La Grande aims to please the trees, Mayor Rock declares April as Arbor Month
By Garrett Christensen on Monday, April 8th, 2024 in More Top Stories Northeastern Oregon News
LA GRANDE – The City of La Grande may be nestled in a mountain valley, and hence surrounded by trees, but when it comes to community health, there is no such thing as too many trees. In continued commitment to urban forestry and the city’s status as a Tree City USA, La Grande mayor Justin Rock has issued an official Arbor Month Proclamation for April.
Normally, only an Arbor Day proclamation is necessary for a Tree City USA qualification. The other needed standards for Tree City USA include a tree board/department, a public tree care ordinance, and a community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita. Rather than simply recognizing a single day about trees, La Grande is going all in, following the State of Oregon’s Arbor Month proclamation for April.
As part of Arbor Month, the city recently sponsored a poster contest for La Grande’s 4th and 5th grade classes. According to La Grande Urban Forester Teresa Gustafson, “The poster contest theme this year is ‘Trees are for the Birds.’ The intent of the contest theme is to encourage students to learn about the important role that urban trees play in providing bird habitats.”
These student-made posters will be on display at the Cook Memorial Library throughout April. A city sponsored field day is also scheduled for local students on National Arbor Day itself, April 26th. Various bird and tree related activities are planned, and the winner of the poster contest will also be announced.
