Tree Removal in Gretna, LA

A tree that leans toward your roof, or one that has started dropping heavy limbs, raises two questions. If you’re weighing tree removal in Gretna, the first is whether the tree actually needs to go. The second is how to bring it down with care around the house, the fence and anything else within reach.

Big Easy Tree Removal takes trees down across the city, from Huey P. Long Avenue to the streets around Mel Ott Park. This page is about removals. To see every service we offer on this side of the river, visit our Gretna tree service page.

Old neighborhoods, big trees and West Bank weather

Gretna is the parish seat of Jefferson Parish, and much of its character comes from two historic districts. Mechanickham, laid out in 1836 and often called Old Gretna, and McDonoghville, which dates to 1815 and has been part of the city since 1913, are the two the city recognizes, and the city’s website also features Historic Huey P. Long Avenue. If your property is in one of those districts, there is an extra rules question covered below.

A few things shape the decision on a Gretna tree. The first is species. LSU AgCenter lists laurel oak, water oak and pecan among the trees least able to stand up to wind, while live oak, bald cypress and southern magnolia hold up far better. A tall water oak leaning over a Gretna roof is a very different risk from a broad live oak in the same spot.

The second is termites. LSU AgCenter notes that the Formosan subterranean termite infests the wood of live trees, and that weakened trees are susceptible to being blown over in high winds. A trunk can look solid from the sidewalk and still be hollow inside. Chinese tallow is the third. LSU AgCenter calls it a common sight in yards across Louisiana and says it outcompetes native trees, which is one reason a homeowner may choose to take a tallow out.

Hurricane Ida made landfall near Port Fourchon in 2021 as a Category 4 storm, and Katrina came ashore near Buras in 2005. A tree that lived through hard wind may carry cracks you can’t see from the ground, so it is worth a second look even if it seems fine now.

Signs it’s time to take a tree down

A lot of trees can stay. Good tree trimming can lighten a heavy limb, clear a roof or open up a crowded canopy. Removal starts to make more sense when you see:

• A crack running through the trunk or where two main stems join.
• Soft wood, hollow spots or a cavity at the base that could point to termite damage.
• A lean that has gotten worse, or soil heaving up on one side of the base.
• A crown that is mostly dead, or bare limbs that keep coming down in storms.
• A tallow or other fast grower that has outgrown a small yard.

When you can’t tell whether a tree is declining or just stressed, our Gretna arborist services page covers what a health and risk visit looks at.

City rules to check before cutting

Gretna’s Unified Development Code draws a clear line at the street. Under Sec. 58-272(d)(1), it is unlawful to prune, destroy, deface or cut down any tree or limbs in the public right-of-way or on other public land in the city except with written approval from the Planning Director. If the tree grows between the sidewalk and the street, it may be on public land, so ask the Planning Department before anyone cuts.

On private lan