Tree Removal in Covington, LA

Covington is a hard place to take a tree down casually. The city has its own permit rules for cutting, and a big tree near a house, fence or driveway takes careful planning. If you’re planning tree removal in Covington, the job starts with a walk around the tree and a straight answer on whether it needs to come out at all.

Big Easy Tree Removal takes on removals across the city, from a single pine over a roof to storm-damaged hardwoods. This page covers the Covington side of the work. For the full list of what we do in town, see our tree service in Covington page.

Covington trees, lots and weather

A lot of Covington’s character comes from its canopy. The city even keeps a Tree Board that advises on public trees and what it calls “Covington’s Live Oak canopy.” In older parts of town such as the District of St. John, a mature live oak or magnolia can have roots running under driveways and fences, which is one more reason to plan a removal carefully.

Pines are the other big story. A tall pine leaning over a roof deserves a closer look, especially after a storm. After Hurricane Ida in 2021, the National Weather Service reported that thousands of trees were downed across St. Tammany Parish. A pine that came through a storm cracked or stressed can also draw bark beetles. LSU AgCenter notes that damaged and stressed pines attract Ips engraver beetles and southern pine beetles, so a storm-hurt pine is worth checking again in the months after the damage.

Near the Bogue Falaya River and the lower-lying streets, wet ground can make a tall tree less stable after heavy rain. None of this means every big tree is a problem. It does mean a tree deserves a real look before anyone decides.

When removal is the right call

Removal is the last option, and we’ll tell you when a tree can be kept. Tree trimming or a crown reduction fixes plenty of problems. Removal usually makes sense when:

• The trunk or a main stem is split, hollow or leaning further than it did last season.
• The tree is dead, or most of the crown has died back.
• Roots are lifting a slab, a driveway or a foundation, and root pruning won’t solve it.
• A pine has beetle damage that is spreading.
• A storm left the tree hung up in another tree or resting on a structure.

If you’re unsure whether the tree is sick or just stressed, our Covington arborist services page explains what a health and risk check covers.

Covington’s tree-cutting permit

This is the part many homeowners don’t expect. Covington’s code of ordinances says that in all residential zoning districts, a tree-cutting permit is required before removing any tree larger than six inches in diameter at breast height. The building permit office issues it. The same chapter limits how many large trees in the setbacks can be removed in a year, requires replanting for some removals, and treats unpermitted removal as an offense for each caliper inch. Live oaks have their own, stricter protections.

The rules are in Chapter 102 of the Covington code. Rules can change and can depend on your lot and zoning, so confirm with the city’s building permit office befo