Innovative partnership promotes importance and benefits of planting the right tree in the right place
BERLIN, Conn. (March 31, 2026) – As part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability and strong environmental stewardship, Eversource is partnering with the Arbor Day Foundation for the third year in a row to distribute more than 1,000 free trees to customers in select communities across its three-state service territory. This year, customers in Meriden and Killingly will be eligible to reserve a complimentary tree through the company’s innovative Energy-Saving Trees program and take advantage of the many benefits trees provide.
Through this initiative, customers will have access to an interactive platform that allows them to view their property and find the best location to plant their tree to conserve energy, as well as calculate estimated environmental benefits and annual cost savings. Using
the online portal that launched this week, eligible customers can reserve one free tree per household on a first-come, first-served basis and choose from a list of species ranging from Eastern Redbud and Flowering Dogwood to River Birch and Sweetbay Magnolia. The program will continue until all trees are reserved, and distribution events are planned in each community for late April.
(Sample image of Arbor Day Foundation tree reservation portal)
“From providing shade and cleaner air to supporting biodiversity, planting the right tree in the right location not only promotes positive environmental benefits for entire communities, but it also helps keep the power flowing for customers and promotes the ongoing reliability of the electric system,” said Eversource Manager of Vegetation Management Jenna Turner. “We’re excited to be giving away hundreds of trees again this year through our partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation so we can help our customers learn about the importance of planning before they plant and how properly placed trees can also lead to long-term energy savings. This valuable initiative is just another example of how we’re working every day to be responsible environmental stewards and foster sustainable growth in the communities we serve while ensuring the delivery of safe, reliable electricity for our customers.”
“Thriving tree canopies are a fundamental part of building strong, healthy communities, and we’re grateful to partner with companies like Eversource that are committed to enhancing sustainability in the cities and towns they serve,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “By encouraging people to plant trees with purpose today, this partnership is creating positive, lasting change for years to come.”
Since 2024, Eversource has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to bring community tree distributions directly to various communities across Connecticut, including Hartford, Manchester, Torrington, Waterbury, and Windham – helping customers experience the benefits of strategic tree planting and supporting municipalities in advancing their own sustainability goals.
“Increasing urban tree canopy can help mitigate heat, reduce pollution and improve the quality of life for our neighbors in Waterbury, and we work year-round to protect and expand our city's natural resources so everyone can take advantage of the many benefits they provide,” said Waterbury City Engineer and President of the Connecticut Tree Wardens Association Roy Cavanaugh. “Efforts like community tree distributions have helped support our efforts by providing residents with free trees that improve the energy efficiency of their homes or businesses while also creating a healthier, more sustainable urban forest – promoting both environmental stewardship and local conservation. Through innovative partnerships like this, we can inspire more people across Connecticut to value trees and help preserve the resiliency of their communities for both present and future generations."
About Eversource
Eversource (NYSE: ES), celebrated as a national leader for its commitment to sustainability and corporate citizenship, is named among America’s Most Responsible Companies by Newsweek for 2026 and recognized as the #1 utility on USA Today’s list of America’s Climate Leaders for 2025. Eversource transmits and delivers electricity to 1.3 million customers in 157 cities and towns, provides natural gas to 256,000 customers in 85 communities, and supplies water to approximately 226,000 customers in 60 communities across Connecticut. Eversource harnesses the commitment of more than 10,500 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of safely delivering reliable energy and water with superior customer service. The #1 Energy Efficiency Provider in the Nation, the company is empowering a clean energy future in the Northeast, with nationally recognized energy efficiency solutions and successful programs to integrate new clean energy resources like a first-in-the-nation networked geothermal pilot project, solar, offshore wind, electric vehicles and battery storage, into the electric system. For more information on our water services, visit aquarionwater.com.
About the Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is a global nonprofit inspiring people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. They foster a growing community of more than 1 million leaders, innovators, planters, and supporters united by their bold belief that a more hopeful future can be shaped through the power of trees. For more than 50 years, they’ve answered critical need with action, planting more than half a billion trees alongside their partners. And this is only the beginning.
The Arbor Day Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit pursuing a future where all life flourishes through the power of trees. Learn more at arborday.org.
CONTACT:
Tricia Taskey Modifica
860-665-4605
Sarah Paduano
860-665-4606
Arbor Day
environmental stewardship
Energy-saving trees program