Beginning in 2020, restoration seeding with native grasses and plants has been performed at multiple locations across our pipeline systems’ rights-of-way. Monitoring these sites year over year, we have seen that the seeding has helped balance the impact of physical treatments, such as clearing or chemical treatment of vegetation, and encouraged growth of compatible species on the rights-of-way. Compatible species are those that grow to a height and density practical for routine operations of pipeline right-of-way, such as low-growing grasses and herbaceous plants, reducing the need for physical treatments. Low-growing plants also help limit the invasion of incompatible species and can establish beneficial habitats for wildlife and pollinators.
This restoration has been consistently met with a positive response by our pipeline neighbors as an enhancement to the property. Given the success of the project, we will continue to integrate compatible species seeding projects on our rights-of-way at a larger scale.