Environmental
The Park County Environmental Council’s (PCEC) Livingston Loves Trees program, along with 20 volunteers and City of Livingston employees, received hands-on training on how to properly prune young trees. Over the past four years, Livingston Loves Trees has planted 381 trees across the city—and now, those trees are ready for the next crucial phase of care.
Patrick Plantenberg, Chair of the Montana Urban and Community Forestry Association (MUCFA), led the workshop in partnership with the City of Livingston. This marks the second pruning training he has taught in Livingston in 2025.
“In MUCFA’s travels across the state, we have found that 90 percent are not pruned adequately in the first five years to develop the structure they need, as they mature,” said Plantenberg. He added, “I am so glad that Livingston Loves Trees members have agreed to help prune the young trees they have planted throughout the city. Livingston right now has one of the best urban tree management programs, using volunteers to plant and prune young trees.”
Park County Environmental Council’s Sarah Stands, Community Resiliency Director, exclaimed, “It’s inspiring to see neighbors come together, eager to learn how to care for the trees we’ve planted and their own trees. That sense of shared purpose is what makes Livingston’s tree program so special.”
Stands went on to add that PCEC is, “deeply grateful for our partners at the City of Livingston and the Montana Urban and Community Forestry Association, and proud to now be members of MUCFA—learning and sharing with other Montana cities who care deeply about their urban forests.”
MSU–Park County Extension Agent Jackie Pondolfino mentioned that the best time to prune most tree species is in February and March—after the coldest part of winter and before bud break. However, most cities do not have enough time to prune all the trees needing work within that two-month window. Pruning is essential to reduce expensive and easily avoidable maintenance costs in the future.
Stands emphasized this, stating, “The most important things anyone can do for a young tree are to water, prune, and protect it from weed whackers. These small acts of stewardship ensure the trees we plant today will shade and shelter the next generation.”
Plantenberg noted that in Townsend, where he serves as Tree Board Chair, trees are planted from mid-March until June 1st and again from September 15th through October, with most pruning occurring between November 1st and March 31st. Some species, such as maples, birches, and Japanese tree lilacs, can also be pruned in summer.
Plantenberg also commended city employees who “prune trees to meet city ordinance specifications so branches are at least eight feet above sidewalks and 14 feet above streets, and then use city arborists in the bucket truck to focus on the larger trees that need major work.”
Residents interested in learning how to plant or prune young trees are encouraged to contact Sarah Stands at 406-222-0723 or visit www.pcecmt.org/livingstonlovestrees.
With the future of state and federal funding uncertain, this beloved community program depends on local support. Please consider volunteering or donating to the Tree Fund to help sustain Livingston’s growing urban forest.