FirstEnergy's Tree Donation Tradition Continues at Mountain State Forest Festival

For the third consecutive year, people of all ages at the Mountain State Forest Festival in Elkins, West Virginia, received trees donated by FirstEnergy to plant at home or within their communities.

Green Team members from FirstEnergy electric company Mon Power handed out 1,500 pin oak, serviceberry, arrowwood, silky dogwood and gray dogwood trees at the festival's Conservation Village at the Elkins City Park on Oct. 4-5. These employees volunteer their time and talents to support a wide variety of environmental initiatives across West Virginia, including tree-planting events and park cleanups.

"The Mountain State Forest Festival is an ideal venue for a large tree giveaway because it highlights the critical role that natural resources play in West Virginia's culture and economic development," said Jessica Shaffer, an advanced scientist with FirstEnergy who leads the company's tree-planting initiative. “It’s incredibly gratifying to hear updates from festival attendees about the trees they received in previous years that are now thriving at their homes.”

The giveaway is part of a larger company initiative to plant 25,000 trees in 2024. So far this year, more than 27,000 trees have been planted at parks and nature reserves throughout FirstEnergy's six-state service territory. Tree plantings and giveaways support FirstEnergy's efforts to reduce its carbon footprint, promote the responsible use of natural resources and further the advancement of sustainable practices.

In addition to the tree giveaway, FirstEnergy donated $2,000 to the Mountain State Forest Festival this year. And as it has in previous years, Mon Power made an in-kind donation valued at nearly $9,000 by providing crews, trucks and equipment to set up logs for the festival's annual Lumberjack Contest at Davis & Elkins College.

“Attendees truly appreciate FirstEnergy and Mon Power's commitment to our community and preserving our local environment so that our trees and wildlife can continue to thrive for many years. It’s a rewarding feeling,” said Shaffer.