La Grande launches free yard tree program for Greenwood, southside, Willow

La Grande is offering free yard trees to homeowners and residents in three grant-funded neighborhoods as part of a three-year effort to grow the city’s urban forest beyond streets and into private yards. The Yard Tree program will focus on the Greenwood neighborhood in 2026, the southside of La Grande in 2027, and the Willow Elementary School neighborhood in 2028.

The program is open to residents and property owners who live within those designated project areas. Residents may submit an interest form year-round through Civic Rec; staff will follow up within one to two weeks to begin the process. Trees are ordered months in advance, so early sign-up improves selection. La Grande’s planting windows are spring and fall, with spring plantings needing consistent watering through the summer.

Participation is a three-step process. First, sign up via the Yard Tree Interest Form on Civic Rec or contact Urban Forestry directly. Creating a Civic Rec account is required to use the form. Second, Urban Forestry staff will help choose the right tree for the right place, including calling for underground utility locates and offering a list of appropriate species. Participants will be asked to sign the Yard Tree Pledge before planting. Third, residents can plant the tree themselves or join volunteer events where planting teams will assist; if a participant cannot plant on the scheduled day, staff will ensure the tree gets planted.

The city will monitor new yard trees during the establishment phase. Owners are responsible for day-to-day care, and Urban Forestry asks participants to either submit a photo once a year for the first three years or allow an annual check-up on site. Annual confirmations and planning notes follow a set schedule: residents in the next year’s focus area will receive mail and outreach in December and January; Urban Forestry will confirm tree availability and planting dates in March and again in September ahead of April and October planting events.

Residents outside the three focus neighborhoods are not eligible for free private-property trees under this grant program, but the city still offers street trees in the public right-of-way for $40. The yard program aims to improve shade cover, help manage stormwater, and bring community members together for volunteer planting events, with potential long-term benefits for energy savings and property value from an expanded canopy.

To join the Yard Tree program or for more information, contact Anna Lindquist at alindquist@cityoflagrande.org or call 541-962-0514. Sign up early to secure preferred species and planting dates as La Grande plants down the neighborhood blocks and puts down new roots.