Heath Frewin is Director of Freewin Pty Ltd.  Heath is a passionate campaigner for best practice and innovation in utility vegetation management, particularly relating to program design and holistic strategy creation. He won the inaugural UAAA Utility Arboriculture Award in 2021, has appeared on industry podcasts and been a guest speaker at conferences within Australia and the United States. 

During the past 15 years within the utility vegetation management industry, Heath has held Vegetation Strategy Manager positions for both Essential Energy (NSW) and Ergon Energy (QLD), and represented the peak industry body of Energy Networks Australia as Head of Distribution and Senior Program Manager (Asset Management). Prior to this, Heath was a Forester within the plantation timber industry. 

Heath holds degrees in Forestry, Arts and Project Management. He resides in Perth, Western Australia. 

Time is up! A call to arms for sustainable and inspiring vegetation program design

It is time the utility vegetation management (UVM) industry and its stakeholders address the unsustainable impacts and true cost of narrow-sighted, reactive measures that are often taken in the name of efficiency. We must stop our fixation on perfect compliance with minimium clearance spaces, one-size-fits-all commercial models and who has the cheapest rates. We must stop our bad habits of under-supported technology implementation, unreleastic supplier contract terms and unfruitful meetings with executives who "don't get it". All of this is resulting in deep frustration and our own stunted growth. 

 No two UVM programs should look the same. Each utility has its own set of risks and objectives, as well as its own unique state of system and cultural maturity. Customer expectations vary significantly between countries, states, towns and even streets! Both trees and powerline infrastructure have lifecycles that are decades long. So why not see this responsibility with the multi-decade vision that infrastructure and vegetation deserves? 

 A truly sustainable utility vegetation management program occurs through evidence-based program design and flexible yet committed implementation of actions towards a target operational state which everyone believes in. The catch is to design a vegetation strategy which is supported by all stakeholders, and to have leaders who understand how to inspire others as well as how to link all the pieces of the vegetation program together. 

 There are 10 important and interlinked "branches" to a sustainable UVM program: Leadership, Risk Valuation, Objectives Setting, Vegetation Strategy, Resource Strategy, Information Systems, Program Delivery, Monitoring, Continuous Improvement, and Stewardship. 

 This presentation will explore what sustainability means in real terms, how UVM programs are failing by not addressing all ten branches and how a pragmatic vegetation strategy and inspiring leadership can pull it all together.