Transmission Line Right-of-Way at Chippewa Nature Center

About the Program
Located near Midland, Michigan, the ITC Transmission Line Corridor bisects the Chippewa Nature Center, providing more native grassland habitat with invasive species managed on-site. The corridor was established in 2009 by ITC Holdings and spans a total of 36 acres. Employees of ITC Holdings actively aid in the planning and coordination of vegetation management, with help performing on-the-ground maintenance from local partners and contractors. The neighboring Chippewa Nature Center property is also managed and maintained as a native grassland habitat. Flora and fauna species monitoring is conducted by ITC employees as well as several partners.

Practices and Impacts

• Management of the transmission corridor grassland project began in 2009. The team manages the grassland by spot-spraying invasive plants at least annually and conducting controlled burns. Plant, animal and pollinator surveys are conducted at least once during the growing season every year, with additional plant and wildlife observations recorded during every site visit.
• To increase the quantity and quality of habitat for native pollinator species, native shrub, grass and forb species have been maintained to serve as larval host plants, nectar and pollen sources and to provide nesting and cover materials. Bare sandy areas are left unvegetated for use by ground-nesting bees and puddling butterflies, and cut woody vegetation is left at the edge of the corridor for use by tunnel-nesting bees. Pollinator surveys are conducted at least once during the growing season every year, with the data for monarch butterflies submitted to the Monarch Watch and Journey North citizen science programs.