Funding

Disciplines: All

Research Enabled Opportunity: Plant Recognition University Challenger

With Ameren's combined network of managed right-of-ways, electric and pipeline utilities across the Midwest we are uniquely positioned to improve the environmental stewardship of the plant ecosystems. We are concerned and are driven to understand more about native plant densities, pollinator science, conservation opportunities, and associated costs and risks. Through management of large real estate assets, there is ecological potential to enhance the right-of-way habitat with well-designed, ecologically meaningful, and cost-effective actions.

These habitats offer benefits to both utilities as well as various pollinating insect species. Vegetation management including vegetation trimming, is a costly operation for electric utilities and new research into growing specific plant species has revealed benefits to both the electric utility and important pollinating insect species such as butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. Growing pollinating plants in right-of-ways however, does not relinquish the need to monitor the right-of-way vegetation. Current vegetation monitoring techniques are labor intensive and costly often requiring site visits. To realize the benefits of growing pollenating plants, Ameren has initiated a Plant Recognition University Challenge ("University Challenge"). This challenge will conduct research and development to advance insights of identifying species and population densities of plants from UAV multispectral imaging data. Click here for more information.