Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative (MEC) has been named a 2024 Tree Line Utility by the Arbor Day Foundation to recognize its dedication to proper urban forest management in its service area. This is the 10th consecutive year that the Cooperative has been awarded this recognition.
Tree Line USA, a partnership between the Arbor Day Foundation and the National Association of State Foresters, recognizes public and private utilities for pursuing best practices that protect and cultivate America’s urban tree canopy. In addition, Tree Line USA promotes delivering safe and reliable electricity while maintaining healthy community forests.
“Trees foster strength and vitality in communities big and small, bringing countless benefits to our lives every day,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “They provide important benefits to residents, including clean air, clean water and vital tree shade. Service providers like Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative demonstrate how easily trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities and residents.”
By joining the Tree Line USA program, service providers benefit from lowering line clearance costs due to proper pruning. As a result of those properly pruned and maintained trees, the people benefit from increased reliability of service because those trees will have healthy root systems that decay less, have less structural weakness, and ultimately result in fewer downed lines during storms.
“Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative is pleased to receive this recognition for the 10th year,” said John C. Lee, Jr., MEC president and CEO. “MEC’s commitment to proper tree-care practices benefits you, our Members, in numerous ways — by improving reliability, conserving energy, reducing peak demand and increasing property values. Healthy trees also provide cleaner air and water and improve the quality of life in our communities. I am proud that our vegetation management team continues to uphold the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Line USA standards, earning this designation year after year.”
Mecklenburg Electric Cooperative achieved the Tree Line USA recognition by meeting five program standards: quality tree care, annual worker training, tree planting and public education, a formal tree-based energy conservation, and a sponsorship of, or participation in, Arbor Day celebration.
More information about Tree Line USA can be found at www.arborday.org/TreeLineUSA.