BGE continues to make an impact in the area of environmental stewardship, placing the utility a cut above the others when it comes to improving service reliability and community beautification. With the completion of the Anne Arundel County Hiker/Biker Trail's Right Tree/Right Place project, the utility has a first-of-its-kind project to tout with many BGE employees leading the way.

Danny Davis, senior forester, Forestry & Right-of-Way Management Unit, has been working on BGE's Right Tree/ Right Place initiative since 2003. Although BGE has completed several award winning projects around the service territory, removing and replacing more than 2,400 trees, the AnneArundel County trail project is trailblazing for the utility.

Anne Arundel County is one of the areas in BGE's service territory that was heavily impacted by storms this past winter, and many of the outages were tree-related. Because many of the trees growing beneath the power lines were incompatible, BGE decided to partner with Anne Arundel County Trails to remove many of them, replacing them with more appropriate species.

"This project exemplifies our commitment to service reliability and safety. It's a perfect example of how BGE balances reliability and environmental stewardship" said Steve Brooks, facility coordinator, Forestry & Right-of-Way Management Unit.

For those involved with the project, the positive effects were obvious long before the first tree was planted. Dave Dionne, superintendent of Trails and Greenways for Anne Arundel County, describes the program as a great experience for everyone. "Customers have better suited trees and shrubs on their property along the trail, and improved service reliability". The two million people who visit the trail annually can enjoy a safer, more aesthetically pleasing place. And Anne Arundel County is the beneficiary of BGE's hard work" he said. Dionne hopes to partner with BGE again in the future.

Planting Guidelines
By following BGE's guidelines for planting near power lines and ground-level transformers, you can plant trees and shrubs that will enhance your landscape without interfering with utility equipment. Click here to read more about how to plant the right tree in the right place. Also, visit our page on Tree Care for more helpful information.