The following published and non-published articles and abstracts are presented for your information. Most are free. Articles not hyperlinked “Other Publications,” may be requested by email for a small charge. In using any material from these articles, please follow the standard etiquette of crediting the author(s).
Trees Grow on Money
Description of TransAlta Utilities successful vegetation management program. Published in Electric Light & Power, February 1995
TransAlta Utilities Reporting System – A Management Tool
Published in Journal of Arboriculture, 16(2), 1990
A reporting system which provides budget status, unit costs and productivity measures can be an invaluable tool for utility managers. It permits managers to identify cost effective practises and anomalies occurring at the division level. It can expose gradations in productivity not detected by field observation. The savings from one identified poor practise may well pay the annual cost of operating the reporting system.
Outage Statistics As a Basis for Determining Line Clearance Program Status
Presented in Cleveland, OH, 1996 International Society of Arboriculture Conference; printed in the Fall 1996 UAA Quarterly.
The Validity of an Estimation of Biomass. Guggenmoos, S., Shaw, H.J.W., Johnson, R.E., 1989.
Right of way brush control needs to focus on the maintenance free period provided by the vegetation management treatment rather than on assessments of target species kill. Hence a measure of the rate and amount of regrowth is required.
Poplar stem and root control comparisons for 2,4-D, diphenoprop, dicamba and triclopyr. Guggenmoos, S. 1989.
Herbicides efficacy as measured by stem kill and subsequent biomass development from root suckers.
Poplar regrowth rates. Guggenmoos, S., Wilkinson, M.M. TransAlta Utilities, Distribution Line Clearance, 1991.
Poplar regrowth following mowing is compared to natural seedling growth rates.
Enhancement of phenoxy effects by addition of Assist. Guggenmoos, S.
Assist is a paraffin based oil surfactant.
Comparison of efficacy of girdling and various rates of triclopyr ester basal applications for control of poplar spp. Guggenmoos, S.
Opponents of herbicide use often suggest girdling as a viable alternative. This abstract addresses only efficacy, not costs.
Cattle grazing for brush control. Guggenmoos, S., Karpovich, K.G.
To avoid the use of herbicides, grazing has been proposed as an alternative control measure. This study examines the efficacy of cattle as brush control agents.
Getting There from Here
Successfully managing vegetation requires a clear picture of what would be considered an ideal right of way. Focussing only on control of incompatible vegetation does not optimize the maintenance-free period. An editorial published in the Fall 1990 IVMAA Reporter.
Herbicides: Not A Silver Bullet
What can herbicides realistically deliver to right of way maintenance, and why? Where do herbicides offer the most benefit? Why the proper use of herbicides is self-limiting with a case study demonstrating what metrics will prove it. Published in the Summer 2000 UAA Quarterly, Vol 8, No. 4. (This is a PDF file. Need a PDF reader? Follow the Get Acrobat Reader link below.)
The Neglected Option For Avoiding Electric System Storm Damage & Restoration Costs – Managing Tree Exposure
Every time a storm causes widespread power outages, there arises a hue and cry against the power companies, a call for investigations and the suggestion that the distribution system be buried…
Why are we condemned to this recurring experience? Do we lack understanding how severe weather interrupts electric service? No. We know that whether it’s a wind or ice storm, the primary cause of service interruptions is large branches and/or trees falling onto electrical equipment, breaking the continuity of the circuit or causing phase faults….
If we are to avoid storm damage to the electric system, we need to decrease the exposure of power lines to trees.
This article takes a serious look at how to decrease the damage caused by trees, seeks to expose the myths associated with undergrounding and the merits of increased pruning, and compares the costs to the cost of undergrounding.
Managing Tree-caused Electric Service Interruptions
What are realistic expectations for the mitigation and avoidance of tree-caused outages during major storms and during normal operating conditions?
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This list of articles authored by S. Guggenmoos is far from complete (see Publications). Copies of other articles not currently available on this site may be obtained by email (admin@ecosync.com). State the title of the article in the request.