Strong Roots in Service
Much of the planting was done by FirstEnergy's local Green Teams, groups of employees who volunteer their time together to environmental causes. Since launching the initiative in 2020, the Green Teams have helped put 131,000 trees in the ground, partnering with parks, schools and local organizations to choose safe locations and native species well-suited to local environments.
Jessica Shaffer, Advanced Scientist and Lead of FirstEnergy's Green Teams: "Nearly 800 FirstEnergy employees volunteered their time to help make our communities greener, cleaner and a more beautiful place to live, work and raise a family. These trees are planted in strategic locations, safely away from power lines. We live and work in some of the most beautiful states in the country, and we're committed to giving back by creating greener, cleaner and healthier communities."
A Growing Impact in 2025
FirstEnergy employees volunteered at 151 events in 2025, contributing 3,438 hours to support tree‑planting efforts. More than half of these events took place in underserved communities.
Across FirstEnergy's service territory, 2025 tree donations and plantings included:
- Ohio: Nearly 14,000 trees donated and planted by 440 employees at 70 events.
- Pennsylvania: More than 6,000 trees donated and planted by 62 employees at 16 events.
- West Virginia & Maryland: More than 7,000 trees donated and planted by 227 employees at 50 events.
- New Jersey: More than 2,000 trees donated and planted by 68 employees at 15 events.
In addition to the tree-planting events, FirstEnergy's Green Teams planted 26 community gardens in 2025, totaling 113,289 square feet, helping support pollinators that are essential to healthy ecosystems.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The 2026 goal of planting more than 26,000 trees reflects FirstEnergy's continued commitment to providing cleaner air, stronger ecosystems and improved green spaces where customers live, work and play.
Native varieties – including red maple, hickory, oak and dogwood – will be planted in partnership with nonprofits and community groups. These trees offer natural shade, support watershed health, add beauty to neighborhoods and provide fruit for local schools and food banks.
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 more than six million 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 firstenergycorp.com and on X @FirstEnergyCorp.
Editor's Note: Photos of FirstEnergy tree planting events are available for download on Flickr.
SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
Share this article