Unitil is celebrating its 10-year partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation by donating 600 trees and shrubs for customers to plant, bringing the total number handed out over the past decade to more than 7,200.
Arbor Day, held in New England on the last Friday in April, is a tree planting holiday that kicks off the region’s tree-planting season, encourages planting, and raises awareness about the importance of trees. In honor of Arbor Day, which is held on April 25 this year, the 600 trees and shrubs are being provided to customers in targeted areas within the company’s electric service territory.
The spring tree giveaway is part of a tradition that began in 2015 when Unitil, a provider of electricity and natural gas to customers in New England, teamed up with the Arbor Day Foundation to offer replacement trees to customers who allowed the utility to remove trees on their properties as part of its Storm Resiliency Program.
Launched in 2012, the Storm Resiliency Program has improved electric reliability by providing enhanced tree pruning and removal of hazardous trees in specific locations that are chosen based on several factors, including the number of customers affected, site conditions, line configurations, and critical infrastructures identified by towns.
“Our Storm Resiliency Program has proven to be a very effective way to prevent power outages and we appreciate our customers who have accommodated this critical tree work,” said Unitil External Affairs Director Alec O’Meara. “Our annual tree giveaway around Arbor Day has also been a great success with significant energy and community benefits from the thousands of trees that have been donated and planted by customers over the years.”
The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that a well-placed tree can provide effective shade to reduce the need for air conditioning; serve as a windbreak during the winter months to lower heating costs; and cut energy bills, with carefully positioned trees slashing the amount of energy used by an average household by as much as 25%.
Species being offered this year include American Hazelnut, Sugar Maple, Sweetbay Magnolia, American Beauty Bush, Highbush Blueberry, and Eastern Redcedar.
The species of trees and shrubs vary each year and include a variety of tall growing and low growing ones that are suitable for planting under power lines. The Arbor Day Foundation provides Unitil with a list of species options in the fall, and members of the company’s forestry department choose a variety of options to give to customers. While different species are offered each year, Unitil also tries to stick with some favorites like maple trees and flowering shrubs.
“While the 600 trees and shrubs being donated this year have already been assigned to specific customers, we look forward to continuing our partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation and offering more trees in the future that will benefit our communities,” O’Meara said.
For more information on the Arbor Day Foundation and its mission to inspire people to plant, nurture and celebrate trees, visit arborday.org.
Additional information on Unitil’s Storm Resiliency Program can be found at unitil.com/energy-projects/storm-resiliency-program.
Photo Caption:
Unitil will be donating 600 trees and shrubs like these to customers to plant in honor of Arbor Day.
