The local center is offering two workshops on tree care.
"Selecting and Planting Trees" will focus on choosing the right types of trees and where they should be placed as well as tips on how to plant them properly. The workshop will take place Wednesday, March 29, from 6 to 8 p.m. and will be led by Susan Troxel, Missouri Department of Conservation forester.
"Pruning Trees Correctly" will help people avoid giving their trees "bad haircuts." The workshop will take place Wednesday, April 5, from 6 to 8 p.m. and will be led by Ann Koenig, MDC urban forester.
Both workshops will be held at the Saline County Extension Center, 353 S. Lafayette in Marshall.
For MMU, the main issue is where trees are placed in relation to utility lines -- electric, water, sewer and gas.
Jeff Bergstrom, superintendent of electric distribution, said it's important to get the right tree in the right place to avoid future problems with utility lines.
"People don't intentionally plant trees under lines so we can cut them back," he said. "We don't like cutting people's trees. It's a matter of education."
MMU provides brochures that offer specific guidelines for how far away from electric lines to plant various kinds of trees.
For example, the MMU Tree Planting Guide says trees like red maples and pin oaks, which typically exceed 60 feet in height when mature, should be planted at least 35 feet from overhead power lines.
Smaller trees, like flowering crabapples or smoke trees can be planted as close as 15 feet away from overhead lines.
Underground lines may be more difficult to avoid because they can't be seen.
MMU recommends calling Missouri's hotline for locating underground lines, 1-800-DIG-RITE or 1-800-344-748.
Contact Eric Crump at
