
That’s why every measure counts, no matter how small. And that’s why powerline corridors, typically seen as technical infrastructure, are uniquely positioned to make a meaningful contribution.
Powerline Corridors: Unlikely Allies in Conservation
For operational and safety reasons, powerline corridors require continuous vegetation maintenance to prevent outages.
This necessity opens the door for a strategic shift: by integrating ecologically sound and sustainable practices into routine work, these linear spaces can be transformed into thriving ecological corridors.
The logic is simple: “If the DSO/TSO is already required to manage vegetation, why not do the right thing while we're there?”
This pragmatic mindset lies at the heart of Ecological Corridor Management (ECM), a model that transforms maintenance obligations into ecological opportunities.
Why the Future of ECM Matters
ECM can make a substantial contribution to biodiversity conservation when implemented intelligently, consistently, and over the long term.
This has been demonstrated by multiple DSO/TSO projects, where corridors have been maintained according to ECM principles for over two decades.
Carefully designed measures, such as central mulch strips, open spaces that enhance habitat connectivity, and the selective promotion of rare or native plant species, can stabilize entire ecosystems.
These actions support insects and microorganisms, sustain food webs, and create shelter for small mammals and birds.
Features like hedgerows and herbaceous islands, arranged as “stepping stones,” also protect vulnerable species from predators and help prevent population decline.
But ECM is not a quick fix.
It requires ongoing observation, the willingness to learn from mistakes, and a creative, adaptive approach sustained over 5–10 years. Only then do the ecological benefits become fully visible, and worth celebrating.
If every company, utility, and individual contributes even a small measure of value, the impact becomes collective.
This is especially true for grid infrastructure operators, who are uniquely positioned to activate dormant ecological potential through relatively small adjustments in routine maintenance.
Through intelligent and ecological vegetation management, the powerline, once viewed as a disruptive force, can emerge as a key ecological asset.
It has the potential to shift its image: From enemy to ally. From destroyer to protector. But this insight must be communicated.
Policymakers, NGOs, and the public must understand ECM’s role in enabling the energy transition.
By embedding ecological thinking into grid development, energy providers not only reduce public resistance, they gain new allies.
When even the strongest opponents of grid expansion become informed partners or supporters, our collective climate and biodiversity goals come within reach.
Read also: Strategies for Effective Corridor Management: Stakeholder Collaborations
What’s Changing in Ecological Corridor Management?
There are several trends emerging within ECM:
From Conventional to Ecological: CCM vs. ECM
To fully appreciate the value of Ecological Corridor Management (ECM), it’s important to distinguish it from Conventional Corridor Management (CCM), the traditional, reactive approach still used in many regions today.
CCM primarily focuses on tree trimming and vegetation clearance to prevent faults caused by overgrowth or tree falls.
The goal is simple: maintain sufficient safety distances to avoid power outages. Vegetation is managed with a narrow lens, concerned only with line security, not ecological value.
Tree species and habitat types are largely irrelevant in this process, and corridor mapping rarely includes biotope data.
In contrast, ECM builds on the same foundation of safety, but goes far beyond it.
It introduces a long-term, data-informed, and ecologically driven strategy. ECM doesn’t just remove risks; it builds biodiversity, improves habitat connectivity, and supports climate resilience.
Where the Shift Begins: Mapping, Data, and Technology
The first difference between ECM and CCM becomes evident during the initial inspection.
Instead of simply identifying hazardous trees, ECM requires comprehensive mapping of vegetation types, tree heights, and biotope boundaries.
This is where digital innovation enters the scene.
Treeline: Accelerating and Enriching ECM Planning
With advanced tools like Treeline, the transition to ECM becomes faster, more accurate, and more cost-effective. By leveraging georeferenced satellite imagery and integrated utility data (mast locations, corridor widths, etc.), Treeline can automatically classify:
- Vegetation types
- Tree heights and densities
- Distance of vegetation to conductors
- Biotope edges and boundaries
This digital baseline offers immense value to ECM planners. It not only saves time and resources in the field but also enhances line safety, especially in the first year of planning, when manual estimates are most prone to error.
From Data to Decision-Making
Once vegetation data is categorized, Treeline’s platform can recommend site-specific vegetation management strategies based on:
- Species characteristics
- Maintenance timelines
- Unit size (area or length)
- Seasonal growth patterns
The integration of multi-year satellite imagery also enables precise monitoring of ecological changes. This allows utilities to verify whether the right interventions are happening at the right time and place, and gives service providers clear metrics for performance monitoring.
In this way, Treeline supports a smarter, more transparent, and more scalable implementation of ECM.
Climate-Adapted Corridor Design
Once vegetation types have been identified, biologists and ecological planners can move to the next layer of analysis: species detection.
Mapping existing animal and plant populations allows utilities to:
- Track ecological change over time
- Assess the impact of ECM measures
- Implement corrective actions when needed
Because vegetation and species monitoring can now be performed cyclically and cost-efficiently, ECM plans can be dynamically adapted to match changing climate conditions, drought risks, or emerging ecological threats.
By combining digital mapping, biological insight, and climate-aware planning, corridor design becomes not just sustainable, but resilient and future-ready.
Integration with Infrastructure: A Win-Win
Ecological Corridor Management (ECM) represents one of the rare true win-win scenarios in industrial operations today.
In a world where most infrastructure projects are associated with environmental degradation, ECM stands apart.
When implemented properly, it transforms utility corridors into ecological assets, not liabilities.
But this outcome requires more than good intentions. It demands:
- Accurate mapping of current biotopes
- Strategic development planning
- Sustainable vegetation management over multiple years
The past two decades have shown that where Distribution and Transmission System Operators (DSOs/TSOs) adopt the right ecological mindset and manage their corridors in accordance with ECM principles, the results are consistent and measurable.
Recognizing that powerline infrastructure can serve both energy and conservation goals is a profound societal responsibility.
DSOs and TSOs hold the power to influence biodiversity outcomes at scale, and with it, to redefine their public image and long-term value.
This potential must be communicated more clearly to regulators, politicians, communities, and stakeholders at all levels.
Policy and Regulation: From Voluntary to Vital
For ECM to scale effectively across regions and countries, it must shift from being a voluntary practice to a standardized and incentivized policy.
While recognition of ECM’s value is growing, it isn’t yet sufficient to drive widespread adoption.
The upfront costs of ECM, especially in the early years, often exceed those of conventional approaches by more than 50%.
Without a regulatory framework that either mandates ECM or financially supports its rollout, many utilities are hesitant to fully commit.
Laying the Groundwork for Mandates
Germany offers an encouraging example. For over two years, the VDE association has promoted ECM through formal recommendations for both new and existing routes.
Although these guidelines are not yet binding, they could become the foundation for future legislation.
Such a blueprint, combining national strategy with technical standards, could be adopted internationally.
Already, several large utilities are collaborating with the Renewables Grid Initiative (RGI), a global NGO advocating for ECM and its role in species conservation.
To truly accelerate adoption, regulatory bodies may need to introduce enforcement mechanisms, such as reduced transit fees for operators that fail to implement ECM.
This would send a clear message: ecological stewardship is no longer optional in grid development; it’s a baseline requirement.
Community and Cross-Sector Collaboration
Despite top-down policies, the success of ECM often hinges on local dynamics.
Ministries and regulators may endorse transformation, but landowners, leaseholders, and local conservation groups ultimately determine what happens on the ground.
Resistance often arises from a lack of trust, competing land use visions, or fears about long-term implications. This is why early, direct engagement with regional stakeholders is essential.
DSOs and TSOs must proactively approach:
- Local environmental officers
- Large landowners and agricultural users
- Regional conservation associations
- Tenant representatives
These conversations serve two key functions:
- Operational Insight: Local actors often know the land, the species, and the seasonal patterns better than any external consultant.
- Psychological Buy-In: Involving stakeholders from the beginning reduces resistance and builds co-ownership of the project’s vision.
Of course, it’s not always feasible to consult every landowner across a corridor. But focusing on the most influential or sensitive groups, those with a history of engagement or opposition, is both effective and efficient.
From Dialogue to Partnership
In many successful ECM projects, what begins as consultation evolves into collaboration or even co-sponsorship. Partnerships have emerged between utilities and:
- Bat and bird conservation centers
- Reptile and amphibian research groups
- Beekeepers and wildflower meadow advocates
In the end, trust, transparency, and mutual respect are the cornerstones of effective ECM rollouts. Reliable communication at eye level is not a luxury; it’s the guarantee of success.
Conclusion: ECM as Infrastructure for Biodiversity and Trust
Ecological Corridor Management (ECM) has the power to reshape not only the physical landscapes of our utility corridors but also the public perception of DSOs and TSOs.
What was once seen purely as disruptive infrastructure can now become a symbol of ecological responsibility, forward-thinking energy management, and local partnership.
Until recently, regulatory compliance required little more than maintaining minimum safety distances between vegetation and overhead lines. With ECM, utilities now have the ability, and the tools, to manage corridors intelligently, strategically, and sustainably.
Where properly implemented, ECM fosters valuable biotopes that support biodiversity, enhance species protection, and improve ecological connectivity.
From Energy Transition to Ecosystem Transition
The global transition from fossil fuels to renewables is reshaping energy systems. But to succeed, it must be accompanied by an equally robust transformation of grid infrastructure.
This means building new lines across urban, rural, and natural landscapes, a process that, understandably, generates public concern and resistance.
Today, many countries face bottlenecks, not just in planning and approvals, but in societal acceptance.
Demonstrations, legal objections, and opposition from citizen initiatives can delay projects for years. These objections often arise from a fear of irreversible damage to the environment.
This is where ECM can change the narrative. If utilities can credibly demonstrate that grid corridors, when developed and maintained under detailed ECM plans, are ecological assets, public resistance will soften. Trust will build. And collaboration will flourish.
ECM Is Not a Trend. It’s a Model for the Future.
Across Europe, examples of ECM success are multiplying.
They show that positive change is replicable. But visibility takes time. Ecological transformation is slow by nature. That’s why now is the moment for DSOs and TSOs to act decisively.
Many are already at a crossroads, eager to implement ECM but facing institutional, financial, or logistical barriers. What they need is:
- Clear regulatory backing
- Honest communication
- Creative partnerships
- And a shared vision across sectors
Conclusion
ECM is a powerful instrument for unlocking the full value of grid infrastructure: for climate, for ecosystems, and for society. It can help secure energy supply, accelerate the energy transition, and leave a legacy of restored landscapes.
It deserves to be established as a standard across all utility companies.
Because every step forward, every corridor transformed, brings us closer to a future where energy and ecology go hand in hand.
About the Author
Michael Wahl has dedicated more than 30 years to advancing high-voltage infrastructure and ecological corridor management. After joining Westnetz in 1987, he steadily progressed to become Head of the “Operation of HV Overhead Lines” department, a position he held until 2021. From 2021 to 2023, he led the Ecological Corridor Management (ECM) rollout at E.ON as Project Manager, coordinating efforts across 15 distribution system operators (DSOs) in Europe. By 2029, the entire E.ON Group will be managing almost 70,000 hectares of green corridors and overseeing an investment of over €40 million as part of this transformation. Today, Michael continues to champion ECM across the energy sector through consulting, public speaking, and close collaboration with industry stakeholders. He also shares insights and practical knowledge through a series of blog posts aimed at supporting a more sustainable and biodiversity-friendly approach to corridor management.
