Summary Paid tree planting work exists mainly as seasonal contract labor, nonprofit and municipal urban forestry positions, and entry-level work with tree care companies. Around New Orleans, the durable career path is tree care rather than planting alone, since local demand runs year round and spikes after every storm season. Certification through the International Society… Continue reading How to Get Paid to Plant Trees Around New Orleans, LA

Summary Tree planting grants are generally awarded to organizations rather than individual homeowners, including neighborhood associations, nonprofits, schools, and local government. In the New Orleans area, the routes worth checking are state urban forestry programs through the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, community foundation grants, and national programs run through the USDA Forest Service… Continue reading How to Get a Grant to Plant Trees in New Orleans, LA

Summary Prune by cutting just outside the branch collar, never flush to the trunk and never leaving a stub, and remove no more than about a quarter of the live canopy in a season. In New Orleans, late fall through winter is the best window because it sits outside hurricane season and the main nesting… Continue reading How to Prune Trees and Shrubs in New Orleans, LA

Summary There are tens of thousands of tree species worldwide, but only a modest number thrive on a New Orleans lot. The local filters are wind, water, and space: USDA zone 9b climate, a high water table, dense clay, and an annual hurricane season narrow the practical list considerably. Live oak, bald cypress, and southern… Continue reading How Many Types of Trees Are There? A New Orleans, LA Perspective