The Arbor Day Foundation's Pennsylvania Community Tree Recovery Campaign Partners With TruGreen, FedEx and Tree Pittsburgh to Distribute Free Trees to Local Pittsburgh Residents Affected by Emerald Ash Borer

Arbor Day Foundation program helps rebuild and beautify communities one tree at a time

PITTSBURGH, October 8, 2018 – The Arbor Day Foundation's Pittsburgh Tree Recovery Campaign – a partnership between the Arbor Day Foundation and TruGreen, FedEx and Tree Pittsburgh will distribute 500 new trees this year to homeowners in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Saturday, October 13, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the Pittsburgh Zoo parking lot, 7370 Baker Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206. These new trees will be free of charge and help to replace trees lost to emerald ash borer.

"Trees are assets to a community when properly planted and maintained," said Dan Lambe, president, Arbor Day Foundation. "They help to improve the visual appeal of a neighborhood or shopping district, increase property values by up to 18%, reduce home cooling costs, remove air pollutants, and provide wildlife habitat, among many other benefits."

Arbor Day Foundation's Community Tree Recovery, a national program underwritten by FedEx and Foundation members, aims to replace trees in communities affected by natural disasters throughout the United States. The program has held more than 775 events, distributing more than 5 million trees since its inception in 2012.

"We are proud to partner with the Arbor Day Foundation in helping communities rebuild their tree populations that were devastated by recent hurricane activity or emerald ash borer," said Jeff Fedorchak, TruGreen vice president of corporate affairs. "Improving green spaces through partnerships and events like this aligns well with our environmental stewardship commitment and overall mission to help more communities live life outside."

Since it was discovered north of Pittsburgh a decade ago, the emerald ash borer has been wreaking havoc on the region's tree canopy. The pest is responsible for the loss of thousands of trees across Pittsburgh since 2008. The tree distribution will begin at 10:00 a.m., and Tree Pittsburgh will distribute 500 trees to homeowners in the local communities who have lost ash trees. Trees are limited to two per household.

"The simple act of planting a tree is only the first step. Trees need help to survive and prosper," said Joe Stavish, Community Education Coordinator for Tree Pittsburgh. "We want to ensure people choose the right tree for the right place and enjoy it for many years. Tree Pittsburgh is glad to partner and get trees to those in need."

To donate to the recovery efforts supported by this campaign or others across the country please visit www.arborday.org/recovery.

About the Arbor Day Foundation: Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters, and valued partners. Their vision is to help others understand and use trees as a solution to many of the global issues we face today, including air quality, water quality, climate change, deforestation, poverty and hunger. As one of the world's largest operating conservation foundations, the Arbor Day Foundation educates and engages stakeholders and communities across the globe to involve themselves in its mission of planting, nurturing and celebrating trees. More information is available at arborday.org.

About TruGreen: Memphis, Tennessee-based TruGreen is the nation's largest lawn care company, serving more than 2.3 million residential and commercial customers across the United States with lawn, tree and shrub care. The company also offers TruGreen Mosquito Defense to help homeowners combat mosquitoes and help protect their families. TruGreen believes more life should be lived outside and is committed to providing a beautiful lawn to serve as the foundation for outside experiences and lifelong memories. As the leader in the professional lawn care industry, TruGreen helps define responsible lawn care practices, conducts industry-leading education and training for our people, pioneers new application technologies and educates our customers on proper mowing and wise-use watering techniques. Today, there are approximately 260 TruGreen lawn care branches in the United States and Canada, plus about 35 franchise locations. Go to http://www.TruGreen.com or http://www.facebook.com/TruGreen for more information about TruGreen.

About Tree Pittsburgh: Tree Pittsburgh is an environmental non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing the region's vitality by restoring and protecting the urban forest through tree maintenance, planting, education, and advocacy. To learn more, visit www.treepittsburgh.org.

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