Planting Trees to Heal Communities

Arbor Week grants and volunteer events highlight Edison International’s dedication to environmental stewardship.
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Stories : Giving Back
Stories : Giving Back

Planting Trees to Heal Communities

Arbor Week grants and volunteer events highlight Edison International’s dedication to environmental stewardship.

Armed with shovels and determination, Edison International volunteers gathered recently in a Colton neighborhood with the TreePeople nonprofit to plant 28 trees and make a lasting contribution to the community's green spaces.

“Participating in today’s planting was incredibly rewarding, even with rain on the horizon,” said Yvonne Nemeth, a Southern California Edison senior specialist in Permitting. “Planting trees alongside my husband and son contributes to our community's environmental health and instills in us a shared value of caring for our planet.”

Flanking a tree they planted in Colton are Edison International volunteers (l-r) Brittany Reed, her daughter Hailey Reed, Adam Nemeth and his father Elod Nemeth.
Flanking a tree they planted in Colton are Edison International volunteers (l-r) Brittany Reed, an SCE process improvement specialist, her daughter Hailey Reed, Adam Nemeth and his father Elod Nemeth. PHOTO CREDIT: Yvonne Nemeth

Another volunteer tree-planting event Saturday in Porterville kicked off Edison International’s grant program in honor of California Arbor Week, March 7-14. Twenty-five new trees will help bolster the region’s urban canopy, thanks to a partnership with the Tule River Parkway Association. Volunteers also enjoyed a tour of the Tule River Native Plant Demonstration Garden, a segment of the parkway that showcases the beauty and ecological significance of native plant species.

The effort is part of Edison International’s $50,000 grant to California ReLeaf’s Arbor Week Grant Program, which aims to combat extreme heat events and promote the well-being of communities by cultivating urban forests.

The Tule River Native Plant Demonstration Garden, an effort to restore native plants and wildlife to the area to improve biodiversity, ecological balance and diversity.
The Tule River Native Plant Demonstration Garden, an effort to restore native plants and wildlife to the area to improve biodiversity, ecological balance and diversity. PHOTO CREDIT: Gabriela Ornelas

“Our collaboration with California ReLeaf underscores our shared dedication to a more sustainable and verdant California,” said Alex Esparza, SCE principal manager of Corporate Philanthropy and Community Engagement. “Trees are vital to our mission of fostering healthier, more resilient communities. They are our natural allies in purifying air, providing wildlife habitat and creating spaces for people to connect with nature and each other.”

Edison International volunteers plant one of 25 new trees that will help enlarge the urban canopy around the Tule River Parkway.
Edison International volunteers plant one of 25 new trees that will help enlarge the urban canopy around the Tule River Parkway. PHOTO CREDIT: Gabriela Ornelas

For more information on Edison International’s giving efforts, visit edison.com/community.