As temperatures drop and fall settles in, FirstEnergy employees remain committed to tree planting efforts within the company's six-state service area.

Members of FirstEnergy's Green Team in northeast Ohio recently braved the rain and muddy trails to tackle one of their largest projects of the year – planting 1,600 trees in Youngstown State University's Legacy Forest at the Mill Creek MetroParks' Collier Preserve in Mahoning County. Each tree planted symbolizes an incoming freshman.

While the wet weather created cold conditions for volunteers, FirstEnergy Advanced Scientist Jessica Shaffer says the rain will make a big difference in the trees' ability to successfully grow at the park after a particularly dry year.

"Showing up to work in the rain emphasizes the commitment of these volunteers to bettering their community and helping the environment. I commend them, because it will absolutely benefit the trees they planted," Shaffer said. "The trees are very young and need a lot of water when they are transplanted to establish their root system and grow."

Trees play a vital role in stabilizing the environment by absorbing carbon, soaking up stormwater that can cause erosion and preserving streams and riverbanks while simultaneously beautifying the landscape. They also provide food and cover wildlife needs to thrive.

So far this year, employee volunteers have helped plant more than 10,000 trees in FirstEnergy's Ohio service territories. Here's a breakdown by electric company:

• Ohio Edison: 5,332 trees

• Illuminating Company: 3,771 trees

• Toledo Edison: 1,183 trees

The Ohio Green Team's effort has helped FirstEnergy inch closer to its milestone of 100,000 trees planted by volunteers across its service territory since the effort began in 2020. This team of employees volunteer their time and talents to support a wide variety of environmental initiatives, including park cleanups, pollinator initiatives and more.

This was the second year in a row that FirstEnergy teamed with Youngstown State University to donate and plant 1,600 trees in its Legacy Forrest. FirstEnergy has also donated more than 4,000 trees in recent years to the Mill Creek MetroParks, and company volunteers have held planting events at various locations within the park system.

Learn more about FirstEnergy's environmental and corporate responsibility efforts to build a brighter and more sustainable future at .

Media Contact: Hannah Catlett (440) 554-5346