Rights-of-Way & Energy Program

Integrated Habitat Management

The Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Rights-of-Way and Energy (ROWE) Habitat Program improves perennial grassland habitat for wildlife in conjunction with transportation, railway, electric, oil/gas, and solar rights-of-way footprints in the United States. This model also extends to corporate campuses, military installations, and other utility assets.

ROWE industries provide significant opportunities to establish diverse grasslands and secure travel corridors for many wildlife species. Serving as linear ribbons of habitat, rights-of-way have an important role to play in connecting fragmented landscapes in the U.S. for upland birds, pollinators, deer, turkey, songbirds, and migrating wildlife. Additionally, sustainability objectives for carbon capture, water quality and enhanced ecological services are an important byproduct of these efforts.

The Habitat Organization’s history of creating quality cover along rights-of-ways dates all the way back to its 1980s roots, working closely with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and other partners to develop a “Roadsides for Wildlife” campaign. Historically, nearly 1/3 of pheasant populations per county were produced within ROWE corridors.