Consumers Energy Makes $100,000 Available in Grants to Support Tree Planting in Michigan Communities

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Jul 06, 2015, 06:00 ET

JACKSON, Mich., July 6, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Consumers Energy is offering $100,000 in grants to Michigan communities this year to plant trees, an effort to encourage responsible tree planting and sustainable urban forests in communities across the state.

Click to see a Consumers Energy video about forestry: http://youtu.be/8-XKQgKBYW0

"We appreciate the interest from our community partners in planting trees in the right place," said Mary Palkovich, Consumers Energy's vice president of energy delivery. "The Community Tree Planting Program is a responsible way for us and the communities we serve to leave our state better for the next generation."

Up to $2,500 is available per community for grants. Consumers Energy sponsors the program annually to encourage responsible tree planting and sustainable urban forests in communities across the state. The Michigan Forest and Park Association reviews applications and forwards its grant recommendations to Consumers Energy.

A tree planting project must meet criteria to avoid conflicts between trees and overhead lines to be eligible. Consumers Energy provides communities with a guide titled "Right Tree Right Place," a concept developed by the National Arbor Day Foundation, which shows how to choose appropriate tree species and suitable sites in community locations near electric lines.

Consumers Energy spent more than $40 million statewide on work to clear trees from power lines last year, leading to continued improvements in electric reliability. The company also joined Michigan International Speedway this year in providing 50,000 trees to be planted through the Michigan Association of Conservation Districts, and annually sponsors the Michigan Big Tree Hunt through ReLeaf Michigan.

Consumers Energy, Michigan's largest utility, is the principal subsidiary of CMS Energy (NYSE: CMS), providing natural gas and electricity to 6.6 million of the state's 10 million residents in all 68 Lower Peninsula counties.

For more information about Consumers Energy, go to www.ConsumersEnergy.com.

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LEARN MORE: Learn more about Consumers Energy's forestry work: www.ConsumersEnergy.com/forestry.

RIGHT TREE, RIGHT PLACE: Trees should not be planted under high-voltage transmission lines, which transmit electricity across the state. Only certain trees should be planted under distribution lines – the power lines that serve communities and households. Learn more at www.arborday.org/trees/righttreeandplace/.

QUESTIONS: Call 1-800-477-5050 if you have questions about forestry work where you live.

SOURCE Consumers Energy