âOur goal is to plant 100 shade trees every year in the city,â Gustafson said.
The numerous trees, she also explained, make La Grande a vibrant place to live, with cooler streets and homes, habitat for wildlife, cleaner air and water and other benefits.
The city celebrated its 31st year as a Tree City USA member on Arbor Day, Friday, April 30. Last year, La Grande won a Growth Award for the 29th consecutive year, one of only a handful of cities to do so nationwide. The city hopes to win the award once again this year.
Among the colorful flowering peach and plum trees that bloom in spring, the city is host to two Oregon Heritage Trees. Those are trees the Heritage Tree Committee, under the Oregon Travel Information Council, deem as worthy of state recognition.