April 29, 2022

DALLAS, TX – In observance of Arbor Day, Balfour Beatty’s US Buildings, Civils, and Investments operations donates nearly six thousand dollars and plans to plant nearly six thousand trees – representing one tree per teammate – on behalf of One Tree Planted, an organization focused on global reforestation. The donation and tree planting initiative targets geographies across Balfour Beatty’s national footprint, furthering the company’s long-standing commitment to sustainability.

As a company whose employees, families, clients, and industry partners have been directly impacted by forest fires, tornadoes, and hurricanes, Balfour Beaty’s support of the One Tree Planted program is the most impactful way to extend a helping hand to recovery efforts in communities across the nation. The company’s contribution of nearly six thousand trees will be planted in the Appalachia region, Florida, California, Oregon, and other areas where One Tree Planted is focused on replacing trees destroyed by fire.

One Tree Planted is a nonprofit organization based in Vermont whose vision is to make it simple for anyone to help the environment by planting trees. The organization’s goal is to restore forests, create habitats for biodiversity, and make a positive social impact around the world. Since 2014, the organization has planted 40 million trees in more than 43 countries.

"Trees are critical for many reasons not only to our industry but also the environment," says Keith McCoy, Balfour Beatty US senior vice president of safety. "In the construction industry, we use many elements derived from trees. But, more importantly, we need trees to sustain our world. Trees help clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, and provide habitat for wildlife. Forests also provide jobs for more than 1.6 billion people worldwide and supply key ingredients in 25% of medications. We must ensure the replenishment of this natural resource that contributes to our business as well as the world."

In addition to the donation to One Tree Planted, Balfour Beatty’s California team planted a 10-foot, Raywood Ash tree on the campus of San Bernardino City Unified School District’s Del Rosa Elementary School. In 2020, the project team delivered the school’s $6.7 million modernization project which features a new administration building and kindergarten classroom building, parking lot improvements, and other site upgrades for improved access for staff, students, parents, and visitors to get to and from campus.

"We are proud of our partnership with Balfour Beatty because it’s part of our ongoing effort to provide safe and modern learning facilities for our scholars, which also improves the neighborhoods our schools serve,” said Sam Precie, San Bernardino City Unified School District’s administrator of operations. “Urban tree planting represents an investment in our environment and the health and well-being of our students.”

As a part of the company’s 2022 sustainability goals, Balfour Beatty commits to planting one tree for each employee across the nation by the end of the year. Local operating teams will work with their local forestry service to arrange for planting based on the best timing and season for each location.

For more information on One Tree Planted and how to support their cause please visit onetreeplanted.org.