MURFREESBORO, TENN. - The Arbor Day Foundation has named Middle Tennessee Electric a 2023 Tree Line USA® utility to honor its commitment to urban forestry in the utility’s service area. This marks the fifth consecutive year MTE has earned this recognition.
“Our vegetation management team is always looking for ways to anticipate issues while responsibly taking care of the vegetation and beauty surrounding us,” said Talley Floyd, MTE vegetation program manager. “We are dedicated to the work we do and appreciate this distinction.”
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. As a result of properly pruned and maintained trees, MTE members benefit from increased reliability due to healthy root systems that decay less, are more structurally sound and result in fewer downed lines during storms.
"Trees are essential to creating more urban green spaces in communities across the United States,” said Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “In addition, they provide important benefits to residents, including clean air, clean water, and vital tree shade. Service providers like Middle Tennessee Electric demonstrate how easily trees and utilities can co-exist for the benefit of communities and residents."
MTE received Tree Line USA recognition by meeting these five program standards:
- Meeting industry standards for quality tree care
- Providing annual worker training
- Participating in tree planting and a public education program
- Maintaining a tree-based energy conservation program
- Participating in an Arbor Day celebration
For more information on MTE’s Vegetation Management Program, please visit mte.com/VegetationManagement.
About Middle Tennessee Electric (MTE) - Founded in 1936, MTE is the largest electric cooperative in the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) region and the second largest in the United States, serving more than 750,000 Tennesseans via 325,000+ accounts covering nearly 2,200 square miles in 11 Middle Tennessee counties, primarily Rutherford, Cannon, Williamson and Wilson. Municipalities served include Murfreesboro, Franklin, Brentwood, Smyrna, La Vergne, Lebanon, and Mt. Juliet. MTE employs 520 people in seven local offices and its Murfreesboro corporate headquarters.
MTE’s subsidiary, United Communications, is a nationally recognized broadband company with a fiber network spanning more than 1,700 route miles providing high-speed internet and other services to portions of Williamson, Rutherford, Marshall, Bedford, Franklin, Wilson, and Davidson counties. For more information, please visit www.mte.com.
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