Small Town News

Entergy named Tree Lines USA award winner

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Most Entergy Louisiana, LLC customers are likely familiar with the sight of tree-trimming crews working along a street or highway, pruning tree branches and other vegetation away from power lines.

What is not so obvious, however, is the care and training that goes into cutting those limbs and branches away. Entergy's efforts to do the job right have earned the utility its fifth Tree Line USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation.

The award, sponsored in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters, recognizes utilities that demonstrate a commitment to public education, tree planting and quality tree care.

"It is an honor to Entergy that the Arbor Day Foundation recognizes the effort we have put into developing a responsible tree-trimming and vegetation management program," said Sean Disotell, customer service manager for Entergy Louisiana, LLC.

Dan Lambe, vice president of programs for the Arbor Day Foundation, in announcing Entergy's naming as a Tree Line USA utility, said. "Your utility's effort in meeting Tree Line USA requirements - training your workers in quality tree-care practices and helping your customers to plant appropriate trees near utility lines - not only helps to provide beautiful trees for the future, but also results in long-term operational savings for your utility.

"Trees make our communities more livable, increase property values and help clean the air," he said. "And trees conserve energy, which is especially important to utilities as peak demand is reduced."

"Keeping tree limbs and other vegetation away from power lines is one of the most important aspects of providing reliable service to customers in the south where our growing season is almost year-round," said Disotell. "But when we need to trim tree limbs away from power lines, we don't do it in a random fashion. We follow very specific pruning guidelines set by the American National Standards Institute that help ensure the health of the tree while meeting our need to keep limbs away from power lines."

Entergy trains its vegetation workers and gives them pocket guides for daily assistance in their work. The guides address pruning near utility lines and also trenching and tunneling near trees.

The company avoids topping trees, which removes the tree's crown, or tipping branches, in which branches are cut in the middle instead of at the trunk or at a side branch. Both of those practices are harmful to trees. Correct arboricultural techniques help keep trees away from power lines for longer periods of time because proper pruning actually trains trees to grow away from the lines.



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© 2011 The Jena Times Jena, Louisiana. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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