FirstEnergy to Donate, Plant Nearly 1,000 Trees at Cleveland Metroparks Euclid Creek Reservation in October

Company has donated nearly 5,000 trees to Cleveland Metroparks since 2021

CLEVELAND, Oct. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) is coordinating with Cleveland Metroparks to donate and plant nearly 1,000 trees at the Euclid Creek Reservation this month. A variety of potted hardwood trees will be planted by employees of FirstEnergy during tree-planting events on Oct. 21 and Oct. 27. These events support the ongoing efforts to plant native trees within the 345-acre Euclid Creek Reservation, which is a popular attraction for hiking, fishing, biking and other recreational opportunities.

Since April 2021, FirstEnergy has donated and planted more than 30,000 trees throughout its six-state service territory, including nearly 5,000 throughout Cleveland Metroparks. This initiative is an important part of the company's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, promote responsible use of natural resources and further the advancement of sustainable practices.

Led by FirstEnergy's northeast Ohio Green Team – a group of employees who volunteer their time and talents to support a wide variety of environmental initiatives – the Euclid Creek Reservation tree-planting event is one of dozens of local projects employees have completed this year to help nearby parks, nature preserves and communities across FirstEnergy's entire footprint.

"In addition to FirstEnergy's donation of trees, more than a dozen employee volunteers will spend the day planting them around the reservation to be enjoyed by our community members in the future," said Benjamin Krembs, an engineer and Green Team member at FirstEnergy who organized the tree-planting events with Cleveland Metroparks.

FirstEnergy's 10 Green Teams consist of employee volunteers from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and West Virginia. The groups plan to continue to partner with state park systems, watershed and recycling groups, garden clubs, schools and other environmentally focused organizations in the future to support FirstEnergy's commitment to building a brighter and more sustainable future. Watch to learn more about FirstEnergy's Green Teams.

The Euclid Creek Reservation is named for Euclid Creek, which runs the length of the Metroparks. The reservation spans parts of Cleveland, Euclid, South Euclid and Richmond Heights and features wooded hillsides where the rare rock chestnut oak tree grows.

"We appreciate FirstEnergy's ongoing efforts to preserve our local environment so that our plants, trees and wildlife can continue to thrive for many years," said Cleveland Metroparks CEO Brian Zimmerman. "These new trees will advance reforestation efforts at the former Euclid Creek Middle School site to expand the riparian floodplain along the creek."

For more information about FirstEnergy's environmental and corporate responsibility efforts, please visit www.fecorporateresponsibility.com.

FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its 10 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 and on Twitter @FirstEnergyCorp.

Editor's note: Photos of FirstEnergy Green Team members at tree planting events are available for download on Flickr.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.