FirstEnergy’s Mon Power Green Team participated in the Mountain State Forest Festival in Elkins by distributing 800 tree saplings to attendees. The event, held in October, allowed families and community members to take home young trees such as pin oak, sycamore, redbud, and flowering dogwood. These species are chosen for their suitability to West Virginia’s climate and their ability to support local wildlife.
Jessica Shaffer, an Advanced Scientist at FirstEnergy who leads the company’s tree-planting initiative, said, “The Mountain State Forest Festival is the perfect place for a large tree giveaway. It celebrates the vital role natural resources play in West Virginia’s heritage and economy. Hearing stories from attendees about trees they’ve planted in past years – and how well they’re growing – is incredibly rewarding.”
This initiative is part of FirstEnergy’s larger objective to plant or donate 25,000 trees in 2025. To date this year, approximately 24,734 trees have been planted or donated across parks and nature reserves within the company’s service area. The program supports FirstEnergy’s environmental goals, including reducing its carbon footprint and promoting sustainability.
In addition to the tree giveaway, Mon Power contributed $7,500 in-kind through crews, trucks, and equipment for setting up logs at the festival’s Lumberjack Contest hosted at Davis & Elkins College.
“It’s inspiring to see how much our community values environmental stewardship, and to see how excited these kids and teenagers are to pick out a tree is amazing,” Shaffer added. “Each tree we give away helps keep West Virginia beautiful for future generations.”
