Vegetation management plays a vital role in wildfire mitigation, especially across the rugged landscapes of southern New Mexico. For Tri-State member Otero County Electric Cooperative (OCEC), a pivotal moment came when they acquired both the workforce and equipment from their longtime vegetation management contractor, owned by a former Otero lineworker with deep local knowledge. This transition allowed OCEC to retain a highly skilled team, enabling the cooperative to craft a more effective, locally attuned vegetation strategy that benefits everyone.

Leadership teams from Tri-State G&T and Poudre Valley REA volunteered with local nonprofits, Combat Recovery Foundation and the Heart-J Center at Sylvan Dale Ranch, to clear thistles as part of a vegetation management project in Loveland, Colorado.