Davey Tree Flipbooks

9 November/December 2025 | THE DAVEY BULLETIN EXPERTISE Davey Resource Group (DRG) and the Davey Institute are working toward industry advancements with cutting-edge science, technology and leadership. In Ohio, Davey performed ground and drone surveys of transmission rights-of-way with machine learning-based plant identification technology captured by drones flown by DRG team members. In Minnesota, transmission and solar arrays managed by Otter Tail Power Company, a Davey client, were surveyed with help from industry partners. POLLi, an AI technology partner, created the algorithm to assess milkweed stem density, habitat composition, and bloom coverage. Adam Baker and Scott Eikenbary, project developer, DRG UVM, conducted ground surveys for comparative analysis. Baker, research scientist, Davey Institute, said the goal of these studies is to compare the efficiency, accuracy and cost of machine learning to ground survey methods in diverse rights-of-way habitats. "With emerging technologies and claims of their usefulness, this research will provide guidance on when and where this technology is most applicable and when traditional ground survey methods (or a combination of the two) may be most appropriate," Baker said. DRG USING CUTTING-EDGE DRONES FOR LAND SURVEYS This research will be published in a peer-reviewed journal and results will be shared at the 14th International Symposium on Environmental Concerns in Rights-of-Way Management conference in May. "This research will aid in the development of drone services DRG could offer in the future for habitat and compliance reporting for Davey clients, and this technology could pair nicely with work already being done by DRG," Baker said. "This work is grounded in conservation and sustainability," Baker said. "We are providing a transparent look at the use of this emerging technology in utility and energy corridors and publishing results to provide leadership within the industry." A drone flown by DRG team members flies over a transmission right-of-way. While aiding the community after a tornado caused widespread destruction across St. Louis in May, Chris Ronayne and Shane Morgan also stepped in to help some local wildlife. KANSAS CITY OFFICE SAVES ROBIN DURING STORM RECOVERY Ronayne, trimmer, Kansas City office, Residential/Commercial services, and Morgan, foreman, Kansas City office, were parked in a staging area, stationed in St. Louis as part of a storm response effort, when a woman asked if they could help save a robin that was tangled in a tree branch and hanging upside down. Immediately, the pair sprang into action. Ronayne went up in his bucket truck, found the bird fluttering and freed it, putting it safely in a box that the woman then brought to a local veterinarian. "It comes down to being of service in times of need," Ronayne said. "I feel like helping and being of service in any way to all and any community is imperative because of all the help and support I have received over the years. Shane also felt compelled to be in St. Louis to give back because he went through the Joplin, Missouri, tornado years ago and received all kinds of help and love, so he wanted to give back." Chris Ronayne stands in a bucket truck as he works to detangle a robin stuck in a tree in Clayton, Missouri.

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