More than 20 volunteers, including West Penn Power’s Green Team, recently came together to plant native trees and shrubs in Washington Park, western Pennsylvania. Pam Kilgore, co-organizer of the event and an outdoor education expert at the park, emphasized the importance of adding diversity to the plant species in the area, stating, “The area is currently densely populated with sycamores, which are great for erosion control, but we need more variety.”
Students from Washington High School, Washington and Jefferson College, and members of the Washington Rotary Club joined forces with the Green Team to plant 320 black gum trees and pollinating shrubs around the park’s stormwater retention pond. The planting aimed to help control erosion and enhance the variety of plant life on the steep slope surrounding the pond.
FirstEnergy provided the native plants for the project, which included black gum trees, button bush, bayberry, and possumhaw shrubs. Benjamin Moore, a forestry specialist and member of the Green Team, highlighted the importance of planting the right trees in the right place, stating, “We try to help out by replacing the trees we need to cut down.”
The volunteers worked tirelessly for four hours, with Rotary Club members crafting protective tubes for the saplings to shield them from browsing deer and rabbits as well as harsh weather conditions. This initiative is part of FirstEnergy’s ongoing commitment to responsible business practices and supporting the environment and communities served by its electric companies.
In addition to the planting at Washington Park, the Green Team will also be planting trees in other parts of the state, including Westmoreland County and Fayette County. This initiative reflects FirstEnergy’s dedication to environmental and corporate responsibility efforts in building a brighter and more sustainable future.
For more information on FirstEnergy’s environmental initiatives and corporate responsibility efforts, visit www.fecorporateresponsibility.com.
