As the global push for biodiversity conservation intensifies, powerline corridors—often seen purely as technical infrastructure—are emerging as unlikely but vital allies.
When managed with ecological foresight, these linear spaces can reconnect fragmented habitats, support endangered species, and promote ecosystem resilience.
This article explores how ecological corridor management (ECM) transforms utility corridors into powerful tools for biodiversity protection.
Powerline Corridors as Hidden Ecological Connectors
High-voltage and extra-high-voltage overhead lines form a web of linear infrastructure that stretches across countries and continents—like a spider’s web—connecting urban and densely populated areas while crossing landscapes in all directions.
Beyond their core function of transporting energy, these corridors can serve a secondary, yet critical, ecological purpose: connecting fragmented habitats.
However, not every corridor maintained through conventional practices fulfills this role. To function as ecological connectors, corridors must be developed intentionally through smart and consistent vegetation management.
Managing Vegetation to Support Native Flora and Fauna
In many cases, only minor interventions are needed to steer trail maintenance in the right direction—for example, by displacing dominant, non-native vegetation to allow native flora to recover. The primary focus should be on restoring native plant species.
This restructuring of the flora serves as the catalyst for the development of a species-rich fauna. After all, the survival of animal species depends entirely on the availability of food sources.
Why Insects Matter—And How Corridors Can Help
Insects play an especially vital role. More than a quarter of all insect species on Earth are currently threatened with extinction. Insects act not only as natural pollinators but also as a critical food source for birds and small mammals.
Efforts to preserve biodiversity must begin here—with the promotion of appropriate host and food plants. Take the meadow scabious (Knautia macedonica), for example: it is essential for many wild bee species, which rely exclusively on this plant for pollen.
Without abundant populations of this food source, these bee species cannot successfully reproduce.
This is just one example of how the conservation of a single species hinges on the careful management of vegetation. The same principle applies broadly to most of Earth’s fauna.
If we are to maintain the high standard of living and prosperity we enjoy, we must fully internalize this fundamental truth.
The idea that conservation and sustainable living are optional is outdated. Resource-conscious lifestyles and thoughtful species and nature conservation are not luxuries—they are absolute necessities.
Biodiversity & Species Conservation in ECM
Without biodiversity, the global food system faces serious risk. Over 75% of all fruits, vegetables, and crops depend on animal pollinators—mostly insects.
In the coming years, species conservation will become a central issue as human-driven habitat destruction pushes countless species, particularly insects and plants, toward permanent extinction.
Another essential component of securing humanity’s future on Earth is the global shift to renewable energy sources. Only by replacing fossil fuels can we reduce CO₂ emissions and meet our climate targets by 2050.
Energy Transition and ECM
In industrialized nations, electricity will become the dominant form of energy. However, because renewable sources like solar, wind, hydropower, and photovoltaics are more decentralized and distributed across the landscape, this shift will require massive grid expansion efforts.
This development will inevitably lead to greater use of natural spaces—and with it, growing resistance from society, regulatory authorities, and environmental groups.
This is where Ecological Corridor Management (ECM) comes in. Through ECM, this apparent contradiction can be proactively resolved. When managed according to ecological principles, powerline corridors don’t degrade landscapes, they enhance them. Proper ECM turns powerline infrastructure into ecological assets.
This win-win solution for people and nature must be widely communicated and implemented without delay. ECM is not only compatible with energy transition goals, it actively supports them.
By streamlining approval processes and minimizing environmental conflict, ECM facilitates grid development while incurring only modest additional costs.
How Ecological Corridors Enhance Biodiversity
Infrastructure projects inevitably fragment ecosystems and create barriers that hinder animal movement.
For many amphibians and small mammals, this can severely limit essential migration behaviors needed for feeding and reproduction. Roads, railways, and yes—even powerlines—can contribute to this fragmentation.
The isolation of ecosystems (or "island formation") also has biological consequences. Gene flow between animal populations is restricted, accelerating species decline and reducing genetic diversity.
However, powerline corridors, when maintained ecologically, can actually counteract this trend.
Well-managed ecological corridors can facilitate animal movement through:
- Coppiced forests alternating with open clearings
- “Stepping stone” vegetation islands offering shelter from predators
- Linear maintenance paths that double as safe migration routes
These elements not only allow species to move safely across landscapes but also provide year-round access to food and shelter.
Seasonal migrations become easier, habitat ranges expand, and entire populations become more resilient.
Interconnected biotopes reduce human-wildlife conflict, such as those caused by agricultural land competition or "scarcity farming."
Slower-Growing Native Flora and Stable Biotope Structures
A foundational principle of ECM is the displacement of fast-growing, often invasive vegetation and the encouragement of slower-growing native species.
Achieving this requires expertise, not only in species identification, but also in understanding growth rates and ecological compatibility at each site.
That’s why ECM planning must be carried out by firms with proven ecological knowledge. Only then can the desired vegetation development goals be achieved on schedule.
Conventional management practices have dramatically altered natural plant communities.
In the past, sporadic, unsystematic interventions have allowed successional vegetation, dominated by fast-growing species, to take over, displacing biodiversity-rich flora.
To correct this, a fundamental shift in vegetation management is required. The transformation toward slow-growing species must be done across multiple years, it cannot be rushed.
Piecemeal attempts, such as checkerboard-style replanting, are not effective. These fragmented patches of slow-growing plants are quickly overtaken by dominant species, and the ecological balance remains skewed.
Which Species Should Be Displaced? Which Should Be Promoted?
Softwood species are generally fast-growing and dominate the global timber market, comprising over 75% of wood production. Common softwood species include:
- Poplar
- Silver fir
- Spruce
- Pine
- Willow
- Douglas fir
- Alder
- Linden
- Larch
To promote a more ecologically valuable landscape, it is critical to maintain and support medium-height hedges and native shrubs, many of which are highly beneficial to local wildlife, particularly birds.
It also makes sense to protect certain slow-growing hardwood trees that can outcompete fast-growing species—if given help early in life.
For instance, an oak seedling must be shielded from being overtaken by a neighboring birch. This can be achieved by selectively removing the birch in the oak’s first 3–5 years.
Common European hardwoods include:
- Maple
- Ash
- Birch
- Chestnut
- Oak
- Common beech
- Black locust (with exceptions)
Tropical hardwoods include:
- Teak
- Mahogany
- Bangkirai
- Merbau
- Ramin
Note on Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia): Although technically a hardwood, black locust grows extremely fast and originates from North America. It has high ecological and timber value and is considered one of the hardest woods in Europe—making it a unique exception.
Global Climate Change Requires an Energy Transition
To successfully transition away from fossil fuels, we must significantly expand renewable energy generation. Electricity will become the primary energy source, requiring grid expansion across both urban and rural areas.
However, new infrastructure is often met with strong public opposition. These projects consume landscapes, disrupt ecosystems, and further endanger biodiversity.
In many cases, compensatory measures either fall short of expectations or are not economically viable.
Yet, there is a solution: when managed ecologically, powerline corridors can become biodiversity hotspots rather than liabilities.
DSOs and TSOs must recognize and embrace this potential. It is also a valuable communication opportunity: “Do good and talk about it.”
That being said, we must also acknowledge the limitations. Even the full ecological transformation of the world’s high-voltage corridors won’t single-handedly halt global species extinction. Nor will it create exponential biodiversity gains.
But that’s not the point. ECM is one of many small, practical steps in a larger system change. It is a signal—a nudge toward reassessing and improving the way we manage land, infrastructure, and natural resources.
To succeed, every corridor in non-urban, non-intensively used areas must be managed under a detailed concept plan that balances operational reliability with ecological objectives. This site-specific planning—what we call ECM or IVM—offers a powerful contribution to climate and biodiversity goals.
In short: nature concerns us all.
Conclusions
Powerline corridors, once viewed solely as infrastructure, are increasingly recognized as vital components of ecological networks.
Through Ecological Corridor Management (ECM), these linear spaces can support biodiversity, reconnect fragmented habitats, and contribute meaningfully to climate resilience.
By promoting native vegetation, displacing fast-growing invasive species, and facilitating species movement, ECM helps align utility operations with environmental goals.
It also offers a practical solution to mitigate the ecological impact of grid expansion, turning potential conflicts into ecological opportunities.
The long-term success of ECM depends on consistent implementation, expert planning, and strong stakeholder collaboration.
While these corridors alone won’t stop biodiversity loss, their transformation represents a scalable, high-impact step toward more resilient and connected ecosystems.
In short, ECM is not just vegetation management. It’s biodiversity infrastructure. And it’s time we start treating it that way.
About the Author
Michael Wahl has dedicated more than 30 years to advancing high-voltage infrastructure and ecological corridor management. After joining Westnetz in 1987, he steadily progressed to become Head of the “Operation of HV Overhead Lines” department, a position he held until 2021. From 2021 to 2023, he led the Ecological Corridor Management (ECM) rollout at E.ON as Project Manager, coordinating efforts across 15 distribution system operators (DSOs) in Europe. By 2029, the entire E.ON Group will be managing almost 70,000 hectares of green corridors and overseeing an investment of over €40 million as part of this transformation. Today, Michael continues to champion ECM across the energy sector through consulting, public speaking, and close collaboration with industry stakeholders. He also shares insights and practical knowledge through a series of blog posts aimed at supporting a more sustainable and biodiversity-friendly approach to corridor management.
