Met-Ed Green Team to Celebrate Arbor Day with Tree Planting in Reading

READING, Pa., April 26, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Employee volunteers from Met-Ed, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), will help plant trees at a Reading playground in celebration of Arbor Day as part of FirstEnergy's ongoing efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, promote responsible use of natural resources and advance sustainable practices.   

Met-Ed's Green Team ? employees who volunteer their time and talents to support a wide variety of environmental initiatives ? will team up with the City of Reading and Berks Nature at a tree planting event at 10 a.m. on Arbor Day, April 29, at EJ Dives Playground, 383 Orton Avenue. The new 6- to 7-foot trees will provide shade for the play area and baseball field. The Green Team will assist with backfilling, watering and securing protective mower guards around the trees.

"We are proud of our Green Team for its ongoing efforts that contribute to a cleaner environment for our customers and families in the communities we serve," said Scott Wyman, president of FirstEnergy's Pennsylvania operations.

FirstEnergy contributed to the cost of the trees, which will be Pennsylvania natives such as American Princeton Elm, Red Sunset Maple, American Beech, Sycamore, London Planetree and Red Oak. Since April 2021, FirstEnergy has donated and planted more than 17,000 trees throughout its five-state service territory. The company is on track to plant more than 14,000 additional trees this spring.

"By cleaning the air, shading city streets, mitigating runoff, supporting wildlife habitat and adding natural beauty, urban tree planting represents an investment in our environment and the health and well-being of Reading's residents," said Lester Kissinger Jr., Reading city arborist.

The Green Team plans to continue to team with parks, watershed and recycling groups, garden clubs, schools and other environmentally focused organizations in 2022 to support FirstEnergy's commitment to building a brighter and more sustainable future. For more information about FirstEnergy's commitment to environmental initiatives, visit www.firstenergycorp.com/environmental.

Berks Nature is a non-profit conservation organization serving Berks County with land preservation, water protection, trail management, community gardens and education programs. Learn more at berksnature.org.

Met-Ed serves approximately 570,000 customers within 3,300 square miles of eastern and southeastern Pennsylvania. Follow Met-Ed on Twitter @Met Ed and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MetEdElectric.

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: Photo of a Green Team volunteer planting trees are available for download on Flickr.

SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.