Vegetation Management

Effective vegetation management involves more than just spraying weeds. West Country Energy Services understands the importance of complying with regulations and maintaining good relationships with landowners. Our goal is to meet your needs and deliver the essential elements of a successful vegetation management program.

Impact on the Utility Industry

Vegetation encroachment is a leading cause of unplanned electricity outages. When trees or other vegetation come into contact with utility lines, it can result in fires and bring down the lines.

Impact on the Oil & Gas Industry

Encroaching vegetation impacts the integrity and efficiency of pipelines and drilling rigs in the oil and gas industry. If the lines and wells are compromised, this could even lead to environmental damage. If not properly managed, vegetation can also pose a fire hazard around structures on job sites.

 

As a professional vegetation management company,
West Country Energy will:

  • write comprehensive Vegetation Management Plans
  • provide early detection of new noxious and/or prohibited noxious species
  • match target species to the best control methods
  • use new spraying and mapping technology
  • put Quality Control programs in place
  • provide detailed vegetation control records

BARE GROUND AREAS

In the immediate area surrounding infrastructure, it is necessary to keep the area free of vegetation. West Country Energy Services offers contact* or season-long residual programs to ensure that your sites are clean until fall. 

There are many herbicides to choose from, but we take the time to understand your site and goals to ensure that we implement the proper products. We consistently and continually use top-of-the-line premium products to ensure efficient control; economically and ecologically. 

You can also trust that you will receive the best Bare Ground services as our experienced managers continually monitor for quality control and crew performance.

*contact programs are non-residual and may need multiple applications for season long control.

 

Reclamation

West Country Energy Services provides many specialized services in the reclamation industry, including noxious weed control, gas migration, mowing and seeding.

Noxious and restricted weeds are a challenge on many reclamation sites. Whether it's a job on private land or at a remote location in the bush, our personnel have the training, equipment and knowledge to help you pass the DSA. We utilize accurate spraying systems that provide the quality assurance you require. After herbicide application, you receive summaries of the work completed including detailed environmental records, mapped areas of application and target species identified. Our environmental records exceed government compliance standards.

Our crews also use GPS and survey software to identify and locate your site efficiently. We only use top-of-the-line herbicides and equipment to complete the job on time and on budget.

Grass Areas

Broadleaf weeds don’t do well in healthy grasses, so establishing healthy grasses is the first line of defence against the spread of invasive weeds. Broadleaf weeds such as Canada Thistle and Scentless Chamomile can be controlled with grass-friendly herbicides. West Country can prevent the establishment of invasive species early on, allowing you to significantly reduce future input costs.

Brush Control

Trees and brush encroaching onto your infrastructure can be a serious issue. In road ditches, brush and small trees can quickly become a canopy. This can lead to safety issues such as animal strikes and road drainage problems. Mulchers are expensive – and unfortunately, the only option if growth is not dealt with early. Power lines are also negatively affected by tree growth. A single tree touching a line is capable of starting a forest fire, causing serious injury or even power outages. West Country Energy Services has the experience and resources to manage brush in a highly effective and cost-efficient manner.

Mowing

Maintain your site with West Country Energy Services' mowing services. We understand that overgrown vegetation can pose significant risks to safety, operations, and compliance. Our team mobilizes equipment designed for durability and performance to handle the toughest mowing challenges.

Utility Patrolling / Consenting

Ensure the integrity and compliance of your utility infrastructure with our expert utility patrolling and consenting services. Our dedicated team facilitates communication with landowners and perform comprehensive vegetation assessments. This assists you to prioritize your budgets and protect your assets.

AERIAL HERBICIDE SPRAYING

If you need an efficient way to apply herbicides to your site, West Country can offer our expertise and experience in Aerial Herbicide Application. Aerial spraying comes with many advantages, such as quicker application, and there is no soil compaction.

Seeding

Enhance, sustain, and rejuvenate landscapes with West Country Energy Services' expert seeding services. We conduct thorough site assessments to select the best seeding methods and mixes to maximize effectiveness and cost-efficiency. Our customized solutions promote fast and reliable vegetation growth, minimizing erosion and enhancing visual appeal. Specializing in revitalizing areas impacted by industrial and construction activities, we ensure swift and sustainable establishment of vegetation, enhancing the environmental resilience of your projects.

Vegetation Management FAQs

Vegetation management involves keeping bare ground areas free of vegetation, reclaiming sites with ideal vegetation like grass, tree & brush control, mowing, and other best practices that ensure your site is exactly in the condition it needs.

Vegetation control prevents wildfires, ensures clear utility lines, and promotes healthy ecosystems. It also ensures compliance with government regulators that mandate control and/or eradication of specific types of weeds.

Vegetation management reduces excess vegetation and maintains defendable fire control space around infrastructure. This reduces fuels, helping to prevent the spread of wildfires and protect properties and natural resources.

The frequency of vegetation management depends on your property's specific needs and local regulations. Most of our "bare ground" residual herbicide programs only need one application per season. When doing "broadleaf" control in grass areas, heavy infestations of certain weeds, such as Canada Thistle and Scentless Chamomile, may need a second application during the season.

For a quote, you can contact us here, phone us at 1-888-542-9156, or email us at info(at)westcountry.ca.

Yes, we have the resources to provide emergency vegetation management services for urgent situations. Call us for prompt assistance.

Spot spraying refers to targeting individual plants or patches of plants. This type of application is used when only certain spots require herbicide use. The main advantage of this type of application is that it reduces the amount of herbicide used. A disadvantage is that there may be missed weeds and no active herbicides in the soil for the weeds that have not emerged yet. Spot spraying is also typically much slower, which can result in higher site maintenance costs. “Blanket spraying” can be more advantageous as it limits site visits to one per season and is more cost-effective than spot spraying.

Residual herbicides control weeds longer than Contact herbicides, therefore reducing the number of times herbicides need to be applied. Residual herbicide activity times in the soil can vary from a few weeks to over five years. Selective and non-selective herbicides may have residual times, so selecting herbicides with the proper control time frame is vital. If a herbicide's residual time exceeds a site's operational life, this needs to be taken into consideration. A good residual time on a non-selective herbicide at a well site is usually one season. "Selective" or “grass friendly herbicide residual times are not as critical, as reclaimed sites (with newly planted grasses) are generally unaffected by the herbicide activity.

To ensure the safety of livestock, we have non-toxic herbicides available for application to grazing areas. If a heavy infestation of weeds is present, we advise our client so the landowner can be notified.

LD50 is a laboratory measurement of toxicity. The lower the number, the more toxic a herbicide is. Our herbicides have an LD50 of 2000- 10,000. In comparison, "Killex" (a dandelion killer commonly bought in hardware stores) has an LD50 of 300- 1200. Our selected industrial herbicides are safer than many over-the-counter products. We recognize that the length of exposure is an essential issue with any herbicide application. Many of our products are non-toxic to sensitive species such as honeybees and fish.

Contact herbicide applications can be affected by rain. Generally, with these types of treatments, we use surfactants or herbicides that can be applied within a few hours or, in some cases, minutes before rainfall. Conversely, some herbicides are applied to be absorbed by a plant's roots and rain is needed to move the chemical to the root zone.

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