FirstEnergy in collaboration with Allegheny County Parks has embarked on a project to plant over 300 native Pennsylvania trees at South Park’s Daffodil Hill, an initiative aimed at ecological restoration of the area. The project is spearheaded by FirstEnergy’s Pennsylvania Green Team and involves contributions from park ranger teams.
Braden Meiter, Lead Supervisory Ranger for Allegheny County Parks, stated, “This steep, open field isn’t suited for recreation, but it has incredible potential for ecological restoration. Unlike large grassy areas, native trees and plants can provide rich, diverse habitats that benefit local wildlife and promote a healthier ecosystem.”
Meiter outlined several benefits of planting trees rather than maintaining large grassy areas, including less manpower required for mowing, reduced fuel consumption, decreased machinery wear and pollution, and minimized erosion due to runoff.
Recently, twenty-four Green Team volunteers, together with park rangers, planted 325 saplings—dogwood, black oak, red bud, and persimmon—donated by FirstEnergy. These trees will contribute to the reduction of runoff that affects South Park’s storm drains and streams.
Julie Sofaly, FirstEnergy’s Manager of Transmission Protection, participated in her first tree-planting activity and expressed enthusiasm for more involvement in environmental efforts. “This is my first time planting trees,” said Sofaly. “I usually volunteer in the pollinator gardens. I encourage more people to get involved.”
FirstEnergy employees have dedicated significant time to plant over 100,000 trees across their operation areas since 2020. In 2025 alone, the Green Teams have planted more than 6,000 trees with a target of 25,000 for the year. Their efforts include a wide range of environmental initiatives such as park cleanups and creating pollinator gardens.
Allegheny County extensively relies on volunteer efforts for tree planting in public parks. “About 95% of the trees we plant in our parks are done by volunteers like FirstEnergy,” Meiter noted. “And it’s always great to get free trees. They’re really expensive. It’s a huge help.”
Meiter also encouraged Green Team members to revisit the site in the coming years to observe how their efforts have benefited the park’s wildlife. “The trees will also provide vital habitat for small birds, amphibians and reptiles that are going to live in and around them,” Meiter said. “They can feed on some of the fruits and nuts produced by those trees. It really helps to improve the health of our parks and ecosystems here.”
Further information about FirstEnergy’s environmental and corporate responsibility initiatives is available at their corporate responsibility portal.
