FirstEnergy, Penn Power Donate and Plant Nearly 130 Trees at Buhl Park

Planting event part of FirstEnergy's commitment to plant 10,000+ trees in 2021

News provided by

Sep 23, 2021, 14:42 ET

HERMITAGE, Pa., Sept. 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- To celebrate the start of the fall season, FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE) and its electric company Penn Power recently donated nearly 130 trees to Buhl Park in Hermitage, Pennsylvania. A mixed variety of red oak, pitch pine, pin oak and ironwood trees were planted on Sept. 22 by FirstEnergy and Penn Power employees along 500 square feet of green space dedicated to helping rebuild the mixed hardwood forest around the Mercer County park.

FirstEnergy has donated and planted more than 10,000 trees throughout its six-state service territory since April 2021. This initiative is an important part of the company's efforts to reduce FirstEnergy's carbon footprint, promote responsible use of natural resources and further the advancement of sustainable practices.

Led by FirstEnergy's Green Team in western Pennsylvania, this tree-planting event was one of several projects employees have completed this year to help nearby parks, nature reserves and communities across FirstEnergy's entire footprint.

"FirstEnergy contributed the funds to cover the cost of the trees, and more than a dozen employee volunteers spent several hours planting them around the beautiful park, which is a historical landmark enjoyed by many of our local employees and their families," said John Greenwood, an external affairs consultant and Green Team member at FirstEnergy who organized the event.

FirstEnergy's 10 Green Teams consist of employees from Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and West Virginia who volunteer their time and talents to support a wide variety of environmental initiatives. The groups plan to continue to partner with state park systems, watershed and recycling groups, garden clubs, schools and other environmentally focused organizations in 2021 to support FirstEnergy's commitment to building a brighter and more sustainable future.

Established in 1915, Buhl Park is a recreational and cultural destination in the heart of western Pennsylvania's Shenango Valley that welcomes nearly half a million local and national visitors each year. Spanning 270 scenic acres, the park offers green spaces and lake views, playgrounds and recreational areas, fitness and biking trails, gardens, wetlands and the nation's only free 9-hole golf course.

"These trees will help restore forested habitat within the park that we've lost over the years, and we look forward to monitoring the trees and helping them along as they mature," said Ryan Voisey, director of operations at Buhl Park. "We appreciate FirstEnergy and Penn Power's commitment to preserving our local parks and forests."

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

Penn Power serves more than 160,000 customers in all or parts of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Crawford, Lawrence and Mercer counties in western Pennsylvania. Follow Penn Power on Twitter @Penn_Power, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennPower, and online at www.pennpower.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 and Penn Power employees planting trees at Buhl Park are available for download on Flickr. A video of the trees being planted can be found on the company's YouTube channel.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.