The Pennsylvania State Game Lands 33 (SGL 33) research project in central Pennsylvania began in 1953 in response to public concern about the impact of vegetation management practices on wildlife habitat within electric transmission rights-of-way (ROW). The research study was started in 1952 under the direction of:
- Hyland Johns, Asplundh Tree Expert LLC
- William Bramble, Professor of Forestry, Penn State
- W. R. Byrnes, Graduate Research Assistant, Penn State and, later, Professor of Forestry, Purdue University
- Roger Latham, Research Director, Pennsylvania Game Commission
- Arnie Carlson, Director of Research, DuPont
- Mark Fulton, Manager of Transmission, Penelec
Originally, the 3.5 miles of ROW was segmented into 6 vegetation treatments including mowing, basal low volume herbicide, and foliar herbicide among others. Over the 60-year study these treatments have been maintained with a variety of herbicide tank mixes and other chemicals as they became available. These initial treatment resulted in low density of incompatible trees and abundance of game wildlife including rabbits, grouse, and deer.
Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund) has administered this Sponsored Grant Program through the partnership of Asplundh Tree Expert, LLC, Corteva Agriscience, First Energy Corporation and PECO Energy Company beginning in 2018.
Documents and Research Links:
Link to Penn State University Documentation Page
Link to April 2024 Webinar with TREE Fund
Link to September 2021 Webinar with TREE Fund
Completed research includes:
Carolyn G. Mahan, PhD, Penn State Altoona. “Long term effects of electrical right-of-way vegetation management on floral and faunal communities.” (2018)