Wet Winter Leads to Smoother Spring Planting

As shovels hit the dirt this spring, FirstEnergy employees are finding that digging holes to plant new trees is a little easier than last year. That’s welcome news for FirstEnergy’s Green Teams, which lead tree planting efforts across the company’s six-state service territory. These groups of employee volunteers have planned dozens of opportunities to plant thousands of trees donated by the company. 

Watch a video about the benefits of this year’s wetter weather and showing 2025 plantings.

Jessica Shaffer, an Advanced Scientist at FirstEnergy who oversees the company’s environmental efforts, said the ground is well-suited for planting this year. Young trees need a lot of water to establish their root system and grow, and a wet winter has pulled most of FirstEnergy’s service territory out of the drought conditions that the region experienced last year, according to the U.S. Drought monitor.

“Our goal of enhancing community landscapes with greenery and shade depends on the long-term success of the trees we’re planting. Increased precipitation across most of our service territory this winter will have a lasting, positive impact on the health of the trees going in the ground this spring,” Jessica said. 

FirstEnergy reached a milestone at the end of 2024, planting 100,000+ donated trees since launching its tree planting and donation program in 2020.

Approximately half of FirstEnergy tree-planting events were held in underserved or overburdened neighborhoods. Planting in those areas helps improve neighborhood aesthetics and air quality while providing shade by increasing tree canopy. The location for each planting is selected to ensure a safe distance from power lines and to minimize the need for future pruning. 

The majority of the trees planted by FirstEnergy are native trees, which ensure that local ecosystems thrive. Many of the trees have benefits to pollinators. A portion of the donated trees are varieties of fruit trees, which will be harvested by local schools and non-profits for donations to food banks.

FirstEnergy's Green Teams will continue to partner with state park systems, watershed and recycling groups, garden clubs, schools and other environmentally focused organizations to support the company's commitment to building a brighter and more sustainable future. 

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

Media Contact: Hannah Catlett 440-554-5346