ST. LOUIS, April 23 /PRNewswire/ -- For the eighth straight year, The National Arbor Day Foundation has recognized St. Louis-based Ameren as a "Tree Line USA" utility, a designation bestowed annually to utilities across the nation that demonstrate practices that protect and enhance America's urban forests.
Sponsored by The National Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters, the program honors utilities that have a strong record of quality tree care, annual worker training and tree planting and public education.
"Trees and utility service lines are integral components of every community. By necessity, they must co-exist in close proximity, and each in its own way is essential to our high standard of living," says Dan Lambe, vice president of programs of The National Arbor Day Foundation. "Ameren has demonstrated its commitment to the dual goals of dependable utility service and the growth of abundant, healthy trees in its service area."
The official announcement came at the annual Trees and Utilities Conference, held this year in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ameren representatives attended the conference and were on-hand to accept the award.
"For years, we have been committed to helping educate customers about the need to plant 'the right tree in the right place' and supporting volunteer tree-planting programs," says Tom Voss, chief operating officer of Ameren.
For example, in 2002 more than 50 Ameren employees and other volunteers planted 300 trees along St. Louis' River Des Peres. In 2004, 40 Ameren volunteers planted 130 trees in Creve Coeur Park. And in 2005, 70 employees planted dozens of trees in the city's historic Reservoir Park.
With assets of $19 billion, Ameren serves approximately 2.4 million electric customers and almost one million natural gas customers in a 64,000 square mile area of Missouri and Illinois.
The National Arbor Day Foundation is a nonprofit environmental and education organization of nearly one million members, with a mission to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees. More information on the Foundation and its programs can be found at http://www.arborday.org/ .
SOURCE: Ameren
CONTACT: Tim Fox of Ameren, +1-314-554-3120