La Veta Field Office – Community Forestry

The La Veta Field Office’s Community Forestry Program provides technical assistance in Huerfano and Las Animas counties.

Key components of our Community Forestry Program include:

• Helping organize and support local tree boards
• Conducting insect and disease assessments
• Assisting with tree planting and tree care needs
• Offering technical assistance on how to plant and maintain trees
• Providing information and workshops on tree care

Caring for our trees not only protects our investment, but provides benefits for the future. People often choose community trees for their beauty and ability to provide shade. Trees benefit communities by providing urban forests that many times include social attachment to individual trees. They also improve air quality, control erosion, moderate the sun’s effects and attract wildlife.

Tree City USA

The National Arbor Day Foundation (NADF) encourages tree planting and environmental stewardship through educational programs. Two NADF programs that the La Veta Field Office is quite involved with are Tree City USA and Arbor Day celebrations. For a community to become a Tree City USA, four requirements must be met to receive this honor:

1. Have a tree board or city department that is responsible for the trees
2. A tree care ordinance
3. A community forestry program with an annual budget of at least $2 per capita
4. An Arbor Day observance and proclamation

If your community is interested in becoming a Tree City USA, please contact the La Veta Field Office.

Tree City USA Communities in the La Veta Area

• La Veta – 28 years
• Trinidad – 2 years

Champion Tree Program

American Forests maintains a national registry of the largest trees in the nation. The Colorado Tree Coalition (CTC) administers the Champion Tree Program in Colorado and the CSFS assists the CTC by measuring potential champions, publicizing the program and educating Coloradans about our “champion” trees.

Tree & Shrub Planting

You have selected your tree or shrub and the location has been chosen, now comes the planting. This is where the plant will be located for the rest of its life! It is very important to plant at the right depth and remove as much of the packaging the tree came in as possible.

Following the steps in these handouts will give your tree or shrub the opportunity for a long and healthy life for your family to enjoy.

• Colorado Master Gardener: Tree Planting Steps (Garden Notes #636) (205 KB PDF)

Tree & Shrub Pruning

Urban trees and shrubs require pruning to help make them strong and healthy and to prevent any damage during strong storms.

The following information can help the landowner make the right choices and use the proper techniques when it comes to taking care of the plants in our landscapes.

• For general information on what pruning tools to use and general branch pruning (2.8 MB PDF)
• For information on pruning evergreen trees (737 KB PDF)
• For information on pruning fruit trees (1.2 MB PDF)
• For information on common flowering shrubs and their pruning needs (122 KB PDF) and pruning flowering shrubs (236 KB PDF)

Community Forestry Links

To learn more about trees in your community, please visit:

• CSFS Urban & Community Forestry
• Arbor Day Foundation
• Colorado Tree Coalition