Nearly 17,000 trees expected
to be planted in the month of April for Earth & Arbor
Days
AKRON,
Ohio, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- In support
of its continued commitment to the environment and the communities
it serves, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has set a goal to plant
more than 25,000 trees throughout its service territory in 2024.
Nearly 17,000 trees are expected to be planted in the month of
April around Earth Day and Arbor Day. The plan follows a successful
2023 in which the company reached a new high of more than 25,000
trees planted.
As part of its commitment to preserving and protecting the
environment, FirstEnergy launched a tree-planting initiative in
2020 with the objective of planting 10,000 trees. Since then,
FirstEnergy volunteers have planted or donated more than 67,000
trees. In 2023:
- Approximately 25,500 trees were donated or planted, including
7,852 in Ohio, 4,700 in
Pennsylvania, 3,724 in
New Jersey, 5,239 in Mon Power's
West Virginia service area and
4,035 in Potomac Edison's service areas in West Virginia and Maryland.
- Nearly 500 FirstEnergy Green Team volunteers donated
nearly 2,200 hours at 95 tree-planting events.
- More than half of FirstEnergy tree-planting events were
held in underserved areas, which include communities chosen based
on income level, education access or environmental issues such as
proximity to Superfund sites, abandoned mines or poor air
quality.
Jessica Shaffer, Advanced
Scientist and Lead of FirstEnergy's Green Teams: "Trees
play a vital role in stabilizing the environment by absorbing
carbon, soaking up stormwater that can cause erosion and preserving
stream and riverbanks, while simultaneously beautifying the
landscape. We're proud to support our local parks, customers and
organizations through programs that support a healthy environment
and make our communities a great place to live, work and raise a
family."
In addition to environmental benefits, FirstEnergy's
tree-planting program also enhances community landscapes through
the greenery, shade and other benefits offered by trees. Native
tree species are donated, and the location for each planting is
selected to ensure a safe distance from power lines and to minimize
the need for pruning in the future. Among the donations are
various varieties of fruit trees, which will be harvested by local
schools and non-profits for donations to food banks.
FirstEnergy's Green Teams will continue to partner with state
park systems, watershed and recycling groups, garden clubs, schools
and other environmentally-focused organizations in 2024 to support
the company's commitment to building a brighter and more
sustainable future.
For more information about FirstEnergy's environmental and
corporate responsibility efforts, visit
fecorporateresponsibility.com.
FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and
operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form
one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems,
serving customers in Ohio,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West
Virginia, Maryland and
New York. The company's
transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of
transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic
regions. Follow FirstEnergy online at www.firstenergycorp.com.
Follow FirstEnergy on X, formerly known as Twitter:
@FirstEnergyCorp.
Editor's Note: Photos of tree planting events
featuring FirstEnergy Green Team volunteers are available for
download on Flickr.
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SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.