Lucas Tree Experts is marking its 100th anniversary with a $500,000 permanent endowment to support Integrated Vegetation Management (IVM) research across the United States and Canada.

The Lucas Tree Experts IVM Endowed Research Fund, established with the Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund),  will support research into sustainable vegetation management strategies, ecosystem health and the resilience of energy infrastructure.

Founded in Portland, Maine, in 1926 by John Lucas, the company began by helping electrify rural communities across the state. Over the decades, Lucas Tree Experts expanded its service territory and grew under the Batson family, which became involved in the late 1940s. Today, the company is a third-generation, family-owned business and a major utility vegetation management firm operating in the U.S. and Canada.

“As we celebrate 100 years, we reflect on the generations of families who have built this company,” says Lucas Beane, chief operating officer for Lucas Tree Experts. “We are proud of the work our teams do every day and the trusted partnerships we have built with utilities and communities along the way. This endowment is our commitment to the next 100 years – investing in the science that will shape the future of vegetation management.”

The Lucas Tree Experts IVM Endowed Research Fund will be formally announced at the Rights of Way Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia, May 11 to 14, during a joint general session with TREE Fund leadership. The inaugural grant cycle is scheduled to launch in fall 2026.