FirstEnergy Eclipses 100,000 Trees Planted and Donated

Milestone comes after surpassing 2024 goal of 25,000 donated trees

AKRON, Ohio, Dec. 9, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As part of its commitment to the environment and sustainability, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) has planted its 100,000^th donated tree. The milestone comes less than five years after the company launched its tree planting and donation program in 2020.

With nearly 34,000 trees planted so far this year, FirstEnergy's Green Teams have significantly surpassed their 2024 goal of 25,000 trees. The Green Teams, who lead tree planting and donation events across FirstEnergy's six-state service territory, are employees from roles across the organization who volunteer their time together to environmental causes.

Jessica Shaffer, Advanced Scientist and Lead of FirstEnergy's Green Teams: "This program began in 2020 with a modest goal of planting 10,000 trees. The incredible success of the past five years is a testament to the commitment of our Green Team volunteers, the love our teams have for their communities and FirstEnergy's dedication to building a sustainable future."

After planting 1,000 trees in 2020, the program has grown each year, having now planted more than 101,000 trees at nearly 300 different planting and donation events.  This year alone, nearly 650 FirstEnergy Green Team members have volunteered more than 3,000 hours at nearly 150 tree-planting events, achieving impressive results:

• Ohio: More than 10,000 trees donated and planted
• Pennsylvania: More than 9,000 trees donated and planted
• West Virginia: More than 6,700 trees donated and planted
• Maryland: More than 5,000 trees donated and planted
• New Jersey: About 3,000 trees donated and planted

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.

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 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 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. A video about FirstEnergy's tree planting program is available on YouTube.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.