La Grande Offers Free Class on Choosing, Planting Trees Correctly

La Grande Parks and Recreation's Urban Forestry program held a free one-hour class Saturday on selecting, planting and caring for trees, bringing together residents looking to make smarter choices for their yards and city rights-of-way.

The class, titled "Right Tree, Right Place," ran from 10 to 11 a.m. March 14 in the Greenwood Elementary Library at 2300 N Spruce St. Urban Forestry designed the session to show how proper tree selection and placement can prevent costly problems, protect utilities and promote healthy growth, according to the department.

The event was part of an education series funded by a grant from the Oregon Department of Forestry, making attendance free to the public. La Grande Parks and Recreation described it as a strong opportunity for residents working toward greener and healthier neighborhoods, noting the class covered both private yards and public rights-of-way, where tree placement near power lines, water mains and sidewalks carries particular consequences if done wrong.

Choosing the wrong species or planting in the wrong spot can mean root damage to underground infrastructure, branches growing into utility lines, or trees that simply fail to thrive in La Grande's high-desert climate. The "Right Tree, Right Place" framework addresses those risks before a shovel hits the ground.

The education series signals a broader push by the Urban Forestry program to engage residents directly on tree canopy stewardship, rather than waiting for problems to surface after planting decisions have already been made.