AEP Texas partnered with tree trimming company Asplundh to clear trees along about 1,000 feet of fenceline at the Abilene Zoo, helping make room for the zoo's expansion project. The work supports plans for new animals and immersive exhibits at the facility.

The effort followed AEP Texas' Week of Service in July, when more than 100 Abilene employees painted exhibits and completed landscaping projects at the zoo. Zoo officials asked for help clearing a larger section of land, and Utility Forester Principal Chad Luckow said he offered to bring a crew back another day to take on the additional work.

Luckow said the project benefited both organizations by improving future clearance needs for AEP Texas and preparing the site for the zoo's expansion. The clearing took four days and required two bucket trucks and a large mower, with crews mulching two brush piles large enough to fill two 2,500-square-foot buildings.