There's something peaceful about the flutter of butterfly wings, and when hundreds take flight together, it symbolizes hope. This year, FirstEnergy employees embraced that hope by participating in several butterfly release events across the company's service territory, making a positive impact on local ecosystems.

Watch a video of the butterfly releases FirstEnergy employees participated in on Youtube.

Butterflies contribute to healthy ecosystems and promote biodiversity by pollinating multitudes of plants and flowers during their lifetime. In recent years, however, butterfly populations have struggled to survive – with many becoming endangered species.

"Supporting pollinators is not new to FirstEnergy, and our vegetation management practices are leading the way in helping pollinators prosper," said Dave Frederick, FirstEnergy's Director of Environmental Services. "We are proud to have further supported pollinators this year by assisting in the butterfly release events selected by our passionate employees."

FirstEnergy has several Green Teams, comprised of company employees, who volunteer their time and talents to support a wide variety of environmental initiatives, including tree-planting events, pollinator garden installations and park cleanups.

To help rebuild dwindling butterfly populations, FirstEnergy's Green Teams collaborated with several local organizations to donate a total of 101 butterflies to community release events, including:

• Toledo, Ohio: Donated 20 monarch butterflies to be tagged for identification and released into the wild by the zoo.

• Greensburg, Pennsylvania: Donated 25 of the more than 200 monarchs released during an event held at LeFevre Butterfly Garden.

• York, Pennsylvania: Donated 20 painted lady butterflies to the Bartz Brigade's Butterflies on the Lawn, an annual butterfly release event in August that pays tribute to lives lost to suicide and raises awareness for suicide prevention.

• New Jersey: Donated 36 swallowtail butterflies for employee-planned releases held at Cattus Island County Park and Manalapan Community Garden.

In 2023, FirstEnergy entered a voluntary environmental agreement – called a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances (CCAA) – to help protect the monarch butterfly through sustainable business practices that align with the company's core value of Stewardship.

FirstEnergy has also planted 230 acres of company-owned land and rights-of-way with pollinator seed mix, helping grow vegetation that supports butterfly and pollinator habitats.

"We take pride in not only delivering safe and reliable electric power to over six million customers, but also in our commitment to supporting pollinators along our rights-of-way," said Frederick. "By nurturing these essential ecosystems, we're helping to ensure a vibrant environment for future generations."

Media Contact: Hannah Catlett 440-554-5346